Melissa Pandika

If you live or work in a crowded city, you can probably relate. In fact, the prevalence of anger toward slow walkers has earned it a special label from some researchers: sidewalk rage. Think of it as the pedestrian version of road rage. It can involve inward fuming over irrational assumptions about other pedestrians-or even violent fantasies about them-which could lead to hostility and aggression, says Leon James, a psychology professor at the University of Hawaii at Manoas College of Social Sciences and leading scholar of sidewalk rage.

James explains that pedestrians not only move through physical space, but also social space, which consists of socially acceptable and unacceptable routes. When walkers suddenly stop as they seem mesmerized by their tiny mobile device, they are violating normative paths that compels nearby pedestrians in both directions to negotiate their way around them.

This is consistent with our understanding of what triggers anger: a violation of something that ought to be, says Zlatan Krizan, a professor of psychology at Iowa State University-for instance, that other pedestrians ought to make room for you to pass them. The idea is that these violations prevent you from reaching your goals, whether its getting to the office on time or grabbing lunch to soothe your hunger pangs.

Anger creates a laser-like focus that boosts your motivation to achieve those goals, says Stephanie Preston, a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan. When youre in that zone, youre not thinking about other people or why they might be going slowly-whether its because theyre elderly, for example, or enjoying a leisurely stroll. They are simply seen as barriers to ones goal.

Those more likely to experience sidewalk rage, and anger issues in general, have a few key traits in common. For starters, theres a sense of entitlement and privilege that the person in front of them is presenting an obstacle or inconvenience, says Darald Hanusa, a senior lecturer in the University of Wisconsin-Madisons School of Social Work and a therapist in private practice at Midwest Center for Human Services in Madison. And in fact, <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1524838016650190?journalCode=tvaa" id="edca8d9b-b5a4-3bc5-acee-de5b964272ab"> research </a> has shown an association between narcissism and aggression.

Young traveler woman in Kuala Lumpur Chinatown district

People who struggle with anger also often dichotomize the world into good versus evil and spin a narrative in which they cast themselves as the victims, Hanusa says. They may think, If youre in my way, then you deserve to be treated badly because youre an evil person. Indeed, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1359178917302720" id="553304f9-da11-3c5a-a4aa-43c32d37980e"> several </a> <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1359178918302210" id="00c04159-267e-34f8-a294-fee54d0cbf09"> studies </a> have documented an association between aggression and a tendency to interpret others intentions as hostile. Those who get peeved at slow walkers may think, Theyre even trying to frustrate and annoy me instead of interpreting it as People are just unaware and distracted, says Jesse Cougle, an associate professor of psychology at Florida State University.

Folks who hold this good-versus-evil view of the world are more likely to actually act on their anger, Hanusa says. After all, seeing slow walkers as evil makes it easier to justify hostility or aggression toward them. Those who subscribe to beliefs that endorse dominating others, like the ends justify the means (which implies that aggression is ok if it gets you what you want) are also prone to lashing out.

Ongoing research by Howard Kassinove, a professor of psychology, and Thomas DiBlasi, a doctoral student in clinical psychology, both at Hofstra University, also shows that people who score high on anger tend to score high on a personality trait called neuroticism (neurotic people tend to struggle with regulating their emotions) and low on agreeableness, conscientiousness and openness.

This research, along with <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12455023" id="81112179-96f2-30a0-ad34-ad3d3e27e186"> an earlier study </a> , also found that thoughts related to demandingness, or setting rigid expectations, were the ones most often reported in angry episodes. Unrealistic expectations (say, that everyone should match your pace) can lead to impatience, and in turn, anger, Krizan says. It goes back to the idea that people get frustrated when blocked from reaching a goal; setting such expectations makes it harder for them to do so.

There are cultural factors at play, too. Western culture values power so highly that if you lack it (like when youre stuck behind a herd of tourists), youll want to find a way to get it, Hanusa says. DiBlasi adds that coastal American competition may also be partly to blame. His clients who complain about slow walkers tend to come from New York City and other fast-paced coastal areas, where anytime youre not ahead, theres an idea that youre falling behind.

On top of that, the digital era has wired our motivational systems to expect immediacy, Preston says. Instant gratification, like you might experience from receiving a reply to a text seconds after sending it, can release a surge of dopamine, a neurotransmitter involved in reward. Dopamine plummets, though, at the moment when you expect a reply, but still havent received it. If youre expecting everything to be instantaneous, anything thats not is seen as a failure.

Preston adds that, along with this expectation of immediacy, other aspects of modern life have combined to create a perfect storm for sidewalk rage. Its fast pace heightens expectations for productivity, often leading people to pack their schedules. More foot and vehicle traffic make it hard to walk directly to your destination at the speed you want. Not only that, youre walking alongside strangers, with no knowledge of their needs or problems, and who you may never see again, so you have no incentive to be nice to them. Those strangers, in turn, may come from other regions with different, sometimes clashing, norms of how to behave in public spaces.

To be sure, its understandable to feel frustrated under such conditions, and anger isnt inherently a bad thing. Its worth addressing, though, if youre getting into altercations or drawing reactions that could escalate into altercations, says Raymond DiGiuseppe, a professor of psychology at St. Johns University. Maybe you say nasty things, or you cut [people] off. Even if you dont act on your anger, it can be a problem if it interferes with your daily life and overall well-being-if it takes up a significant part of your day, leaves you feeling drained, or if you continue ruminating about the incident that triggered it, the experts we interviewed said.

The good thing is, you can take proactive steps to manage sidewalk rage. The experts we spoke to recommend avoiding getting angry in the first place by planning ahead, whether its setting your alarm earlier or taking a different route. DiBlasi also suggests coming up with a coping statement, or a true statement that counters your demandingness, ahead of time, such as I cant control this person. This person is going to walk at the speed they want to walk. I cant tell them how to live their life. Practice repeating it to yourself while engaging in deep breathing, so you can readily do the same thing the next time you encounter a sidewalk dawdler.

You could also practice perspective-taking. If you notice yourself concocting a theory of how every pedestrian woke up this morning hell-bent on screwing you over, stop to ask yourself, Are they really doing this on purpose all these people who dont even know you? DiGiuseppe says. Krizan suggests zooming out of your current reality and asking yourself how much this moment matters to the rest of your day.

Maybe even treat the extra time as an opportunity to enjoy the scenery or reflect on a project youre working on. And if youre running late? Remind yourself that its not the end of the world, DiGiuseppe says. Ill survive, even.

Why Do Slow Walkers Make Some People So Angry?

Back when I used to commute to San Francisco for work, there seemed to be no escaping them: Couples taking up the entire width of the escalator instead of leaving room on the left for walkers. Tourists blocking the sidewalk to snap photos. Other pedestrians slowly meandering along, absorbed in their phones. Often forced to stop or shuffle behind them, I would seethe silently. Hello? Its rush hour. SOME people actually have somewhere to go.

Here's Why Slow Walkers Make Some People So Mad

Indeed, recent studies suggest intermittent fasting can help you <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4516560/" id="dbff7d71-74f8-3011-ad52-186f1abe6469"> shed pounds </a> and stave off a host of chronic diseases, including <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5411330/" id="c0cae21d-95a1-3557-ad1c-2167fdc6a657"> heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimers disease </a> , and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4942870/" id="6ec02ed7-fe66-35ae-a0fd-c047df76d891"> cancer </a> . Some even point to its potential to . But the experts we interviewed note that these findings come with caveats: Most research on intermittent fasting has been done on animals, and the few human studies out there have looked primarily at indicators of health (like glucose levels) rather than actual health outcomes (like diabetes) and have lasted only a few months. There hasnt been a long-term study establishing that intermittent fasting has good outcomes, says Howard Steiger, program head of eating disorders at the Douglas Hospital Research Center at McGill University.

That said, for people who are otherwise healthy-whether theyre at a normal weight, overweight or obese-there is no evidence to show that [intermittent fasting] is harmful, says Sai Das, an assistant professor at Tufts Universitys Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. She adds, though, that we cannot say across the board that its safe for everyone.

In other words, if you do want to try intermittent fasting, proceed with caution. Heres what you need to know before you start:

<h1> Intermittent fasting isn't risk-free. </h1>

Before getting into intermittent fasting, everyone should really have a conversation with their physician, Das says. Thats especially true if youre at high risk for health problems or complications-that is, if youre over 65 and/or have an existing medical condition.

Das also strongly recommends talking to your doctor if youre on medication, since dosing schedules are often built around regular meal times. Ditto if your job involves handling heavy equipment or other tasks that might endanger yourself or others if you were to experience lightheadedness or the other side effects of low blood sugar.

You should avoid fasting altogether, though, if you have higher caloric needs-that is, if youre underweight, younger than 18, or pregnant or breastfeeding, the other experts we interviewed said. Also avoid fasting if you have diabetes, since fasting could cause your blood sugar to plummet to dangerously low levels.

You absolutely shouldnt fast if youre susceptible to developing an eating disorder. Risk factors include having a family member with an eating disorder, perfectionism, impulsivity and mood instability, Steiger says. Dietary restriction can cause eating disorders in people with these risk factors, he adds, and studies have associated fasting with a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2850570/" id="003a68e1-a917-3745-abb5-b0faeecf83e8"> higher risk of </a> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5215960/" id="d3940c78-df99-3e9a-adf8-b79659144b6e"> bulimia </a> in particular.

You might notice your stomach grumbling during fasting periods, especially if youre used to constant grazing. The good news is, you can take active steps to keep hunger in check.

During fasting periods, avoid looking at, smelling, or even thinking about food, which can trigger the release of gastric acid into your stomach and make you feel hungry, says Yuan-Xiang Pan, an associate professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He suggests reading a book or engaging in some other mentally engaging activity- so that youre not sitting in front of TV thinking, Man I want to eat something. If you really need to fill your stomach, drink water, or plain iced tea or coffee, he says.

Better yet, avoid hunger pangs altogether and take advantage of your eating periods with a nutritionally balanced diet that includes foods that keep you feeling full longer. That means focusing on high fiber, moderate protein and healthy fats, says Shelby Cox, a registered dietitian nutritionist and director of the Kendall Reagan Nutrition Center at Colorado State University.

Start slow. Das suggests trying intermittent fasting for a week and seeing how you do. There are different types of intermittent fasting-from time-restricted eating, which limits eating to a certain time window (such as noon to 8:00 pm), to alternate day fasting, which involves fasting every other day. Find what works for you. Time-restricted fasting allows for the most normal diet patterns, which may make it more doable, Cox says. Instead of eating only a few hundred calories or cutting out food altogether during fasting periods, start with restricting your calorie intake only to half or 75 percent of your normal calorie intake, Pan says. Then scale up.

Non-fasting days arent days when you can just totally splurge, Das says. Otherwise, you might end up in a net calorie surplus, leading to weight gain. Again, though, the challenge is that fasting may in fact trigger binge eating. In a five-year study of 496 adolescent girls, fasting-which the researchers defined as not eating for a 24-hour period for weight control-strongly predicted binge-eating. A 2015 review also found that fasting significantly increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which may lead to <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/oby.21790" id="6265e791-272e-3c7f-ae3b-2acc4980aec4"> cravings </a> . It makes sense. If youre used to having three meals maybe a snack in between, when you practice intermittent fasting, its a huge change, Pan says. That can cause increased stress levels in some people.

If youre a stress eater, try activities that lower cortisol, like <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0022-3956(17)30146-2" id="b3736c62-f812-3a66-afc7-2373d9724685"> meditating </a> or <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26142566" id="8295feae-e04b-39eb-ac79-f52fb7cc84b9"> listening to music </a> . Also remember to fill up on nutritious, satiating foods during eating periods.

Intermittent fasting is sometimes associated with dehydration because when you dont eat, sometimes you forget to drink, Pan says. Remember to pay special attention to your bodys thirst cues during fasting periods.

Its normal to feel groggy, especially as an intermittent fasting newbie. Your body is running on less energy than usual, and since fasting can boost stress levels, it can also disrupt your sleep patterns, Pan says. Try meditating or other stress-lowering activities. If you have a regular fitness routine, schedule your workouts during eating periods, Cox says. Not only will doing so help you conserve energy, but exercising while fasting could lead to low blood sugar levels, whose symptoms-such as dizziness and confusion-may increase your risk for injury.

The same biochemistry that regulates mood also regulates appetite, Steiger says, with nutrient consumption affecting the activity of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, which play a role in anxiety and depression. That means dysregulating your appetite may do the same to your mood. Again, stick to a nutritionally balanced, satiating diet during your eating periods, and remember to clock in enough sleep, which <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5547214/" id="7deb4ee6-5cf7-31a8-ab77-4b5c31f20bbe"> research </a> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28977527" id="b37227fc-1649-3a74-abc9-bdbbf5711598"> has </a> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24889207" id="bbeb00ef-aefd-35a1-aa8a-7f0c61788922"> also linked </a> to mood.

<h1> Be careful about your alcohol intake. </h1>

Its ok to imbibe while intermittent fasting, but not during or immediately after fasting periods. As youve probably already figured out firsthand, youll get drunker faster if you drink on an empty stomach.

That said, even if you do restrict your drinking to eating periods, youre displacing your opportunity for adequate nutrition-which intermittent fasting already limits-"with alcohol, Cox says. And if weight loss is your goal, low-nutrient, high-calorie alcohol is not our best option.

<h1> The long-term effects are unknown. </h1>

Sure, studies of intermittent fasting so far suggest it can help you lose weight over the course of a few months-but we dont have the long-term data to determine whether youll be able to keep it off years later, or whether prolonged intermittent fasting is even safe or healthy, Cox says. She encourages anyone considering intermittent fasting to talk to their doctor, but especially if they want to continue it on a long-term basis to make sure thats the best option for them.

What Are the Risks of Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent fasting is among the trendiest diet plans of the moment, evangelized by Hollywood celebs, Silicon Valley execs and Instagram influencers alike. Its followers forego food for anywhere from 16 hours to a whole day, with many swearing by its weight loss, brain enhancing, and other benefits.

What Are the Risks and Side Effects of Intermittent Fasting?

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Pulse Ghana is the most followed news and entertainment platform, informing and engaging young Ghanaians round the clock, providing updates by the hour.

Melissa Pandika

Articles written by the author

Here's Why Slow Walkers Make Some People So Mad

What Are the Risks and Side Effects of Intermittent Fasting?