According to the University of Maryland's Faculty Staff Assistance Program (FSAP), stress is a core element in the six major causes of death in the United States. Anger is directly related to stress, as it produces a similar toxic result in the body. An excess amount of adrenaline courses through the body when angry or under extreme duress. Over time, your body will react negatively to toxic adrenaline overloads. This can lead to physical problems or even death. Stress and anger can be managed by practicing coping skills that reduce the amount of adrenaline released in your body.
Instructions
1. Exercise every other day for at least 30 minutes. Take a jog or a walk, lift weights at the gym or swim laps at your local pool. Physical exertion is a stellar means to release negative energy in a positive manner. In addition, the Mayo Clinic reports that exercising increases endorphin neurotransmitter production in the brain, which boosts your overall sense of well-being.
2. The Mind Tools website (mindtools.com) encourages you to keep a "hostility log." Write down things that trigger anger or stress responses as they occur in your daily life. When you know what your triggers are, you can effectively avoid circumstances fraught with your specific triggers, or you can adapt special coping mechanisms to deal with them. For instance, if you get angry and stressed while talking to your boss, you may need to practice being more assertive or expressive, in order to decrease your internal conflict levels.
3. Sleep an average of six to nine hours of sleep a night. Shift your work, school, or social schedule in order to get the shut-eye you need; it is absolutely worth the effort. Stop drinking coffee after 4pm if you have difficulty sleeping. Practice a nightly stretching and deep breathing ritual before bed every night in order to reduce cortisol and adrenaline levels, so you can drift easily into a deep, restorative sleep.
4. Reprogram your internal dialogue with positive self talk. Stop reacting to challenges or inconveniences with negative or self-defeating thinking patterns, as this response greatly increases both anger and stress levels considerably. Make your first response to setbacks or problems, "Oh well" or, "This will work out fine in the end." When you start thinking positive thoughts, your emotions will follow suit. Retrain your brain to be optimistic, and you will find yourself in a terrific mood before you know it.
Tags: amount adrenaline, anger stress, your body, your internal