Being angry isn't a very fun emotion, but it can be addictive. It is easier to stay angry then it is to forgive and move on. But as it turns out, staying mad can have a pretty significant impact on your overall health.
The effect that anger has on your brain can impact your health in a lot of different ways. While it's normal to get mad at specific moments, it's the prolonged anger that will impact your body. If you are one of those people who seem constantly angry (or even know one of those people), these are the types of things you should watch out for.
Your Brain Will Trigger Too Much Adrenaline
The physiological response to anger is adrenaline. This is helpful when you need it, but on a day-to-day basis it becomes too much. Constantly having adrenaline pumping in your blood will raise your heart rate and blood pressure.
Damage To The Pancreas
Not only will your body be full of adrenaline, but it will also have issues regulating sugar. When you are angry, your pancreas has issues controlling the sugar balance in your blood. This will cause your blood sugar level to rise and that will further increase your blood pressure and heart rate.
Your Brain Won't Be Able To Slow Down
Studies show that people who are angry all the time are often unable to slow down and evaluate situations properly. It completely compromises the hypothalamus's ability to control the body's stress responses.
Brain Will Trigger The Stress Hormone Cortisol
Cortisol will flood through your body if you are constantly stressed. It will create a whole new set of symptoms to deal with including the following.
Weight Gain
The stress hormone cortisol is pretty brutal. When there are high levels of it in your body you are more likely to gain weight through visceral fat deep in the abdomen. You also will find yourself craving high-calorie foods more often and your blood sugar will be impacted making you want to eat more.
That's not all that anger can do to you...
Lowered Immune System
If your cortisol levels are too high for too long they will start to harm your immune system. It can range anywhere from a highly likelihood of getting a cold to developing food allergies or even increasing your risk of cancer.
Gastrointestinal Issues
Cortisol will cause the stomach lining to become irritated and inflamed so then when your stomach tries to digest food it doesn't work properly. A lot of people with chronic stress or anger develop irritable bowel syndrome or colitis.
Insomnia
Because your brain can't shut off properly, you won't be able to get a good night's sleep.
Damage To The Lungs
People who tend to be angrier have worse lung capacity and many more respiratory problems throughout their lives.
Constant Anger Will Shorten Your Life Span
Even if all these other issues aren't enough to encourage you to relax, there is also the fact that being angry will shorten your life span. Even those who are passive aggressively angry will see a lowered life span.
The best way to make sure that anger doesn't destroy your life is to acknowledge your feelings and deal with the issue head on. Sometimes you have to let go of things that don't matter, or if you are having trouble with it, seek out help to make sure you live your best life!