How to Reduce Irritability

Irritability is a result of being dissatisfied with your current mental state. This can be brought about by all sorts of things. You can be temporarily irritable because of stress or lack of sleep. You can be irritable toward particular people because of pent-up resentment. You can also be irritable due to mental illness or long-term mental trauma. Regardless of what caused your irritability, there are ways to reduce it.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

1. Get some sleep. This is the leading cause of irritability. Adults need at least 8 hours of continuous, uninterrupted sleep every night. When you cheat yourself an hour or two of sleep one night, that sleep deprivation carries over to the next night. If you do this every night for a week, you will have missed an entire night's sleep. It's amazing how much less irritable you are if you just sleep.

2. Relax. Stress is another major cause of irritability. First, acknowledge that you have problems. Next, decide which problems you can fix and which ones you must accept. Finally, tell yourself that you are doing what you can, and worrying wont help. This is easier said than done, but the more you focus on relaxing, the less irritable you will be.

3. Treat yourself better. A major reason for irritability is a poor self-image. This can be improved dramatically by eating healthy and increasing exercise. This makes the body stronger and improves mood. You can also dress up and get a makeover to help you feel better about yourself. The more you like yourself, the better you treat others.

4. Do things you enjoy. When people aren't happy, they subconsciously want other people to know it through irritability. If you focus on spending time doing things that make you happy, you also subconsciously want other people to know that. Spend time with people who make you happy or treat yourself to a night out. It's hard to be irritable when you're having a good time.

5. Talk it out. Many people are irritable because they are frustrated. The best way to deal with this is to talk about it. Find a friend who cares. Listen to his problems and ask him to listen to yours. If you can't talk to a friend about your problems, consider a therapist or counselor. It's amazing how much better you feel when you let out your frustrations by talking about them. It's far more constructive than letting out your frustrations by being irritable.

6. See a doctor. If none of these steps reduce your irritability, ask a professional if there's something she can do. In extreme cases, medication can help reduce irritability.