Anger management through yoga

Anger is one of the most basic emotions. It can range from mild irritation to destructive rage. Anger can be defined as a response to a real or imagined provocation or threat. It is usually considered a healthy response to situations that threaten an individual. It becomes essential to understand and manage anger when it begins to overwhelm your sense of judgement, cause distress and affect your health.

It is a proven fact that yoga and meditation can help understand and overcome anger. Yoga can naturally elevate mood, lower stress and help build resilience which are important factors that help deal with anger.

Situations may go south and you go with them

Any number of things can trigger an angry response - tiredness, deadlines, disappointment, failure, frustration, grief or pain. The underlying cause of anger is identified as a feeling of loss of control. When situations do not go as planned or people do not respond as expected, you tend to feel stressed and angry.

When you get angry, the brain perceives the situation as a threat and triggers the flight or fight response. This affects your physiology, behaviour and cognition. The body releases stress hormones such as adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol. There is a rapid increase in heart rate, breath rate, blood pressure and body temperature. There are very evident changes that can be felt when you get angry such as instant sweating, muscle tensions, throbbing temples, shorter breath etc.

Repeated outbursts of anger can take you down

Recurring episodes of intense anger or constant annoyance can lead to diseases and mental disorders. Anger is known to cause a wear and tear effect on the cardiovascular system and increases risks of heart diseases. Constant chaos in the body can also lead to backaches, headaches, skin disorders, digestion problems etc. Unresolved anger is also known to cause mental and emotional disturbances such as depression, eating disorders, low self-esteem etc. Anger issues can affect work, relationships and family ties due to poor judgement.

Anger is a battle you can win

You may not be able to change situations or people that anger you but you can acquire skills to understand and deal with anger. This is usually called anger management. There are various techniques such as counting numerals 1-10, deep breathing, repeating ‘relax’ or expressing your anger without damaging the other. While these may seem like temporary solutions, they can help deal with everyday situations.

When you want to win the battle of anger and distress, a fairly long term solution lies with yoga. Yoga puts your body and mind at ease as it helps the body release plenty of good hormones, relaxes the nervous system and turns the mind inwards.

Tackle anger the yogic way

Forward bending postures, postures that work on the abdominal area and relaxation postures are beneficial to address anger. Breath and emotions are closing related. This can be observed when you’re angry (you breathe rapidly) or sad (you breathe heavily). Gaining mastery over your breath can help change the chemistry of your body. Breathing practices have a relaxing effect on the brain, nervous system and emotions. Kriyas or cleansing techniques can cleanse and unblock emotions. You can develop a sense of awareness through breathing and meditation which can help deal with anger effectively by neither suppressing it nor lashing out in the heat of the moment. While feelings of anger are known to reduce over a period of time with the practice of yoga, momentary lapses can be dealt with in a healthy and responsible way. A positive attitude also helps go a long way.