THE BENEFITS OF BEING GRUMPY

Feeling touchy today? Embracing a cranky mood could do you the world of good

As the weather improves, people are generally feeling happier, but what if you have a lingering bad mood instead? Well, don't be too hard on yourself. Being fed up, stressed or angry surprisingly has its benefits and if we didn't experience the lows, we'd never fully appreciate the highs, right? 'Negative emotions can in fact have positive results,' says clinical therapist Kate Morris-Bates, founder of Inside Out Wellness. Get the lowdown on all the good reasons to be grouchy.

Sadness boosts memory

On rainy days, people have a much better recollection of details compared to sunny days when their memory was less accurate, found a study by the University of California. 'Moods associated with negative emotions tend to be more attentive, thoughtful and analytical than their positive counterparts,' says Kate. 'We're less likely to "corrupt our memories with misleading information" when we're in a less-than-good mood.'

Negativity brings focus

If we're too optimistic then there's a chance we can leave ourselves open to danger. 'If a situation presents significant risk, then a pessimist is far more likely to look for the worst that can happen,' says Kate. Always check in with your responses to a situation, she suggests. Then assess whether you're using your optimism or pessimism to best effect."

Stress spurs you on