Effects of Anger On Your Body

Are you angry all the time? Do you fly into a rage at the least provocation? Do you slam doors and or smash things in an angry rage? If this describes you in whole or at least in part, you are among of the growing number of males and females who need to do something about their anger.

Most of us have a general idea of how constant or frequent outbursts of anger affects our health adversely, but haven’t really counted the cost of such behavior.

What are the Effects of Anger on Your Body?

According to medical research, the correlation between anger and illness is fast becoming all to real!

Anger does kill. A study in the journal “Circulation” finds that those who explode with anger are at a greater risk of strokes.

Anger triggers the release of a stress hormone called cortisol. When we become upset or angry cortisol is released into the body producing a small burst of energy. This is normal and the way we are designed to work. The problem is that higher and more prolonged increases of cortisol can bring a host of negative effects.

Besides creating a blood sugar imbalance; anger can decrease bone density, suppress your immune response and make it susceptible to chronic inflammation; it can also suppress thyroid function as well as slowing down the body’s metabolism. It also can impair the brain’s thinking ability and increase blood pressure.

According to Christina Boerma, the physiology of anger is something we all need to be aware of. We cannot afford to ignore the effects of anger on the body.

There are lots of other negative affects anger has on you that you may not be aware of such as: Increased  heart rate up to 180 beats a minute, your blood pressure can go from 120 over 80 to 220 over 130, perhaps even higher.

Your breathing speeds as you try to get more oxygen into your body as it tenses and your muscles tighten.

When you become stressed and angry, your mind goes into survival mode instructing your body to releases chemicals to clot the blood, creating a potentially dangerous situation: a clot can travel through the blood vessels the brain or heart, resulting in a stroke or heart attack.

Anger also contributes to:

• Poor circulation.
• Uncontrollable anger can trigger the bursting of a brain artery resulting in a stroke.
• Tight neck and head muscles can cause tension headaches, migraines or lead to insomnia.
• Anger stimulates the release of acids in the stomach causing acid reflux and gastric ulcers.
• Anger can also compromise lung function.
• The list goes on and on ….. there have been lots of studies to confirm all this.

The point here is that when you are frequently agitated, upset and angry you are paying a higher price than you can imagine not to mention a lot potential negative social outcomes.

If you have a problem with anger it would be wise to seek professional help. Why not give us a call to discuss how to get control of your anger and start living a healthier life.