A new study reveals that your emotional intelligence goes out the window when you’re feeling hungry so you no longer act in your usual logical fashion.
The research, carried out by food psychologist Dr Christy Fergusson, found that as soon as the familiar hunger rage hits, you also become more susceptible to daily irritations including the sound of babies crying, people sniffing and the constant ring of mobile phones. This phenomenon was recently dubbed being ‘hangry’ – or hungry and angry at the same time.
We all know that it takes brain power to make important decisions, so it makes sense that to think clearly we need to keep our brain fuelled. Glucose is virtually the only fuel source for your brain (except during prolonged starvation). But what many people don’t realise is their brain can’t store glucose. This means that regardless of how much you eat, four hours later your brain will need a fresh supply of fuel to keep it running smoothly.
If you have low blood glucose levels, avoid making important decisions, as you’re twice as likely to get it wrong. In clinical trials where male and female participants aged 17 to 70 were given five minutes to complete ten brain-teasers, 62% of adults got more decisions wrong when they were hungry than when they were not. Less than a third (27%) of participants who had gone for at least four hours without food managed to find the correct solution to a problem. But after eating a well-balanced meal, nearly half (48%) were able to make the right decision.
Other things to avoid when you are hungry to avoid becoming hangry include:
Going food shopping – you’ll buy much more than you really need.
Arguing with your partner – it will get ugly, quickly. Academics advised couples on the verge of a row to pause and eat a sugary snack.
Going for an interview – you won’t make a good impression, you’ll just seem distracted.
Gambling – studies show that people who are hungry are more likely to take risks with their money.
Driving during peak hours. If you get into a traffic jam your normal patient resignation will quickly evaporate so you are more prone to experiencing road rage.
Dishing out punishment – whether it’s grounding your teenager or deciding whether to sack an employee, don’t do it. In studies judges who missed meals handed out tougher sentences.
Calling customer services – being kept on hold or arguing with call centre staff is a stressful activity.
Doing something dangerous – hunger affects your fight or flight response, making you less safety-conscious.
Being around someone who is eating – your low sugar level may make your blood boil.
Managing your anger
While it’s normal, appropriate and sometimes even useful to lose your temper, it’s important not to prolong anger beyond its natural expression.
Counting to 10 is the time – honoured ploy to gain control. If you are standing, sit down to help quash anger arousal. If you are already sitting, lean back as leaning forward is an aggressive posture.
Concentrate on breathing slowly, deeply and evenly until you feel more relaxed. It also helps to say the word ‘Calm’ quietly to yourself, as a personal mantra.
Step back from the situation and ask yourself exactly what you are annoyed or angry about. Consciously reduce the level of emotion you feel from anger to disappointment or dismay. If you are hungry, then have a healthy snack.
If you feel too angry to think straight, remove yourself from the situation temporarily. Say “I’ll discuss this later” then take a brisk walk, to diffuse your tension. Go somewhere private and pretend the person or situation that made you feel angry is present. Describe exactly how you feel out loud. Say all the things you want to say and get them out of your system. Pummel a cushion or scream out loud if this helps.
When you feel in control again, go back and address the issue calmly. Speak slowly so you are less able to yell. Don’t avoid it or bottle things up. Anger tends to simmer and return if not dealt with effectively.
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