Why being grumpy is GOOD FOR YOU!

Feeling gloomy? Not looking on the bright side of life can actually have its benefits

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Are you guilty of being bad-tempered? Or maybe your glass is always half-empty? Most of us would agree that we’ve had a lot to deal with over the last few years – and for many, life may still be an uphill struggle. You might find yourself feeling fine one minute, only to be riddled with anxiety the next. This is all pretty normal, but it can be debilitating, so it’s important to recognise, respect, and accept your thoughts and feelings – even the worst ones, says Kate Morris-Bates, clinical therapist and founder of InsideOut Wellness.

We’d all love to be cheerful 100% of the time, but that’s not realistic. What is possible, however, is reframing negative emotions – because let’s not forget that if we didn’t experience low times, we’d never fully appreciate the highs.

There’s lots of research supporting the upside of dark emotions – and some of them might surprise you. Here, we reveal how feeling bad can actually be good for us and share our top advice on how to be more open to difficult emotions…

Sadness boosts your memory

Nobody wants to be sad, but what if feeling glum can actually make you brainier? A study by the University of California found that on rainy days, people had a much better recollection of details compared to bright, sunny days where their memory was less accurate.