Getting into an argument can compromise your ability to perform everyday tasks—like driving—in ways that could be dangerous for you or the people around you. On Fox News channel, top experts discuss what you should never do when under the influence of anger, with tips for regaining your composure.

You shouldn't sleep on it

Going to sleep may reinforce or "preserve" negative emotions, suggests a study in the Journal of Neuroscience, which found that sleep enhances memories, particularly emotional ones.

You shouldn't drive

Operating a motor vehicle when you're enraged can be dangerous. Research shows that angry drivers take more risks and have more accidents.

"When you're angry, you're primed for attack, so it's not a good time to jump in a vehicle," said David Narang, a clinical psychologist in Santa Monica, Calif. "In addition, anger gives a person tunnel vision—you stare straight ahead and may not see a pedestrian or another car."

If you must drive when angry, Narang suggests opening your eyes purposefully and looking around you to avoid tunnel vision.

You shouldn't vent

Getting anger off your chest sounds like a good idea, but it may actually make matters worse. An earlier study showed that venting anger by hitting pillows not only increased anger at that moment but made aggressive behavior more likely in the future.

You shouldn't eat

Soothing your anger by reaching for food can backfire in a couple of ways, says Kathy Gruver, author of “Conquer Your Stress With Mind/Body Techniques.”

"When we are angry, we often make unhealthy food choices," she said. "No one ever reaches for broccoli. We go for the high-sugar, high-fat, carbohydrate-loaded comfort foods."

You shouldn't keep arguing

Staying in the conversation when you have difficulty modulating your anger makes it likely you'll say things you'll regret, Christine M. Allen, psychologist and coach from Syracuse, NY, said.

You shouldn't post about your conflict on Facebook

"Posting something publicly can't be taken back," Narang said.

You shouldn't write emails

The same applies to sending an angry email—you can't take back a heated rant after you hit the send button.

You shouldn't drink alcohol

Reaching for a glass of wine to calm yourself down after an angry encounter often does the opposite, Narang said. "Alcohol makes it more likely you'll act out your anger because it removes impulse control." Alcohol lowers inhibitions by acting on the frontal lobes of the brain, which are responsible for controlling the impulses.

You shouldn't ignore your blood pressure

The risk of a heart attack and stroke increases in the two hours following angry outbursts, especially among former heart attack patients, according to a study from the European Heart Journal.

"If you're prone to high blood pressure, one of the smartest things to do when angry is to check it," says Dr. Bradley Bale, author of “Beat the Heart Attack Gene.”

You shouldn't ruminate

Obsessively thinking about ways the other person harmed you or was unfair to you—known as rumination—does not resolve anything, Allen said. If you find yourself on the receiving end of someone else's anger, you may be able to calm them down by first keeping your own cool, Narang said.