A new study reveals that women experience stronger feelings of anger as they grow older, yet are less likely to express it outwardly, highlighting a shift in emotional regulation during midlife.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the findings, published in the journal Menopause, indicate growing mastery of emotional regulation in women.
Researchers analysed data from 271 participants in the long-running Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study, focusing on women aged 35 to 55 who were still menstruating.
The average participant, around 41.6 years old when the study began in the early 1990s, was typically well-educated, employed, married, and of a median income.
The study’s key revelation is that “state anger”, or the feeling of anger, actually increased with chronological age. However, in a surprising contrast, the outward expression of that anger decreased as women grew older.
This suggests that as women mature, they develop greater control over how they react to angry feelings, WSJ reported.
Additionally, the study pinpointed a spike in anger during the late reproductive stage of women’s lives. Yet, as these women approached menopause, they expressed their anger less frequently and with reduced aggression or hostility.
Interestingly, only one measure of anger — “anger suppressed” — showed no clear link to age, prompting further questions about the long-term impacts of bottling up emotions.
The study’s researchers propose that anger may play a crucial role during midlife.
They hypothesise that repeated experiences with anger as women near menopause could lead to improved emotional regulation and a greater ability to manage their anger as the menopausal transition progresses.
“The mental health side of the menopause transition can have a significant effect on a woman’s personal and professional life,” said Monica Christmas, the associate medical director of the Menopause Society, in a news release.
“Educating women about the possibility of mood changes during these vulnerable windows and actively managing symptoms can have a profound effect on overall quality of life and health.”
