How to reduce anger

If you are troubled by the way your anger controls you rather than the other way around, there’s help at hand. But first, let’s get to know more about anger and its effects.

What is anger?

Anger is defined as “a normal, usually healthy, human emotion.” After a surge of anger, if you can hit the delete button, that is fine. However, when anger gets out of hand, a host of problems begin in all areas of life: physically, mentally, emotionally, and, of course, socially, too.

Why is anger harmful for your health?

Anger triggers the basic flight-or-fight response. Increase in heart rate, blood pressure, and stress-levels is the primary result. The breathing rate increases, too. When anger is “recurrent and unmanaged”, metabolic changes are set in motion that, over time, affect not just health, but also the overall quality of our life. Unmanaged anger can cause many “ill”-effects such as:

• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Decreased immunity
• Skin problems
• Insomnia
• High blood pressure
• Digestive problems
• Anxiety and depression
• Migraines
• Many negative emotions
• Complications in pre-existing health conditions

Managing anger

No matter how many times we remind ourselves that getting angry is not good, yet, when the emotion comes, we are unable to manage it. We have only been told we should not get angry, but not what to do if it does come.

Have you noticed that no matter how many times you remind yourself that getting angry is not good, yet when the emotion comes you are unable to control it. All through your childhood you have only learnt that ‘You should not get angry’ but the question remains ‘How to control anger?’. What do you do when this thunderstorm of emotions comes?

Well, let’s understand the root cause of anger and simple tips by which you can manage it!

Understanding Anger

Often when we see imperfection around us, we are unable to accept it. For instance, when someone has done something wrong, our anger rises like a wave and subsides, leaving us shaken, and sometimes with regret.

When we are angry, we are not aware. The first step is to realize that anger cannot remove the imperfections. Next we need to understand that only when we are able to accept the situation as it is, can we correct it with awareness.

This is easier said than done because it is never easy to deal with the mind or emotions directly. That is why we need the help of certain techniques to help us. Let us learn them and manage our anger and stress to improve the overall quality of our health and our lives.

7 tips to control your anger by dealing with restlessness in the body & mind

1. You are what you eat
2. Experience the power of rest
3. Yogic twists are good
4. Make your mind your best friend
5. Deep breaths - your all time antidote
6. Have You Hmmed?
7. Meditation - a 20-minute journey within

1

You Are What You Eat!

Have you noticed that on certain days you feel very calm and relaxed, and on some days, you are very restless? This is because the food you eat greatly affects your mind and your emotions. Certain types of food bring restlessness and tension in the mind and body. Avoiding such food - mainly non-vegetarian, spicy and oily foods, will help you to reduce your tendency to anger.

2

Experience The Power Of Rest!

How do you feel if you have not slept well the night before? Do you tend to get angry more often? Tiredness and restlessness in your body can lead to stress, tension and agitation in the mind. Sleeping for at least 6-8 hours a day is essential for anger-management because it ensures proper rest for the body and mind and you are less likely to get agitated.

3

Yogic Twists Are Good!

Ten to fifteen minutes of yoga asanas will help remove the tension and restlessness in your body and mind and help control your anger. A few rounds of Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutations) could be a good way to begin. The advantage of yoga asanas over just physical exercise is that yoga asanas are synchronized with the breath and increase your energy levels along with providing the necessary physical stretches.

Says Priyam Khanna, “On certain days when I am very stressed out, I feel a lot of stiffness in my body. This makes me very restless and agitated and I tend to get angry very easily. Yoga removes stiffness from the body and the result is a relaxed and happy mind.”

4

Pranayama – to make your mind your best friend

Pranayamas such as Bhastrika and Nadi Shodhan help reduce the restlessness in the mind. When the mind is calm and quiet, you are less likely to get agitated and angry. But make sure you learn them only from a qualified teacher.

Read Now: Control your Anger with Meditation and Wisdom >>

Inspired by Gurudev Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's wisdom talks.

By Divya Sachdev. Based on inputs by Bharathy Harish, a Sahaj Samadhi Meditation Teacher.