Exhaustion at work can lead to difficulty controlling emotions, scientists say

A study found that workers having to self-control emotions for protracted amounts of time can lead to more ‘aggressive’ behaviour. Photograph: praetorianphoto/Getty Images

If a hard day in the office leaves you crabby and uncooperative, you may have an excuse: scientists say exercising self-restraint can exhaust parts of the brain related to decision-making and impulse control, leaving you less able to manage your behaviour towards others.

The researchers say their results tie into the theory of “ego depletion” – a controversial idea in psychology that willpower is a limited resource that gets used up by effort.