How to Control Your Temper While Sleep Deprived
Recognize physical signs., Recognize the onset of emotional signs., Count to ten., Breathe deeply., Get a change of scenery., Try thinking of something humorous., Let people know that you are tired., Avoid situations that make you angry., Take a...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Recognize physical signs.
Anger can make you feel certain physical symptoms.
No matter what the stress is, our bodies will automatically be ready to meet a threat.
When the body is in stress mode, it goes into a fight-or-flight response that causes physical symptoms.
These can include:
Tense muscles and clenched jaw Your head or stomach hurts Your heart is racing You feel sweaty Your face flushes Your body or hands shake You feel dizzy -
Step 2: Recognize the onset of emotional signs.
Anger is often accompanied by a flood of other emotions.
After all, the amygdala, the center for emotions, is pumping out signals with all its might to meet a threat and ensure your survival.
So it’s not surprising that you can get a flood of other related emotions.
These emotions are capable of sounding the alarms for the fight and flight response.
Along with anger, you might feel:
Irritation Sadness Depression Guilt Resentment Anxiousness Defensiveness , If you feel yourself getting angry and are experiencing physical or emotional symptoms of anger, you can tell yourself that you don’t have to react right away.
Counting can help you put off your feelings for the moment.
It might feel a bit silly at first, but counting really can distract your long enough to calm down.
Give yourself time to sort out your feelings., Taking deep breaths can restore oxygen to your brain and calm the stress response that you’re experiencing.
Breathe in for a count of four, hold for a count of four, and exhale for a count of four.
Make sure you are breathing with your diaphragm rather than with your chest.
When you breathe with your diaphragm, your belly extends out (you can feel it with your hand).
Do this as many times as necessary until you start feeling calmer. , If you feel your blood start to boil, take yourself out of the immediate environment.
Take a walk.
Deep breathe.
If you are able to remove yourself from the situation, do it.
Not having the stimulus in front of you, the thing or person you are mad at, will help you calm yourself down.If you can’t leave, then try turning your back for a few minutes and closing your eyes. , If you can get yourself laughing, you can change the chemical reaction in your body.
You can use your brain and imagination to create all sorts of ridiculous situations that can get you laughing, especially if it isn’t mean-spirited or sarcastic humor., When you are tired and in a bad mood, you can lose your temper more quickly.
Let people know that you’d appreciate if they would give you a wide birth today. , If you are already feeling short-tempered, don’t put yourself in a situation that will undoubtedly bring out your temper in full force.
If you get angry about the morning traffic, try working from home or taking public transit.
If you know your child will only eat cheese sandwiches, don’t fight over feeding him vegetables today. , If you are able to, taking a short rest will help restore balance to your mood.
Even getting a 30-minute catnap will help you feel more alert and less prone to temper flares. -
Step 3: Count to ten.
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Step 4: Breathe deeply.
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Step 5: Get a change of scenery.
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Step 6: Try thinking of something humorous.
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Step 7: Let people know that you are tired.
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Step 8: Avoid situations that make you angry.
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Step 9: Take a rest.
Detailed Guide
Anger can make you feel certain physical symptoms.
No matter what the stress is, our bodies will automatically be ready to meet a threat.
When the body is in stress mode, it goes into a fight-or-flight response that causes physical symptoms.
These can include:
Tense muscles and clenched jaw Your head or stomach hurts Your heart is racing You feel sweaty Your face flushes Your body or hands shake You feel dizzy
Anger is often accompanied by a flood of other emotions.
After all, the amygdala, the center for emotions, is pumping out signals with all its might to meet a threat and ensure your survival.
So it’s not surprising that you can get a flood of other related emotions.
These emotions are capable of sounding the alarms for the fight and flight response.
Along with anger, you might feel:
Irritation Sadness Depression Guilt Resentment Anxiousness Defensiveness , If you feel yourself getting angry and are experiencing physical or emotional symptoms of anger, you can tell yourself that you don’t have to react right away.
Counting can help you put off your feelings for the moment.
It might feel a bit silly at first, but counting really can distract your long enough to calm down.
Give yourself time to sort out your feelings., Taking deep breaths can restore oxygen to your brain and calm the stress response that you’re experiencing.
Breathe in for a count of four, hold for a count of four, and exhale for a count of four.
Make sure you are breathing with your diaphragm rather than with your chest.
When you breathe with your diaphragm, your belly extends out (you can feel it with your hand).
Do this as many times as necessary until you start feeling calmer. , If you feel your blood start to boil, take yourself out of the immediate environment.
Take a walk.
Deep breathe.
If you are able to remove yourself from the situation, do it.
Not having the stimulus in front of you, the thing or person you are mad at, will help you calm yourself down.If you can’t leave, then try turning your back for a few minutes and closing your eyes. , If you can get yourself laughing, you can change the chemical reaction in your body.
You can use your brain and imagination to create all sorts of ridiculous situations that can get you laughing, especially if it isn’t mean-spirited or sarcastic humor., When you are tired and in a bad mood, you can lose your temper more quickly.
Let people know that you’d appreciate if they would give you a wide birth today. , If you are already feeling short-tempered, don’t put yourself in a situation that will undoubtedly bring out your temper in full force.
If you get angry about the morning traffic, try working from home or taking public transit.
If you know your child will only eat cheese sandwiches, don’t fight over feeding him vegetables today. , If you are able to, taking a short rest will help restore balance to your mood.
Even getting a 30-minute catnap will help you feel more alert and less prone to temper flares.
About the Author
Amanda Martin
Committed to making creative arts accessible and understandable for everyone.
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