What is hangxiety? Anxiety after drinking explained
Hangxiety is the anxious, uneasy feeling some people wake up with after drinking: a racing mind, a vague sense of dread, or worry about something said the night before. It is an informal term rather than a diagnosis, and Drinkaware describes it as anxiety or low mood the morning after drinking. (Drinkaware)
Why it happens
Alcohol is a depressant, so the first drinks can feel calming. Drinkaware explains that as the effect wears off, the brain’s chemistry swings back and anxiety can return more strongly. Poor sleep, dehydration and low blood sugar after a bigger night add to it, and so does worrying about what you said or did once your inhibitions were lower.
A 2018 study from UCL and the University of Exeter followed almost 100 social drinkers at a gathering with friends. For the shyest participants, about six units slightly eased their anxiety that evening, and their anxiety rose significantly the next day. Those with the worst hangxiety also tended to score higher on the AUDIT test. (UCL)
Who gets it
Anyone who drinks can get hangxiety, though some people notice it far more than others. Drinkaware says people who already live with anxiety are more prone to it, and that drinking to feel more confident socially can leave the anxiety stronger the next day. Not every anxious morning is hangxiety, either. It can be anxiety that the alcohol was masking, or worry about the night before, and the Alcohol Reduction Coach™ guide to hangxiety looks at those differences in more depth.
What helps
- drink less on the night: smaller sessions, kept below the binge drinking thresholds, tend to leave less to recover from
- the morning after, drink water, rest and eat, and skip the “hair of the dog”, which Drinkaware advises against
- a walk or a few minutes of slow breathing can take the edge off
- notice which nights bring it on, as the pattern shows which drinks cost you most the next day
If the anxiety lasts beyond the hangover, or you find yourself drinking to calm it, talk to your GP. Feeling shaky, sweaty or anxious whenever you go without a drink is different from hangxiety and can be a sign of withdrawal, so speak to your GP before cutting down.