The reason behind having an angry day
Feeling angry these days? New research suggests that a good night of sleep may be just what you need.
Researchers analysed daily diary entries from 202 university students, who tracked their sleep, daily stressors, and anger over one month. Preliminary results showed that individuals reported experiencing more anger on days following less sleep than usual for them.
The research team also conducted a lab experiment involving 147 community residents.
Participants were randomly assigned either to maintain their regular sleep schedule or to restrict their sleep at home by about five hours across two nights. Following this manipulation, anger was assessed during exposure to irritating noise.
The experiment found that well-slept individuals adapted to noise and reported less anger after two days.
In contrast, sleep-restricted individuals exhibited higher and increased anger in response to aversive noise, suggesting that losing sleep undermined emotional adaptation to frustrating circumstances.
Subjective sleepiness accounted for most of the experimental effect of sleep loss on anger. A related experiment in which individuals reported anger following an online competitive game found similar results.
“The results are important because they provide strong causal evidence that sleep restriction increases anger and increases frustration over time,” said Zlatan Krizan, who has a doctorate in personality and social psychology and is a professor of psychology at Iowa State University.
“Moreover, the results from the daily diary study suggest such effects translate to everyday life, as young adults reported more anger in the afternoon on days they slept less.”
The authors noted that the findings highlight the importance of considering specific emotional reactions such as anger and their regulation in the context of sleep disruption.
Do you find yourself quick to anger after a bad night’s sleep? How have you been sleeping during the pandemic?
Journal of Neuroscience study of more than 100 men and women showed "going to sleep after experiencing negative emotions appears to reinforce or 'preserve' them." The study also explored other reports that surmised "after an unsettling experience, many people have trouble sleeping."
Going to bed angry and hoping to sleep off the anger never works. Instead, one wakes up with a build up of resentment and the cycle contines into the next night.. Better to clear the air before going to bed…kiss and make up..send some love to those who p**s you off because they need it. No one can escape feelings of anger at some point, the important thing is to realise how it can affect your sleep and do something before it’s too late.