Experts Reveal the Real Link Between Your Anger and Lack of Sleep! Here’s What You Didn’t Know Could Happen

Do you find yourself waking up feeling heavy, cranky, and irritable? Do you find yourself snapping at everyone even when they did nothing wrong? According to health experts, the searing anger and rage you felt may be due to your lack of sleep.

The Study

According to the New US Research, the researchers found that missing even a few hours of sleep at night diminish your ability to adapt to situations during the day, causing you to be angry. The researchers were from Iowa State University, and they conducted a study on over 142 participants divided into two groups.

One group was assigned to maintain their normal sleeping pattern for two days straight, while the other group was assigned to restrict their sleep by two-four hours every night for two nights. The researchers also allowed the participants to rate their feelings of anger before and after the duration of the study.

The study shows those people who lack sleep tend to be angrier and more irritable

They were asked to rate their feelings while listening through different background noises to trigger frustrating and unpleasant situations to provoke anger. The findings of the study showed the group who maintained their regular sleep pattern (mostly sleeping around 7-8 hours at night) tend to be calmer, responsive, and adaptive to certain situations.

Meanwhile, the restricted group tends to be more impulsive, irritable, and angry as they find themselves unable to adapt to situations and circumstances during the day. The researcher concludes the amount of sleep loss most people experience in their everyday lives affect not only our physical well-being but also our mental and emotional state too.

The Anger Intensifies

The researchers also found how restricting your sleep universally intensifies your anger. According to the study’s co-author Zlatan Krizan, sleep loss can spark feelings not only of anger but other emotions like anxiety, depression, sadness, and stress.

The researchers found how it wrecks your hormonal imbalance to decrease the positive emotions you feel like happiness and enthusiasm.

Krizan also reported how the participants of the restricted group were angrier at any small noise they heard that would potentially disrupt their calmness or routine, regardless of how they manipulate the noise to make it soft and bearable to them.

People who lack sleep also tend to isolate themselves in a quiet place to avoid anything that might irritate them

Krizan added the restricted group wasn’t just angry at the background noises they put up during the study. They also tend to be less adaptable to irritating conditions like having an uncomfortable shirt, a messy room, the sound of barking dogs, etc. The researchers note how their anger and distress increased as they tried to confront these frustrating conditions.

So, to cope up, the restricted group tended to isolate themselves to calm down and wear off any anger they feel instead. Krizan says the preliminary results they got from the study can also be applied to real life.

This can also pave way for researchers to conduct further studies on how sleep deprivation can trigger aggressive behaviors to the person itself, including how it affects other people (which can help determine the patterns of potential abuse).

Tips on Improving Sleep

The health experts recommend these tips to help improve your sleeping patterns to make you less angry and irritable.

Stick to A Consistent Sleeping Schedule

To fall into the habit of sleeping, the health experts recommend you set a sleeping schedule and follow it consistently.

For example, you may want to set your sleeping time around 9-10 pm depending on your preference, needs, and work circumstances. Once you’ve set the schedule, make sure to be in bed at least 30 minutes within your designated time.

Establish a Relaxing Bedtime Ritual

Having a relaxing, bedtime ritual help ease the stress in your body to lull you to sleep easier

According to health experts, it’s easier to sleep if you’re relaxed and at peace. So they recommend you identify the things or activities that make you relax and sleepy.

For example, you might get bored in reading a book, you can read a chapter or two during bedtime to lull you to sleep. If not, you can listen to mellow or instrumental music as you lie on your bed.