How to reduce anger

If you are troubled by the way your anger controls you rather than the other way around, there’s help at hand. Among its multiple benefits, one of the major benefits of meditation is that it helps to reduce anger. But before we understand more me about meditation for anger, let’s understand the problem and its effects.

What is anger?

Anger is defined as “a normal, usually healthy, human emotion.” After a surge of anger, if you can hit the delete button, then that is fine. However, when anger gets out of hand, a host of problems pop-up in all areas of life: physical, mental, emotional, and social.

Why is anger harmful to your health?

Anger triggers the basic flight-or-fight response. Primarily, it causes an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, and stress levels. The breathing rate increases too. When anger is ‘recurrent and unmanaged’, metabolic changes are set in motion that inevitably affect not just health, but also the overall quality of life. Unmanaged anger can cause many ill-effects such as:

heart attack
stroke
decreased immunity
skin problems
insomnia
high blood pressure
digestive problems
anxiety and depression
migraines
negative emotions
complications in pre-existing health conditions

Understanding anger

Anger is not good. You have repeatedly reminded yourself about this. Yet when the emotion arises, you are unable to control it. As children, you were taught to not get angry but were not taught how to control or reduce anger. Before we get into the tips on how to reduce anger, let’s begin at the beginning. What causes anger?

1. Often when we see imperfection around us, we are unable to accept it. For instance, when someone has done something wrong, our anger rises like a wave and then subsides, leaving us shaken, and sometimes with regret.

2. When we are angry, we are not aware. The first step is to realize that anger cannot remove imperfections. We need to understand that only when we are able to accept the situation as it is, we can correct it with awareness.

3. This is easier said than done because it is never easy to deal with the mind or emotions directly. That is why we need certain techniques to help us. Meditation for anger, breathing techniques to calm down play a significant role.

7 simple tips on how to control anger

You are what you eat

Have you noticed some days you feel calm and relaxed, while on others, you are restless? This is because the food you eat greatly affects your mind and emotions. Certain types of food bring restlessness and tension in the mind and body. This type of food mainly includes non-vegetarian, spicy and oily food. On days when you are feeling reactive, avoid this kind of food and observe. Chances are that you will find a shift within. One of the steady ways to reduce anger and the intensity of emotion over time is to eat healthy.

Experience the power of rest

How do you feel if you have not had sound sleep? Do you tend to get angry more often? Tiredness and restlessness in your body can lead to stress, tension, and agitation in the mind. Sleeping for at least 6-8 hours every day is essential to reduce anger because it ensures proper rest for the body as well as the mind. Good sleep reduces the chances of you feeling agitated.

Yogic twists are good to reduce anger

A quick 10 to 15 minutes of yoga asanas will help remove the tension and restlessness in your body and mind. This, in turn, will help to reduce anger and will also prepare the mind for meditation. A few rounds of Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutations) could be a good way to begin. The advantage of yoga asanas over just physical exercise is that the yogic postures are synchronized with breath and thus, increase your energy levels along with providing the necessary physical stretches.

“On certain days, when I feel stressed out, I feel a lot of stiffness in my body. This makes me restless and agitated. I tend to get angry easily. Yoga removes stiffness from the body, I find that it is one of the fastest ways to reduce anger. The result is a relaxed and happy mind,” said Priyam Khanna.

Are you looking for ways to control anger, frustration, and develop resilience? Do you want to experience a sense of peace that stays with you? Gift yourself a valuable asset: the power of the breath. Learn Sudarshan Kriya and meditation at our exclusive workshop.Learn More

Practice Pranayama to reduce anger

Pranayamas such as bhastrika and nadi shodhan help reduce restlessness in the mind. When the mind is calm, you are less likely to get agitated and angry. But, ensure you learn them only from a qualified teacher.5

Deep breaths

Taking a few deep breaths will instantly help you drop anger. The moment you become angry, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Observe the change in your state of mind. Breath releases stress and helps your mind calm down.6

Do the ‘hmm’

Doing the “hmm” process takes just a couple of minutes, but will immediately make you calmer and helps to reduce anger.
Watch this video to learn how to do the “hmmm” process.7

Meditate daily

Regular practice of yoga, pranayama, and attention to food help to settle the restlessness, but how can one sustain a calm and balanced state of mind? Meditating regularly is your answer. Just 20 minutes of daily meditation is sufficient for an entire day. You will notice that even if you do get angry, you calm down faster. Though meditation has several benefits to the mind and body, meditation for anger reduction is one of the key benefits.

It would be ideal to learn meditation from an experienced teacher. However, until you’re waiting to visit a class, practice one of these guided meditations.

“Meditation keeps me calm and away from my anger,” said Surbhi Sharma