Anger is a common emotion. It’s natural, and it’s a part of how you respond to certain circumstances in your environment. It’s how you express extreme displeasure. However, new research suggests chronic anger can be detrimental to your health. Essentially, it comes down to this: If you are stressed, tense, easily irritable, angry, and “snippy” all the time, you may be doing serious harm to your well-being. Studies have already shown a link between anger and the heart. People who showed signs of feeling anger on a regular basis experienced higher rates of heart disease. The first studies on the impact of anger came out in the 1950s and have since been confirmed: Chronic anger physically harms the heart. Why? When you get angry or upset, your brain triggers the release of specific hormones, including cortisol and norepinephrine. These hormones are responsible for triggering the “fight or flight” response. When these hormones enter the bloodstream, your heart rate increases and arteries constrict. This helps to more effectively pump blood to the arms and legs for a fight or a flight. The problem is that when a person is constantly angry or upset, these hormones course through the body more frequently, stressing the arteries and internal organs. As a person ages, this stress can become more damaging. One study that appeared in the Psychology and Aging Journal looked into this phenomenon. Researchers found that there is a link between frequently experiencing anger and increased inflammation and chronic illness for people ages 80 and older. This equated to more instances of heart disease and dementia. The study also looked at other emotions, including sadness, which has also been linked to heart and other inflammatory disease. Through a number of tests involving 200 participants ages 59–93, the researchers concluded anger was far more detrimental to a person’s health than sadness. Ultimately, if you regularly experience rage and frustration, properly dealing with your anger is one of the best things you can do for your health. Every person’s situation is different, and it comes down to getting to the bottom of what makes you angry so you can work through it, whether you work through it alone or with a mental health professional. Take the steps to prioritize your mental and physical health, and your efforts will pay off tenfold in the long run. CHRONIC ANGER, YOUR HEART, AND YOUR HEALTH HOW THIS EMOTION IS DOING YOU HARM
DON’T LET THE NEXT RIDE BE THE LAST RIDE
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, motorcyclists are 30 times more likely to die in a car crash than car passengers. That being said, motorcycles are here to stay. If you or a family member ride, then you know that there are simple ways to keep yourself safe. Here are three of them. COVER YOURSELF UP Protective clothing goes a lot further than just wearing a helmet, even though that is an important part of it. Along with a helmet that comes with a face shield, always wear clothes that will protect your body if you hit the pavement at high speeds. Jackets and pants made of leather, or another type of reinforced material, along with gloves and over-the-ankle boots, should be indispensable parts of any motorcyclist’s wardrobe. 3 TIPS FOR MOTORCYCLE SAFETY GET EDUCATED Before getting out on the road for the first time, going through a Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) riding course is absolutely critical. In Georgia, riding courses include 5 hours of classroom activities and 10 hours of riding practice conducted over two or three sessions. Along with an enhanced understanding of navigating the roads on your bike, an MSF Course Completion card could earn you an insurance discount. ALWAYS BE ON THE DEFENSE Never assume drivers are completely aware of you when you’re riding your motorcycle. Two thirds of all riding accidents happen because a car turned onto a main road right in front of a motorcyclist. Always ride with your headlights on, follow from a safe distance, signal well in advance, and wear reflective clothing if you’re riding at night. While you might want to feel the wind in your hair and carefree as you careen down the road on that steel horse, you aren’t exempt from responsible riding. Practice the above tips to keep your next ride from being your last. And, if you ever find yourself in an accident, give Marks Law Group a call.
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