Reasons to be cranky and what to do about it
Well, we knew it had to end – the surprisingly pleasant weather that some of us had through September and October. I write this off the back of a 26 hour journey from Newcastle to Cardiff, courtesy of Storm Babet. I went to all the big ones: Sheffield, Manchester, Birmingham, London (where I got marooned), Bristol and finally Cardiff. It could have been so much worse – I wasn’t cold or wet and my home wasn’t destroyed…and my commiserations and thoughts are with those of you who were devastated by the storm.
But I am cranky. I suspect it’s because I’m tired and wasn’t best chuffed with the guidance and direction I was given as I went about my journey. Nor by the attitudes. But none of us were in great form. So this month’s LWRSUD considers how we might deal with ourselves when we are cranky - in a bad mood because of circumstances, rather than just being a git.
Listen: How to escape the cynicism trap TEDMonteray
“We are living through a cynicism epidemic” says psychologist Jamil Zaki. And whilst cynicism is not the same as crankiness, it often manifests itself in the same way. This Ted Talk is just over 12 minutes and presents a really strong argument to say that cynicism is making humans lonelier and more divided. Using research on cooperation, empathy and trust, he makes the scientific case for optimism.
Watch: Programmes with cranky people in them!
We’ve all watched programmes which have some unpleasant people in them, but I suspect we’ve also watched programmes where we’ve thought ‘aww…it’s just a bad day’ (I mean, we all understand Scrooge, don’t we?). There’re some suggestions below – and if they are your humour, you’ll recognise the value of crankiness in life. And if they’re not your humour – sorry!
· After life. This is a cranky masterclass from Ricky Gervais as Tony Johnson.
· The Office. Stanley Hudson, played by Leslie David Baker, shows how you don’t need to be sunny to be a salesman.
· Parks and Recreation. Hard to choose between April Ludgate (Aubrey Plaza) and Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) really.
· A Christmas Carol. Who could be a crankier than Ebenezer Scrooge? His name is literally synonymous with someone who is grouchy and hateful – but at the end, we all understand!
Read: Monitoring your mood Better Health
This is a great read as it helps you to understand why we have moods. And good to know that everybody gets cranky as they are a natural part of our emotional rhythm. It has a good discussion on why we have moods, what we can do to help ourselves and others and when it’s more than just crankiness and it’s time to see help. The suggestions of ways to fix your mood aren’t new, but they are all achievable – and it’s good to have the reminder.
Sign up to: Using a sleep app
I’ve said it before, but sleep is the greatest things for maintaining good health and has a significant impact on our mood. However, many of us overestimate the amount of sleep that we get, confusing the time we are in bed with the time we are asleep. A sleep app (although not 100% accurate) will show your sleep patterns, including those times when we are awake but don’t realise it. You can use the information to think about your sleep habits and perhaps change your routines around sleep. A good lie in is also a brilliant way to get over that early morning crankiness! If you want more info on how a lack of sleep makes us cranky, have a read of this: Good Sleep: Not Optional for Happiness and High Performance
Do: Dance
Or something else that makes you smile: music, singing, watching Taskmaster (other programmes are available), looking at photos, cooking… Just do something that means you can’t stay cranky. It’s so much easier to deal with other people when you are feeling good and if you’re feeling good you can’t be cranky.
Leigh Robinson
October 2023
Leigh Robinson is a Women-Space Associate and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) at the University of Roehampton.