We all make mistakes when it comes to being human. Minor irritations may build up, and we don't know how to express our emotions healthily. In my last post, I discussed how regular massage can cause an emotional release.

To continue in that train of thought, I would like to discuss seven reasons why expressing your emotions is healthy and beneficial for your mental health. Don't believe me and want to bottle them up? Read on about why healthily expressing them is beneficial.

REASON NO. 1. THEY DON'T GET BOTTLED UP UNTIL YOU EXPLODE.

Think of yourself as a can of soda - humor me for a minute - and during the day, someone cuts you off in heavy traffic, and it's as if someone gives you a little shake. Then you're late for work and your supervisor writes you up...give that can another shake.

Maybe at lunch, your favorite place is too packed with other hungry, overworked people, and since you were late getting out the door, you didn't pack anything. Give that can of soda another harder shake. You grit your teeth and feel a hunger headache sink its claws into your scalp. You drive home, pissed off and starving, still not letting off any steam.

You're not supposed to let this stuff bother you, right? It's not polite. So it just bubbles and brews, and you get home. Your roommate invited friends over, and one ate your takeout leftovers.

Or your child needs help with home­work, your partner is running late, and a text pings, "Can you fix dinner? Be home soon," and you feel it - the soda can exploding.

You lose it on your kid because they aren't paying attention as you explain how to solve the math problem for the fourth time. Or you slam the fridge and tell your roommate and their friend off for eating your food. Now everyone is upset, and you feel terrible for blowing up. And there's damage control to be done.

Option B: you could have let off steam throughout the day. Tell off the rude driver in the privacy of your car - although not nearly as satisfying, it is safer; chat with a sympathetic coworker about your strict boss; order delivery for lunch on your way back to the office. Crises avoided.

Slowly release that pressure so you don't yell at your 10-year-old - who's just being a kid after all - or your roommate (who you actually like and is easy to live with) and their friend.

Bottling it all up until you explode is never the best option.

REASON NO. 2. BETTER PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS

So remember that damage control you have to do now? If you had let off steam slowly, you wouldn't have to apologize, explain why you blew up, and promise to do better next time. Your child wouldn't think you're "a big meanie," and your roommate and their friends might invite you to their pub crawl next weekend.

Healthily expressing your emotions and boundaries benefits you and those closest to you. Whether they reciprocate or respect those boundaries is up to them, and if they don't, well that's a topic for another post.

REASON NO. 3. BETTER PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS

Listen, I know how frustrating work can be, even more so if the people you work with are annoy­ing or downright toxic. But you still have to put gas in your car, keep the heat on, and enjoy a night out now and then. So, you need your job.

Keeping your professional relationships professional is important not only to your wallet but also to your mental health. No one wants to be more stressed out at work. You can even be fired for losing your cool while on the job.

So find some ways to express those tougher emotions away from work so you don't jeopardize your livelihood.

REASON NO. 4. BETTER PHYSICAL HEALTH

If you don't blow off steam in a healthy manner, it will affect your physical health. If you're hot-tempered and have surges of adrenaline coursing through your body due to volatile emotions, you risk raising your blood pressure and heart rate and keeping them there.

Adrenaline is necessary to help in stressful situations but in small doses and not long-term. Too much adrenaline caused by stressing out can increase your risk for heart attacks and strokes. Consistent surges of adrenaline can also trigger insomnia, weight gain, and anxiety.

It's better to find ways to relax than deal with the aftereffects of too much adrenaline.

REASON NO. 5. LESS STRESS MEANS BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE

If there is a thing we could all use less of, it's stress! All of the negative side effects from stress that have been mentioned: risk of heart attack and stroke, high anxiety, and weight gain definitely do not give you a high quality of life.

Find ways to destress - carpool to work so you're not dealing with traffic every day, or take public transport if it's available. Ask a friend to trade you with babysitting - or hire one to give them some pocket cash - so you can have a break from the kids once in a while. Exercise regularly to get the benefits of endorphins and feel accomplished for having worked out. That positive mental boost can go far in relieving stress.

REASON NO. 6. SLEEP BETTER - IF YOU'RE NOT FRETTING OVER SOMETHING

So, that adrenaline we talked about? It can hit you when you're least expecting it - while you're trying to get a good night's sleep.

Maybe an argument keeps niggling at you, keeping you awake. Or that project at work that's due in two days is worrying you. So your body dumps adrenaline and cortisol, raising your heart rate and blood pressure once again, and you can't sleep.

Having a relaxing bedtime routine and ways to fall back asleep if you wake up due to stress can help ensure a better night's sleep.

REASON NO. 7. YOU'LL FEEL BETTER!

And last but not least, you'll feel better! If you can get your feelings expressed in a healthy manner, you'll have taken another step in the right direction of taking care of your mental health.

Mental health is something that, yes, is being talked about more, but it still gets a bad rap. There is still an underlying thought that we should snap out of it and be okay.

Learning why expressing emotions is healthy may not cure them, but the hope is it will alleviate them so you can feel calmer and have a better quality of life.