You’ve probably heard of being “hungry and angry,” but now scientists suggest you can also be “angry”—that is, tired and angry.
Nine out of ten people can relate to that feeling, a survey of 2,000 people suggests, and one in five admits they act like a different person.
Telltale signs of being angry include overreacting to trivial things (cited by 49 percent), constant complaining (43 percent), impatience (42 percent) and not being in the mood to chat (40 percent).
Irritable people often abruptly hang up the phone (36 percent) and have difficulty concentrating on work (35 percent), the researchers found.
They also argue with their partners (30 percent), shout at others (29 percent), eat junk food to try to cheer themselves up (28 percent), cry or get emotional easily (27 percent) and swear mostly (17 percent).
‘Tangry’ means being angry due to tiredness (Archive image)
The survey of 2,000 Britons was carried out for Bensons for Beds in collaboration with sleep expert Dr Sophie Bestock to develop a programme called ‘Sleep Tight and Carry On’ to improve sleep wellbeing in the country.
She revealed that signs of fatigue can include slow reaction speed, confusing words and wearing an item of clothing inside out.
The study also revealed that almost one in five Britons (18 per cent) admit to experiencing extreme mood swings and feeling like a different person when angry.
But three-quarters of us at least eventually apologize after a tantrum.
In addition to affecting mood, fatigue can affect concentration (50 percent), appetite (27 percent) and relationships (27 percent).
The seaside resort of Brighton and Hove is apparently the UK’s spiciest city, with 81 per cent of its residents routinely stressed.
They are followed by Belfast (67 per cent), Cardiff (66 per cent) and Liverpool, Oxford and Sheffield (each with 65 per cent).
Lisa Richards from Bensons said: ‘Whether it’s crying over the smallest thing or swearing over the slightest thing, we’re all guilty of having an ‘annoying’ episode from time to time.’
The average adult only gets six and a half hours of sleep a night and 43 percent of them tend to feel tired when they wake up, typically peaking around 3 p.m.
Sleep expert Dr Sophie Bostock said: ‘Our sleep, our wellbeing and our behaviour are all closely linked.
Around 30 percent of people who get angry fight with their partners (Archive image)
The seaside resort of Brighton and Hove (pictured) is apparently the UK’s spiciest city, with 81 per cent of its residents regularly stressed.
‘Lack of sleep can disrupt the brain’s emotional control centers, making us more sensitive to stress and reducing self-control.
‘Some people become more impulsive and aggressive.
‘This survey is also a valuable reminder that many of us can feel like different people when we are sleep deprived and may react in ways we later regret.’
The Bensons Sleep Plan aims to educate people about the importance of sleep and its impact on mental and physical health.