So much for happy hours. Angry men are bigger boozers than their calmer counterparts, finds new research from the University of Vermont.
In the study, guys with high tempers were more likely to hit the hooch, suggesting that mad men imbibe to feel better. But when researchers looked at the drinkers’ next-day data and expected to see a mood boost, they found the opposite: “Increased alcohol use significantly predicted less happiness the next day,” says lead study author Valerie Harder, Ph.D.
In other words, and counter to country music in general, you can’t drink to drown your sorrows. Alcohol works as a temporary Band-Aid, says sports psychologist Mitch Abrams, Psy.D., but it doesn’t present a solution to rage.
If you think you have a serious anger problem, ask your doc to refer you to a therapist. But if you only blow the occasional fuse, a quick breathing fix should go a long way toward stopping your anger—and it’s much healthier than reaching for the bottle.
Do this: Take a deep breath. Does your stomach expand? If not, you’re breathing wrong. And since breathing is one of the anger responses that you can control, it’s important to do it right. The correct way to breathe—a method called “diaphragmatic breathing”—should involve the extension of your stomach, not your chest, Abrams says.
Put your hand between your sternum and navel. As you breathe in, your hand should move outward. Imagine that you’re blowing up a balloon in your stomach as you inhale. Visualize a relaxing place, like a beach, and time your breathing with the waves. “The more sensory-involved the image is, the better the breathing will be,” says Abrams.
Additional reporting by Ashley Insalaco
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