Surprising News about Anger

There's something to be said about having a hey-it's-
all-good attitude, but showing a little anger now and then
may lower your risks of several killer diseases, reveals
a new German study. People who repressed their anger
had elevated levels of of the stress hormone cortisol and
were 31% more likely to suffer a heart attack, cancer,
or high blood pressure. And although genders repress
anger differently- women may be more apt to sulk or
guilt-trip, while men tend to act out, perhaps by drinking
too much, says Deborah Cox, PhD, the author of
The Anger Advantage- there are healthy ways to express
it that work for all of us.
Use your words. Translating your anger into words and
sharing them with someone you trust is essential for
physical and emotional health.
Put It in Writing. Writing a note is a great way for couples
to make their anger known to each other if they can't
talk about it without getting defensive.
Hit Something (Not Someone). Hitting or screaming
into a pillow, instead of erupting at a person, can help
stabilize feelings when you're about to lose it...but limit
pillow punching to 30 seconds at a time. Using the
treadmill may help too: Walking daily has been shown to
calm anger and decrease diastolic blood pressure.
-Prevention Magazine, June 2013