New study finds venting and exercising doesn't actually calm emotions

UNDATED (WKRC) - A new study discovered that knee-jerk reactions to anger, like punching a pillow or venting to a friend, might not be effective for calming emotions.

Punching a mattress, screaming into a couch, or sending paragraphs of complaints to a trusted acquaintance have long been ways that people have attempted to get rid of anger. New research published in Clinical Psychology Review suggested that although these actions may feel cathartic, they could actually be prolonging negative emotions.

The study compared "arousal-decreasing" approaches to quelling anger against "arousal-increasing" methods to see which was more effective, if either. Arousal-decreasing activities include "deep breathing, mindfulness, [and] meditation" according to the study, whereas arousal-increasing actions include "hitting a bag, jogging, [and] cycling".

In short, decreasing arousal involves "turning down the heat" and doing things that calm the mind and body down, and increasing arousal involves attempting to get rid of anger through physical or mental strain.

The study found that arousal-increasing activities were "ineffective overall" and that "venting anger or going for a run" are not effective actions for managing anger.

On the contrary, arousal-decreasing activities "were effective in students and non-students, in criminal offenders and non-offenders, and in individuals with and without intellectual disabilities."

The researchers also noted that the results for arousal-decreasing actions were consistent between age groups, races, genders, and cultures.

So what's the best way to get rid of anger?

According to the study, angry people shouldn't overexert themselves by attempting to exercise or vent the emotions away.

Instead, the study suggested that angry individuals should seek calming activities, or should practice mindfulness and try to reframe the situation, also known as "cognitive reappraisal."

Cognitive reappraisal is a strategy that encourages reinterpreting frustrating situations. For instance, although a fender bender collision can be extremely frustrating, reexamining the situation to realize that it could have been much worse can diminish the initial anger with indifference or in some cases, understanding and comfort.

But walking into every anger-inducing situation with an open mind is no easy task, so resorting to a calming activity could be an easier go-to for most people.