Have you ever observed that individuals who display frequent anger or rudeness often appear older than they really are? We might remark that they seem "bitter" or have a "weathered" look. In contrast, those with cheerful and vibrant personalities can appear significantly younger than their chronological age.

Personally, I've always been perceived as having a youthful face. However, during my twenties, I often exhibited a short temper and had a tendency to react intensely. This was a time when I was frequently described as looking "intense."

As I moved into my thirties, I found a softer approach both in my demeanor and appearance. It wasn't until I began my research that I recognized the importance of this transformation for my well-being. Over the years, I've delved into numerous studies, linking various health findings, which I later compiled into several books.

Through my exploration, I learned that the appearance of an "aged face" isn't merely a response to prolonged stress or negativity; rather, it signals deeper physiological issues that may be beyond our immediate control. It is less about the individual and more about how the body reacts to emotions.

In this article, I will outline four significant ways your body's independent responses to anger can affect you and what truly transpires beneath your skin when you experience and maintain anger. I will also provide references to the research supporting these findings for your further exploration. Lastly, I will share five strategies to help you harness your body's natural tendencies to regain control over your emotions.

Let’s begin with the most apparent physical impact.

1. Anger and its lasting impression on facial expressions:

   Habitual anger not only contributes to premature aging but also accelerates physical decline. When we feel angry, our facial muscles tighten, and over time, this can result in deeper wrinkles.

   Beyond mere aesthetics, the skin struggles to repair itself. A 2008 study observed that participants with quick tempers took four times longer to heal from induced blisters compared to those who remained calm.

   Anger triggers a release of cortisol, a neurotransmitter that can hinder collagen production. As dermatologists can attest, collagen is essential for skin elasticity, healing, and reducing wrinkles.

2. Anger’s influence on longevity:

   Not only does anger affect your appearance, but it also correlates with accelerated aging. Anger is associated with stress, which can lead to various health complications. In the short term, it raises blood pressure, quickens the heart rate, and disrupts hormonal and neurological functions, impacting respiratory health.

   Over time, anger disrupts our autonomic nervous system, which governs crucial bodily functions. This can result in digestive issues, metabolic disorders, insomnia, and other serious conditions that can impact health and life expectancy.

   As we age with anger, we become more susceptible to complications. Research indicates that older adults who frequently experience anger tend to exhibit higher levels of inflammation, leading to numerous chronic illnesses and compromising the immune system.

3. The relationship between anger and telomeres:

   Telomeres are protective caps on our chromosomes that safeguard our DNA, which dictates our genetic identity and bodily functions. Each time a cell divides, telomeres shorten, and when they become too short, the cell dies. Shorter telomeres are linked to a decline in overall bodily functions.

   Research indicates that chronic anger is associated with shorter telomeres in healthy adults.

4. Anger and Epigenetics:

   Anger not only affects your present self but can also alter your future self through the concept of epigenetics. While our DNA defines traits like skin and eye color, it can be modified by our behaviors and emotional responses.

   This means that someone who might not be genetically predisposed to certain traits can develop them through repeated behaviors. For example, a person not originally prone to alcohol addiction may become susceptible if they engage in drinking frequently.

   Moreover, these genetic changes can be transmitted to future generations. Studies have shown that chronic anger is linked to alterations in histone acetylation and DNA methylation, which can modify gene expression and lead to significant physiological changes.

What does all this imply?

The conventional medical perspective suggests that we must acknowledge these risks and manage anger. However, I propose a different viewpoint. Let me illustrate this with a story:

When someone plunges into icy water, rescuers have mere minutes to save them, not just due to the onset of hypothermia, but because the body instinctively reacts to protect vital functions. The body redirects blood flow to the heart, sacrificing extremities and making the individual less buoyant.

This and countless other discoveries over recent decades highlight that your body operates as an autonomous entity. Most of the time, you and your body act in unison; for instance, when you crave orange juice and retrieve it.

However, when you push your body, it reacts independently. This is evident in the "fight or flight" response, where the brain's reaction to fear can hinder proper functioning.

This goes deeper.

Experiencing pleasure is not just a personal sensation; it is a positive reaction for your body as well. Your body’s response to enjoyable experiences illustrates its autonomy and its desire to seek out these feelings again. Conversely, if triggered, your body may begin to override your will.

For instance, in the context of addiction, your body may crave substances like drugs, using you to fulfill that desire repeatedly.

If your body is an independent entity with its feelings and desires, then the issues mentioned above are not just complications but signals that your body dislikes the sensation of anger.

Our bodies strive to avoid persistent anger, which is a negative physiological state. Habitual anger can turn your body against you.

How should we live, then?

Firstly, we must recognize that anger can sometimes be constructive. For instance, figures like Martin Luther King Jr. harnessed their anger against injustice to enact change. Anger can motivate us toward positive actions and cultural shifts.

However, it’s crucial to acknowledge how chronic and intense anger can affect our health and longevity.

While chronic anger may be less common, frequent bouts of irritability seem more prevalent today, leading us toward habitual anger.

Here are five practical strategies to manage sudden anger:

1. Pause before reacting. Taking a moment to breathe can create a significant gap between feeling anger and acting on it. You can feel angry internally without displaying it outwardly. Remember, the time between action and reaction should be a time for thoughtful response. Many believe that responding and reacting are synonymous, but extending your response time can prevent anger from dominating your life.
2. Practice deep breathing. Deep breaths can help lower your heart rate, calm your body, and clear your mind.
3. Reflect on the consequences of anger. Consider Confucius’s wisdom: “When anger rises, think of the consequences.” What might happen after the anger subsides? Anger can damage not just your health but also your life in unpredictable ways, such as through road rage or conflicts with others.
4. Replace anger with kindness and empathy. Anger is a powerful emotional response that creates synaptic patterns in the brain. To counteract this, we need to build positive pathways by engaging in kind acts: help a friend, volunteer, write to a loved one, or play with a pet. The more you practice positive behaviors, the more your brain will encourage similar actions in the future. Interestingly, studies show that people in love heal faster than those who are bitter or angry.
5. Avoid responding to negativity online. Engaging with haters can have numerous physiological and neurological downsides. Getting angry online is one of the most detrimental actions you can take for your health.

Each of these strategies can help you maintain better control over your body. Your body wants to support you, as it is fundamentally a part of you. By caring for it, you will find it rewarding in return.

In conclusion, I want to share my perspective on anger: I view habitual and explosive anger as a strategy that undermines my peaceful and joyful existence. Allowing anger to take root only serves to weaken my body. While we all face challenging or unfair situations beyond our control, we don’t have to respond with anger.

If our bodies inherently dislike anger, why should we embrace it?

I would prefer to live in a state of happiness rather than succumbing to a life of anger.

Book Sources: 1. Citation: Brydon, L., Lin, J., Butcher, L., Hamer, M., Erusalimsky, J. D., & Blackburn, E. H. (2014). Hostility and cellular aging in men from the Whitehall II cohort. Biological psychiatry, 75(2), 155–163. 2. Citation: Suarez, E. C. (2018). Anger, stress, and health: a thirty-year review. Journal of behavioral medicine, 41(3), 441–464.