3 Causes of Irritability

If adequate sleep is Beauty, then inadequate and/or poor sleep is surely the Beast. The health consequences of poor sleep aside, restless nights can lead to crankiness the likes of which have rarely been seen. The Solution: Make sure you get not only enough sleep every night; ensure that it's restful sleep with the right mattress, pillow, lighting (lack thereof) and preparation.

Stress

Stress manifests in many ways, but irritability is perhaps the most common symptom. Stressed about your job, the screaming kids, the unpaid bills, your lack of motivation to hit the gym, or any number of other life challenges? Irritability can't be far behind. The Solution: Manage stress by discussing it, dealing with it proactively and taking control; anything but avoiding it.

Hunger

Irritability that comes on like a wave and doesn't have any other obvious cause (like those above) could be due to hunger. Face facts: People don't eat often enough, and when they do, it's high-GI foods that rush into your bloodstream and rush right back out, leaving you tired and hungry. The Solution: Eat small, frequent meals high in complex carbs that fuel your whole day.