Feeling Grouchy and Touchy? Read This!
We learn from a very young age that when we don’t get enough sleep, we get cranky. Since shift workers only get 5-6 hours of sleep on average, many feel grouchy, irritable, and touchy a lot of the time. Bad-tempers can be difficult to hold inside, and when fury is released onto spouses, partners, kids, work associates, and managers, it can become toxic. What’s the result? Blowing your top can cause you to be fired and it can result in divorce. Being argumentative and disagreeable doesn’t usually get a positive response. Lack of sleep starts a progression down a slippery slope often ending with frustration and rage. Remember those terrible-two’s temper tantrums? Now we’re talking adult sized anger!
Melinda Beck, Editor of the Wall Street Journal Health Journal interviewed psychologist Pauline Wallin, author of “Taming Your Inner Brat.” In the interview, Dr. Wallin provides a few concrete ideas about how to manage anger. She suggests that when you feel angry, you should slow down and talk sense to yourself. Don’t react quickly to what’s going on around you, take time and think about it. One good suggestion by Dr. Wallin is to imagine that you wake up in the morning with $1 worth of energy for the day. Then, as the day progresses and issues come up, if you feel yourself getting frustrated and angry, think about whether you want to give 80 cents of your energy to that situation or just 5 cents. Most likely you’ll decide not to waste your energy on negative, small issues.
To listen to the interview, Demand for Anger -Management Grows. But Does It Work – WSJ.com.
Tags: children, fatigue, marriage, mental health, Parenting
