July 2008
Anger control
Harness its healing power
How well you control your anger has a powerful impact on your body’s ability to heal, according to a recent study published
in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity.
Researchers at Ohio State University gave 98 study participants blisters on an arm and monitored how quickly the wound healed. The subjects, ages 24 to 72, also completed questionnaires that assessed how they expressed and managed anger.
Individuals who managed anger well healed faster, within four days. Those who did not control anger well were four times more likely to take more than four days to heal. They also produced higher levels of cortisol, a stress hormone linked to delayed healing. Slow healing can increase the risk of infection of the wound, further prolonging recovery.
"One way or another, anger will compromise your immune response," says Ronald Glaser, Ph.D., one of the study’s authors. Your response to anger could affect how fast you heal after surgery, for example.
Think, then act. Other studies have shown that two main ways of dealing with anger—letting it out or holding it in, rather than controlling it—can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke. But in the Ohio State study, "we found this third factor—anger control—to be more important for healing," says Jean-Philippe Gouin, one of the authors.
Know your anger. Once you realize that something is making you angry, take a moment to think before deciding what to do with that anger, Gouin
suggests. Reasoning with yourself, a process known as cognitive training, has been shown to be helpful in managing emotions,
including anger.
When a situation is genuinely unfair, anger can be justified. For instance, when an airline suddenly cancels flights, many travelers become angry. In such a case, "often the only thing you can do is manage your emotional reaction because you can’t change the situation," Gouin says.
Relax? Techniques such as yoga and tai chi may reduce stress and help you relax. But in the Ohio State study, surprisingly, relaxation exercises had no effect on how a wound healed. That might have been because the timing was off, Gouin speculates. If participants had mastered relaxation techniques earlier, before the blistering, they might have been effective. Certainly, relaxation strategies can’t hurt, especially if they defuse your anger.
Curb stress. Anger and psychological stress can speed up heart rate, raise blood pressure, narrow blood vessels, and increase the risk of blood clots.
In addition to managing your anger, take steps to reduce stress by exercising regularly, practicing meditation, treating depression, and maintaining contact with others. Those strategies also probably will have positive effects on your emotional and physical health.
Researchers at Ohio State University gave 98 study participants blisters on an arm and monitored how quickly the wound healed. The subjects, ages 24 to 72, also completed questionnaires that assessed how they expressed and managed anger.
Individuals who managed anger well healed faster, within four days. Those who did not control anger well were four times more likely to take more than four days to heal. They also produced higher levels of cortisol, a stress hormone linked to delayed healing. Slow healing can increase the risk of infection of the wound, further prolonging recovery.
"One way or another, anger will compromise your immune response," says Ronald Glaser, Ph.D., one of the study’s authors. Your response to anger could affect how fast you heal after surgery, for example.
Think, then act. Other studies have shown that two main ways of dealing with anger—letting it out or holding it in, rather than controlling it—can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke. But in the Ohio State study, "we found this third factor—anger control—to be more important for healing," says Jean-Philippe Gouin, one of the authors.
You may need
anger control if:
anger control if:
1. You easily fly off the handle when criticized.
2. Being frustrated makes you feel like hitting someone.
3. You think of yourself as hotheaded.
4. Being annoyed causes you to say nasty things.
When a situation is genuinely unfair, anger can be justified. For instance, when an airline suddenly cancels flights, many travelers become angry. In such a case, "often the only thing you can do is manage your emotional reaction because you can’t change the situation," Gouin says.
Relax? Techniques such as yoga and tai chi may reduce stress and help you relax. But in the Ohio State study, surprisingly, relaxation exercises had no effect on how a wound healed. That might have been because the timing was off, Gouin speculates. If participants had mastered relaxation techniques earlier, before the blistering, they might have been effective. Certainly, relaxation strategies can’t hurt, especially if they defuse your anger.
Curb stress. Anger and psychological stress can speed up heart rate, raise blood pressure, narrow blood vessels, and increase the risk of blood clots.
In addition to managing your anger, take steps to reduce stress by exercising regularly, practicing meditation, treating depression, and maintaining contact with others. Those strategies also probably will have positive effects on your emotional and physical health.
