R E G AN MENT E G A MAN AND
WOMEN BY
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CC A
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hat sets you off? Is it looming deadlines? Family members pulling you in too many directions? Or, maybe being stuck behind someone who does not understand traffic circles? For me, it can be all of the above, and I have noticed I am more prone to irritability or even anger since turning 40. Pissed I was getting pissed, I decided to do some research and find out why.
WHY DO 40+ WOMEN GET ANGRY? Let’s start with two mood regulators: serotonin, a neurotransmitter, and estrogen, a sex hormone. Serotonin helps control mood and impulse control. Because the hormone estrogen plays a part in the production of serotonin, when estrogen levels decline (with PMS, peri-menopause, etc.), serotonin levels decline, too, taking your mood control with it. Lack of serotonin also inhibits our ability to manage pain and sleep, making it difficult to be perpetually all-smiles, Jennifer Garner-ish when we are experiencing age-related chronic pain or have not had a decent night’s sleep in a while. TIPS TO MANAGE ANGER Breathe. I know, I know. It annoys me to even type the word “breathe”— and not because I do not believe in the power of breath. It is because quite often when we are upset and someone tells us to breathe, it seems like an oversimplification of our thoughts or feelings or a generic response. However, biochemical greatness happens when we breathe. When you take a long deep inhale and then exhale, it sends a message to your brain to calm down and relax. The brain then sends this message to your body. In turn, anger-induced bio-responses, such as increased heart rate, fast breathing, and high blood pressure, all decrease. Having taught yoga for 20 years, I have noticed most people breathe from their sternum, often not even from the diaphragm. 114
JUNE 2019
C2 MAGAZINE
C2 MAGAZINE
JUNE 2019
115