Let’s face it: we all get a little grumpy from time to time.
After all, we’re only human. And part of being human is experiencing the full range of human emotion. The good, the bad and the cranky.
But if you feel like you’ve become baseline irritable, pretty moody or outright Oscar The Grouchy, there could be a deeper underlying cause for your bad mood.
1. You eat too much sugar.
Surprise! (Not really.) Your sweet tooth could be turning you sour.
It comes down to the way sugar taps into our brain chemistry. When we overindulge in the sweet stuff, it rushes to the pleasure centre of the brain, momentarily making us feel warm and fuzzy.
But once the sugar hit wears off, our brain starts to cry out for more, rather loudly. Cue rabid cravings, crazy mood swings and general crankiness.
2. Your thyroid is out of whack.
Your thyroid is essentially mission control for your metabolism. When it goes bung, it can have a pretty major effect on you how you feel.
An overactive thyroid (known as hyperthyroidism) can cause feelings of nervousness, restlessness, anxiety and mood swings, while and underactive one (hypothyroidism) is linked to fatigue, irritability, memory loss and depression.
If you think your moods might be due to your thyroid playing up, it’s important to see your healthcare practitioner as soon as you can.
3. You’re not getting enough omega-3.
Omega-3 – a fatty acid found most commonly in fish – is pretty neat stuff. Aside from its heart helping and anti-inflammatory properties, research shows omega-3s can help to reduce aggression, particularly in children.
Omega-3 has shown potential in treating and preventing other mental and cognitive conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and depression. Time to tuck into some Sustainable Fish + Chips?
4. There are too many trans fats in your diet.
Like we needed another reason to hate on trans fats! Scientists reckon this particular group of fats (most commonly found in processed foods) could actually increase aggression.
They think it’s because of the way they interfere with omega-3s in the body, leaving us more likely to fly off the handle in stressful situations. No thanks!
5. You’re not seeing enough sunshine.
While we need to be conscious of not spending too much time in the sun’s warm (burning) embrace, letting a little light in can actually do wonders for our mood.
Sunlight exposure increases our levels of the “feel good” hormone serotonin, helping us to stay calm, focussed and alert through the day. Lower serotonin levels have been linked to seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a form of depression related to seasonal changes.
6. You’re not drinking enough water.
Yep, “thangry” is definitely a thang. Getting our eight a day helps keep all our sugars, salts and other minerals in balance, all of which impact our general feeling of wellbeing.
Even very mild dehydration can come with lots of unpleasant side effects, including headaches, fatigue, cramps, dizziness and cognitive decline. That’s enough to make anyone feel a little grumpy!
Are any of these the reason behind your bad mood?
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