Anger management improves with age In women, study says
July 2 (UPI) -- Remember your sweet-hearted grandmother, who never seemed out of sorts no matter what nonsense landed in her lap?
That's a skill, and it improves during a person's lifespan, a new study says.
Women get better at managing their anger as they age, starting in middle-age, researchers reported Wednesday in the journal Menopause.
That doesn't mean they're less angry. Researchers found that as women got older, they were more prone to anger and their anger became more intense, results show.
But women also became less likely to express their anger or act with hostility, researchers found.
"These findings are consistent with research on emotion regulation efforts during aging, such that efforts to control anger increase along with experiences of anger," concluded the research team led by Nancy Fugate Woods of the University of Washington School of Nursing in Seattle.
For the study, researchers analyzed data from 271 women taking part in the Seattle Midlife Women's Health Study, a long-term research project that started in the early 1990s.
As part of the project, participants filled out a questionnaire related to their anger and hostility levels up to four or five times over the years.
Results showed that as women aged, they became more adept at managing anger even though they felt it more acutely.
Researchers said this might be because women feel more generativity - a sense of positively impacting the world by caring for others, particularly future generations - as they go through middle age and menopause.
"Implying greater emotional complexity among older adults, some of these changes may be seen in midlife and contribute to a sense of integration and maturity, supporting the development of generativity with aging," researchers wrote.
Women also might become more tactical with their anger, expressing it in ways that are more positive and constructive to improve relationships, researchers said. Women who use anger in a positive way tend to feel better empowerment and self-regard.
More research is needed on women's anger in the context of everyday life, to provide more information on emotion regulation and anger management strategies, researchers said.
"The mental health side of the menopause transition can have a significant effect on a woman's personal and professional life," Dr. Monica Christmas, associate medical director for The Menopause Society, said in a news release.
"It is well recognized that fluctuations in serum hormone concentrations during the postpartum period, as well as monthly fluctuations in reproductive-aged women corresponding with their menstrual cycles and during perimenopause, can result in severe mood swings associated with anger and hostility," continued Christmas, who was not involved in the study.
"Educating women about the possibility of mood changes during these vulnerable windows and actively managing symptoms can have a profound effect on overall quality of life and health," she said.
More information
The American Psychological Association has more on anger management.
Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
UPI
6 hours ago
- UPI
The hidden dangers of feeding wild animals
Researchers at the University of California San Diego say feeding wild elephants can lead to serious harm. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo Feeding wild elephants might seem kind or exciting, but a new study warns it can lead to serious harm. Researchers at the University of California San Diego say that giving food to wild animals -- especially elephants -- can change their behavior in dangerous ways. "Many people, especially foreign tourists, think Asian elephants are tame and docile, like domestic pets," lead author Shermin de Silva, a conservation scientist and professor of biological sciences, said in a UCSD news release. "They don't realize these are formidable wild animals and try to get too close in order to take photographs or selfies, which can end badly for both parties," she added. The study, published in the journal Ecological Solutions and Evidence, looked at 18 years of data from elephant tourism areas in Sri Lanka and India. In Sri Lanka's Udawalawe National Park, researchers found that dozens of elephants had learned to "beg" for food near fences and tourist vehicles. One male elephant, nicknamed Rambo, became a local celebrity for this behavior. The impact? Tragic. Several people were killed or injured in elephant encounters, the news release said. At least three elephants were killed, and some animals ate plastic bags or other waste while trying to get food. In India's Sigur region, researchers tracked 11 male elephants who were fed by people. Four of animals later died, likely because of humans. "Food-conditioned animals can become dangerous, resulting in the injury and death of wildlife, people or both," the researchers wrote. "These negative impacts counteract potential benefits," they added. Feeding wild elephants may cause them to lose their natural foraging skills, especially if they start relying on sugary snacks or processed food, researchers said. It may also raise the risk of disease spreading between people and animals. While most tourists mean well, experts say the best thing to do is never feed wild animals, no matter how safe it seems. Feeding animals might feel like helping a friend, the researchers explained. "But this encourages wild animals to seek food from people, attracting them to areas that can put themselves or people at risk," de Silva said. "It can be a conduit for disease transfer between species," she said. "Such feeding can also cause animals to lose their ability to forage for themselves if the behavior becomes prevalent, especially with young animals." More information The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has more on the potential harm in feeding wildlife. Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Yahoo
Your Guide To Navigating Perimenopause In Your 30s And Beyond
The first time I heard the word "perimenopause," I felt like I had been late to a party I wasn't invited to. Don't get me wrong—it's not a party I'm dying to go to, but I couldn't believe how little I knew about such a pivotal reproductive life stage. And I'm not alone. When I set out to report on this often overlooked and misunderstood phase of life, nearly a dozen women I spoke to initially had zero clue that perimenopause could be the root of their sudden and varied symptoms. They also had no idea it can last anywhere from two to 10 years (sometimes more), it's characterized by a fluctuation of hormones (not necessarily a sharp decline), and, perhaps most significantly, it can start as early as your mid-thirties (I couldn't believe it either). The good news is there's more awareness than ever around perimenopause, thanks to a growing call for menopause education, millennials' track record of breaking taboos, and a little thing called the social media algorithm. And we hope this series of stories, below, contributes to that. You'll find a special report on millennials and perimenopause, real stories from women on how they successfully manage their peri symptoms, hormonal and non-hormonal treatment options, where to actually find good care, tips on how to stay healthy in peri and beyond, and how to advocate for menopause policy in your state. Our grandmothers and mothers may not have had the word to describe this phase of life, but we do. And the more prepared we are for it, the better (and healthier) we are. Read the stories, share them with your friends, and let us know what you think in the comments—this is only the beginning of the conversation. Read The StoriesMillennials Are Entering The Perimenopause Chat READ THE STORYYour Brain (And Heart) On Hot Flashes READ THE STORYHow Young Is Too Young For Hormone Therapy? READ THE STORYHow These Women Are Successfully Managing Their Perimenopause Symptoms READ THE STORYWhere To Actually Find Good Perimenopause Care READ THE STORYHow To Stay Healthy In Perimenopause And Beyond READ THE STORYWe Need To Fight For Menopause Policy Now More Than Ever READ THE STORY This story appears in the Summer 2025 issue of Women's By Heami LeeProp Styling By Christine Keely You Might Also Like Jennifer Garner Swears By This Retinol Eye Cream These New Kicks Will Help You Smash Your Cross-Training Goals
UPI
20 hours ago
- UPI
Optional LGBTQ suicide prevention lifeline service ends
LGBTQ supporters march to the U.S. Capitol during WorldPride 2025 in Washington, D.C., on June 8 but on Thursday lost access to a suicide prevention lifeline option tailored for that community. File Photo by Leigh Vogel/UPI | License Photo July 19 (UPI) -- The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline ceased its optional service for LGBTQ callers on Thursday after the Trump administration in June ordered it to end. Callers can dial 988 to reach the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which became active three years ago, but there is no option for LGBTQ callers, many of whom are young. "This is a tragic moment," said Mark Henson, vice president of government affairs and advocacy for The Trevor Project. "Many LGBTQ youth who use these services didn't know they existed until they called 988 and found out there is someone on the other end of the line that knows what they've gone through and cares deeply for them," Henson said. The non-profit Trevor Project has operated the specialized LGBTQ suicide lifeline since 2022, but the "press 3 option" for LGBTQ callers no longer is available. Although the option is gone, LGBTQ callers will be helped, but they won't be directed to those who might specialize in assisting those who identify as LGBTQ. "Everyone who contacts the 988 Lifeline will continue to receive access to skilled, caring, culturally competent crisis counselors who can help with suicidal, substance misuse, mental health crises or any other kind of emotional distress," officials for the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration said. SAMHSA is the federal agency tasked with managing the 988 suicide lifeline after President Donald Trump signed enabling legislation during his first term in office. Congress had allocated $33 million for the LGBTQ lifeline for 2025, but those funds have been spent, according to SAMHSA. Instead of seeking more funds, the Trump administration ended the option.
