Are you moody this Monday?
Throughout the UK the average Brit will spend a year and eight months of their life in a bad mood, a new study has found.
Each day sees the average adult down in the dumps for a total of 41 minutes thanks to things such as a bad night’s sleep, technology problems, bad manners and the weather.
That amounts to almost five hours a week or ten days of every year in a grump.
Over the average adult lifetime, that’s the equivalent of one year, eight months and 19 days spent in a bad mood.
A lack of money, cold calls and poor manners also put people in a bad mood. It also emerged two thirds of people would admit to being a moody person.
Dr Jen Tan a spokesman for A.Vogel Herbal Remedies which commissioned the research, said: “It’s the everyday things that add up on a daily basis that grind us down; from technology not working to rudeness that affect our moods. It’s surprising, however, to see that when you add it all up, it amounts to quite a large chunk of our time.
“Some bad moods are for justifiable reasons, but there are many small and seemingly insignificant things which can leave us feeling blue. Simply encountering someone with bad manners, or being stuck in traffic on the way to work can really set the tone of your mood for the rest of day.”
The study, of 2,000 adults, found a bad night’s sleep is most likely to be the cause of a bad mood, followed by technology problems, an argument with a partner and other people’s lack of manners. Rude staff came fifth, with a stressful day at work, having no money, rain and cold calls close behind. Traffic jams completed the top ten.
Worryingly, the study found almost half of Brits admit they have days where they feel like they are in a bad mood from the moment they wake up until they finally go to bed that night. And two thirds have moods where they feel grumpy – but for no reason at all.
Because of their bad mood, 44 per cent say they have ended up arguing with their partner, while another 20 per cent admit they tell their children off more than usual. Others have made mistakes at work, had a disagreement with a colleague or even ended a relationship while in a grump.
Look out ladies – it gets worse!!
For women in particular, there is the added burden of feeling tired, irritable and generally under the weather due to fluctuating hormones associated with PMS or during the menopause.
Nearly a third (31%) of women surveyed put their bad moods down to PMS or the menopause. Anxiety, bloating, anger and heavy bleeding were amongst the symptoms that women struggle with most with 10 percent citing bad moods as one of the worst.
Forty-four percent believe their hormones are making them moody and 37 percent believe that hormone fluctuations play havoc with their life. 40 percent of women believe their PMS and menopausal symptoms are linked.
With only seven percent taking a herbal remedy and nine percent taking a conventional medicine to manage their moods, it seems that women (and those around them) are putting up with their moods rather than seeking a solution.
Psychologist and author of ‘The Menopause Maze’ Dr Meg Arroll commented on the research findings: “As well as everyday problems the research did indicate that, for women especially, irritability is linked to PMS and menopause symptoms with a nearly half of those surveyed admitting that they have experienced these symptoms for more a decade.”
“What’s telling is that people are suffering with emotional lability without received support. Over eighty-eight per cent of those asked are not getting treatment for their mood issues and PMS / Menopause symptoms and suffering in silence. However, there are adjunct traditional herbal medicines that contain ingredients that can help with particular symptoms. For instance, A.Vogel’s Dormeasan contains valerian root which can aid sleep and Agnus castus extract has been shown to help alleviate mood swings in PMS.”
