When you receive a harsh email from a colleague, or a work meeting ends leaving you feeling angry, your first instinct might be to vent immediately: write a sharp reply, discuss the situation with another colleague in the hallway, or go out for a fast walk to discharge that surge of anger.
The common advice “vent and you’ll feel better” seems logical, but a recent scientific review encompassing 154 studies and 10,189 participants revealed the opposite: discharging the energy does not extinguish anger; it reignites it. What truly extinguishes anger is reducing physiological arousal.
📌 When to Seek Professional Support?
Behavioral calming tools help manage daily workplace situations. However, if you experience uncontrollable outbursts of anger, or end up in frequent conflicts that threaten your professional stability and relationships, or feel a constant buildup of tension that does not subside after leaving work, these are signs that extend beyond standard workplace stress and warrant reaching out to a mental health professional for specialized support.

The Illusion of Emotional Catharsis: Why Venting Keeps You Stuck in the Same State

The concept of venting is built on an old assumption that views anger as trapped energy that must be released through shouting, complaining, or confrontation.
In the workplace, this venting manifests in subtler ways: replaying the details of the situation to a colleague, drafting a sharp email response and then deleting it, or ruminating on the conversation in your mind during your commute home. These attempts do not empty the tank; rather, they reactivate the scenario and keep your mind and body in a state of high alert and attack readiness.

What Did the Scientific Review Find?

In a study published in Clinical Psychology Review (March 2024), designed by researchers from The Ohio State University, activities were categorized into two types:
Activities that decrease physiological arousal: (Deep breathing, mindfulness, muscle relaxation).
Activities that increase physiological arousal: (Hitting a punching bag, running, high-intensity exercise).
The results showed that activities that decrease physiological arousal successfully reduced anger and aggression in both laboratory and field settings. Conversely, the review found no evidence supporting venting; in fact, venting was associated in some cases with an increase in anger levels.

Why Running Doesn’t Extinguish Immediate Anger

Anger is a state of high arousal: a rapid heart rate, shallow breathing, and muscle tension. Any activity that elevates your heart rate further adds a new surge to that state rather than subtracting from it.
(A Crucial Note: Exercise and running are excellent for your overall physical and psychological health. The discussion here is strictly confined to using exercise as an immediate tool to extinguish active, ongoing anger.)
Going for a fast, grueling walk right after a tense meeting can fuel your arousal. In contrast, sitting for two minutes to practice slow breathing at your desk immediately drops your arousal indicator.

3 Tools to Lower Arousal at Your Desk (In Under Two Minutes)

These require no special space and go completely unnoticed by those around you:
Prolong your exhalation (Diaphragmatic Breathing): Take four slow breath cycles from your abdomen, ensuring the outflow of air (exhalation) lasts longer than the inflow (inhalation). Prolonging the exhalation sends a calming signal directly to your nervous system.
Tense then release: Clench your hands and tighten your shoulders for five seconds, then release them completely. Repeat three times to discharge immediate muscle tension.
The 20-Minute Rule: Set a strict boundary for yourself: “I will not reply to an angering message until 20 minutes have passed.” This pause gives your body the necessary time to restore its biological calm before making a decision.
🎯 Weekly Exercise: Practice “slow-exhalation breathing” for one minute twice a day during your normal state. Training yourself during calm moments makes it an automatic, accessible response during high-stress moments.

Lower Your Arousal First… Then Speak

The study does not advocate bottling up emotions or remaining silent about your rights.
Harmful venting is random complaining meant to discharge tension. Rational expression of the problem—quietly describing the situation after your heart rate has settled and agreeing on practical solutions—is a completely different, constructive action. The correct order is: lower your body’s arousal first, then discuss the problem.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this mean bottling up anger and ignoring wrongdoings?
Not at all. Bottling things up accumulates stress. The goal is to de-escalate the physiological surge first so you can express your position clearly and assertively, rather than reacting emotionally and undermining your own case.
How much time is needed to calm physiological arousal?
Two to five minutes of structured breathing is completely sufficient to bring your heart rate and mindset back to levels that allow for balanced decision-making.