Get to Grips with Hangxiety
Hangxiety: Why You Feel Anxious After Drinking
Have you ever felt anxious after a night of drinking? If so, you're not alone. There's a name for this phenomenon: hangxiety.
Hangxiety is the feeling of anxiety that can occur the morning after a night of drinking. While hangxiety can affect anyone, some people find this issue particularly disruptive.
What Causes Hangxiety?
There is no definitive explanation for hangxiety. However, we have some ideas about the underlying causes.
Psychologically, hangxiety can arise from concerns about your behaviour from the day before. As you well know, alcohol intoxication changes our usual behaviour. Often, we are more disinhibited.
Being 'loosened up' may result in actions you regret or anxiously analyse later. Hangxiety can arise when you worry, regret or excessively mull over how others may have assessed your behaviour.
Unfortunately, many people with underlying psychological issues drink to manage uncomfortable psychological states. For instance, problematic drinking is linked with depression and social anxiety (1). Using alcohol for these problems (or as a social lubricant) can create a vicious cycle of increasing distress and alcohol use.
In addition to psychological explanations, there are several potential physiological reasons for hangxiety:
Dehydration: There is some evidence that dehydration is associated with unpleasant psychological states, including anxiety (2)
Detoxification: Withdrawal from booze creates a host of issues, including anxiety or anxiety-like sensations (e.g., restless, jittery).
Neurotransmitter effects: When you drink, alcohol affects the levels of certain neurotransmitters, including serotonin and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood, and GABA is a neurotransmitter with calming effects. So when alcohol decreases the levels of these neurotransmitters, it can lead to feelings of anxiety.
Sleep deprivation: Alcohol disrupts normal sleep patterns (3). There may be a relationship between poor sleep and anxiety (4).
Anxiety And Alcohol
Many people love a drink (or several more). But, some of us need to take an honest look at our alcohol consumption. This evaluation should consider the purpose of drinking and not just the amount.
While we can suggest strategies to minimise alcohol-related anxiety, don't look past the potential elephant in the room of problematic alcohol use.
We should never use alcohol to manage difficult psychological states. Alcohol will make matters worse in this context. Furthermore, look out for the signs of serious alcohol-use problems (e.g., alcohol dependency):
Frequently drinking more than intended
Failed attempts to cut down alcohol use
Spending lots of time drinking or recovering from the hangover
Periods when you can't think of anything else but drinking
Mounting problems in your personal and working life as a result of drinking
Relationship problems and/or spending less time with friends and family
Given up or cut back on important activities (e.g., playing sport)
Needing to drink increasing amounts to get the same effect
Experiencing unpleasant withdrawal symptoms (e.g., shaking, nausea, racing heart).
Experiencing any of these signs may warrant a professional assessment. Excessive alcohol use is common amongst many professional groups. This culture of drinking (e.g., Friday drinks) may mask an individual's problems with drinking.
Strategies For Coping With Hangxiety
Fortunately, there are things you can do to minimise the chances of experiencing hangxiety. You should only use these tips for occasional hangxiety with no underlying problem with alcohol. As stated above, don't mess around if you suspect a significant problem with alcohol consumption. The suggestions below will only paper over the cracks and delay appropriate help-seeking.
Drink in moderation
A no-brainer, but it needs to be stated. One of the best ways to avoid hangxiety is to drink in moderation. Of course, everyone's tolerance is different. So it's important to listen to your body and reduce drinking as hangxiety is encountered.
Eat before drinking
It's also important to eat before drinking alcohol. Alcohol is absorbed more quickly when you drink on an empty stomach. This process can intensify its effects and make hangxiety more likely. So be sure to have a meal or snack before heading out for drinks with friends.
Drink lots of water
Staying hydrated is vital when it comes to managing hangxiety (and avoiding a hangover). Make sure to drink plenty of water both before and after drinking alcohol.
Get enough sleep
Getting enough sleep is crucial for managing anxiety (and hangovers!). So if you know you're going to be drinking alcohol, be sure to get seven to eight hours of sleep the night before.
Consider talking to a professional
Consider consulting a professional if you find that your anxiety is impacting your quality of life or daily life. A therapist can help you identify any underlying issues that may be contributing to your anxiety. This person can develop an individualised treatment plan specifically tailored to your needs.
Summary
You can keep anxiety levels under control by following the above suggestions. However, hangxiety might be an indication of a problem that warrants additional help. Consider getting professional input if your drinking or anxiety is getting in the way of daily life.
We are Coaching & Clinical Psychologists with extensive experience helping people conquer a range of wellbeing and performance issues at home and in the workplace. Read more about our work, watch practical skills videos or browse other articles. Get in touch anytime.
References
(1) Johannessen, E.L., Andersson, H.W., Bjørngaard, J.H. et al. Anxiety and depression symptoms and alcohol use among adolescents - a cross sectional study of Norwegian secondary school students. BMC Public Health 17, 494 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-017-4389-2
(2) Haghighatdoost, F., Feizi, A., Esmaillzadeh, A., Rashidi-Pourfard, N., Keshteli, A. H., Roohafza, H., & Adibi, P. (2018). Drinking plain water is associated with decreased risk of depression and anxiety in adults: Results from a large cross-sectional study. World Journal of Psychiatry, 8(3), 88-96. https://doi.org/10.5498/wjp.v8.i3.88
(3) Ebrahim, I. O., Shapiro, C. M., Williams, A. J., & Fenwick, P. B. (2013). Alcohol and sleep I: effects on normal sleep. Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research, 37(4), 539–549. https://doi.org/10.1111/acer.12006
(4) Pasquale K. Alvaro, B Psych (Honors), Rachel M. Roberts, BA (Hons), MPsych (Clinical), PhD, Jodie K. Harris, BPsych (Hons), PhD (Clin Psych), A Systematic Review Assessing Bidirectionality between Sleep Disturbances, Anxiety, and Depression, Sleep, Volume 36, Issue 7, 1 July 2013, Pages 1059–1068, https://doi.org/10.5665/sleep.2810
