Understanding Hangxiety
What Is Hangxiety?
Hangxiety is the combination of hangover symptoms and heightened feelings of anxiety experienced the next day after drinking alcohol.
After a day or night of drinking, the effects of alcohol may cause you to experience symptoms of anxiety for a period of time. The level of anxiety and how long it lasts vary significantly depending on multiple factors, including your ability to cope with stress and the level of support at home.
Hangxiety is a term for the feeling of anxiety during a hangover, and is not a formal clinical diagnosis.
How Does Hangxiety Differ From a Regular Hangover?
Unlike a typical hangover, hangxiety includes mental health effects such as racing thoughts, a sense of dread, and increased feelings of anxiety.
Some people who experience hangxiety have a clinically diagnosed anxiety disorder.
According to Alcohol Research Current Reviews, “The co-occurrence of anxiety disorders and alcohol use disorders (AUDs) is relatively common and is associated with a complex clinical presentation.” In addition, “[W]omen are more likely than men to have both disorders, and the presence of anxiety disorders may exacerbate the course and severity of alcohol problems in women.”
New Found Life treats co-occurring anxiety and AUD to reduce the risk of you experiencing a relapse or hangxiety during ongoing recovery. If you have a history of anxiety during stressful situations, the clinical team will give you the tools to develop healthy and effective coping strategies for stress management and emotional regulation.
Causes of Hangxiety
Why Do I Feel Anxious the Next Day After Drinking?
Alcohol affects neurotransmitters like GABA and glutamate, leading to chemical changes in the brain that trigger hangover anxiety.
Drinking alcohol affects the brain and other essential body systems, impacting mood and emotions. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), “The symptoms [of a hangover] can last 24 hours or longer.” Many people continue to feel the effects of a hangover into the next day after a night of drinking.
The chemical imbalance caused by alcohol abuse impacts neurotransmitters and communication between different areas of the brain. As the body filters alcohol out of your blood, anxiety and other negative emotions gradually lessen.
What Role Do Neurotransmitters Like GABA and Glutamate Play?
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate regulate brain activity, and alcohol consumption disrupts this balance, increasing stress hormones and anxiety symptoms.
Neurotransmitters play a central role in balancing hormones and regulating various body systems. Alcohol use significantly impacts GABA and glutamate.
According to Frontiers in Psychiatry, “Numerous studies in recent years have suggested a complex influence of alcohol on glutamate receptors, glutamate transporters, and synaptic glutamate homeostasis in different brain regions and neurocircuitries, as well as corresponding behavioral changes.”
In addition, “GABA is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, underlying many alcoholic behavioral changes including anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, sedative-hypnotic, cognitive-impairing, and motor-incoordinating actions.”
How Does Cortisol Affect Hangxiety?
Elevated cortisol, the stress hormone, contributes to racing thoughts, increased heart rate, and the overall sense of unease associated with hangxiety.
Changes in hormones can cause you to feel anxious or panicked. Cortisol is a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands that directly and indirectly affects the body’s stress responses. The hormone triggers the “fight or flight” stress response, which can impact thoughts, moods, behaviors, and emotions.
Can Heavy Drinking or Binge Drinking Increase Hangxiety?
Yes, heavy drinking or binge drinking amplifies chemical imbalances in the brain, leading to more intense next-day hangover anxiety.
How hangxiety manifests often depends on how much alcohol was consumed the night before. A standard drink has an alcohol content of 0.6 ounces per serving, with slight variations depending on the type of alcohol and size of drink. People who drink heavily or binge drink have an increased risk of experiencing hangxiety.
Symptoms of Hangxiety
What Are the Common Symptoms of Hangxiety?
Symptoms of hangxiety include feelings of anxiety, trouble concentrating, racing thoughts, increased heart rate, and heightened stress the morning after drinking alcohol.
The symptoms of hangxiety overlap with social anxiety and other anxiety disorders, including:
- Physical symptoms, such as headache, nausea, and fatigue
- Racing thoughts
- Excessive worry
- Feelings of dread or helplessness
- Difficulty understanding
- Guilt, shame, and regret
- Low stress tolerance
- Unusual irritability
People who frequently experience hangxiety as one of the side effects of drinking alcoholic beverages benefit from participating in professional rehabilitation programs. An alcohol hangover with severe anxiety symptoms can interfere with your ability to function.
Why Do I Experience Racing Thoughts or Trouble Concentrating?
Alcohol disrupts neurotransmitter function, causing the brain to overcompensate and produce racing thoughts and difficulty focusing during hangxiety.
Symptoms of a hangover may cause a range of side effects. Racing thoughts generally slow over time as hormone levels and neurotransmitter communication return to normal. New Found Life can teach you coping skills for managing anxiety and reducing the impact of anxiety side effects.
Can Hangxiety Cause Physical Symptoms Like Increased Heart Rate?
Yes, chemical changes in the brain and stress hormone fluctuations can cause physical hangover symptoms, including a rapid heartbeat.
Chronic alcohol abuse and hangovers cause hormone fluctuations that can impact blood pressure, heart rate, and multiple organs.
Some of the physical symptoms people feel when they experience a combination of a hangover and anxiety include:
- Rapid heart rate
- Arrhythmia
- Headaches
- Nausea or vomiting
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Muscle tension
Dehydration from the hangover, chemical imbalances from the alcohol, and changes in the brain may cause additional psychological symptoms, such as excessive worry, dread, or unease. New Found Life treats AUD and co-occurring anxiety disorders, ensuring you have the skills to avoid the physical symptoms caused by anxiety.
Risk Factors and Individual Differences
Do Social Drinkers Experience Hangxiety?
Even social drinkers can experience hangxiety, as individual differences in metabolism and mental health influence susceptibility.
Anyone can experience hangxiety regardless of their personality type and where they choose to consume alcohol. Social drinkers may feel additional peer pressure to fit into specific roles, increasing anxiety during hangovers. Your mental health plays an especially prominent role in the development of anxiety-related issues during and after periods of alcohol use.
A hangover drains the body of energy and often exacerbates mental health issues. Hangxiety may indicate a need for additional self-care or mental health support to reduce feelings of anxiety or emotional distress. You can address mental health concerns during alcohol rehab using therapy and other support services.
Why Are College Students More Prone to Hangxiety?
College students may engage in binge drinking, which disrupts neurotransmitters and increases the likelihood of next-day anxiety symptoms.
Students have a variety of risk factors that make them more likely to experience hangxiety, including peer pressure, academic expectations, personal or work responsibilities, and a chaotic dorm environment. The lack of support and structure may cause some college students to feel more anxious as their body works through a hangover.
New Found Life encourages families to talk with young adults and college-age children about the dangers of binge drinking or frequent overdrinking.
Can Alcohol Use Disorders Make Hangxiety Worse?
Individuals with alcohol use disorders or a history of alcoholism often experience more severe hangxiety due to long-term neurochemical changes.
Chronic alcohol abuse causes long-term changes to the brain and how you manage the effects of anxiety or stress. According to Neuropharmacology, “[T]he relationship between stress and alcohol is complex, likely changing in form during the transition from early moderated alcohol use to more heavy uncontrolled alcohol intake.”
In addition, “A growing body of evidence indicates that prolonged excessive alcohol consumption serves as a potent stressor, producing persistent dysregulation of brain reward and stress systems.”
Managing Hangxiety
Are There Ways to Reduce Hangxiety?
Practical strategies like adequate hydration, balanced meals, rest, and mindfulness can help reduce the severity of hangxiety symptoms.
Your mental health impacts how your body responds to the stress and hormonal imbalances caused by alcohol abuse. Overall wellness reduces the risk of severe hangover and hangxiety. Recovering from a night of drinking involves hydrating, engaging in low-stress activities, and practicing self-care.
A few ways you can reduce the severity or frequency of hangxiety include:
- Avoiding binge drinking or overdrinking
- Hydrating throughout the late afternoon and morning
- Getting plenty of restful sleep
- Taking steps to reduce stress and anxiety through mindfulness
Treatment programs for alcohol addiction provide you with coping skills, resources, and support to ensure you avoid relapsing. Not drinking is the best way to limit anxiety-related mental health issues.
Does Hydration Help With Hangxiety?
Staying hydrated before, during, and after drinking helps offset physical hangover symptoms that contribute to feelings of anxiety.
Alcohol is a diuretic, making hydration essential to reduce your risk of hangover symptoms like headaches, excessive thirst, and fatigue.
Diuretics put a strain on your kidneys by causing excessive urination, which makes it harder for your kidneys to filter toxins from your blood. Hydration increases water content in your kidneys, assisting in the filtering process and reducing the severity of hangover symptoms.
You should drink 8 to 12 ounces of water for every drink of alcohol to reduce the dehydrating effects of alcohol. Drinking more water the next morning also reduces your risk of developing hangxiety or physical symptoms of alcohol abuse.
Can “Hair of the Dog” or Over-the-Counter Remedies Work?
While some may try “hair of the dog” or over-the-counter (OTC) solutions, these methods often provide temporary relief without addressing the chemical imbalances that cause hangxiety.
In the distant past, people used to believe that “like cures like,” and this faulty reasoning caused people to drink alcohol to counter the adverse effects of alcohol withdrawal. However, “hair of the dog” does nothing except delay some withdrawal symptoms. You will still experience dehydration, muscle aches, headaches, fatigue, hangxiety, or other symptoms once you stop drinking.
OTC medications like Tylenol can address specific side effects or symptoms, such as headaches. Some people also find that alternative medicine, including aromatherapy and meditation, helps them reduce anxiety during hangovers. New Found Life treats AUD by teaching essential skills for managing stress, anxiety, and triggers related to alcohol abuse.
Long-Term Considerations
Can Hangxiety Lead to Long-Term Anxiety Disorders?
Frequent episodes of hangxiety, especially when paired with heavy drinking, may contribute to lasting anxiety disorders if alcohol use continues unchecked.
People who often have hangxiety episodes may experience long-term mental health issues that increase overall stress and anxiety. Chronic alcohol abuse may cause you to feel anxious more easily during withdrawal. In addition, anxiety-related mental health disorders may worsen after repeated episodes of hangxiety.
Treatment programs encourage abstinence and use evidence-based services to support healing from AUD. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “The less alcohol you drink, the lower your risk for these health effects.” New Found Life encourages complete abstinence and long-term sobriety from addictive substances.
How Does Alcohol Abuse Affect Mental Health Over Time?
Chronic alcohol consumption can exacerbate mental health conditions, impair neurotransmitter balance, and increase the likelihood of developing alcohol use disorders and anxiety disorders.
Many people with AUD have co-occurring mental health disorders that were either caused or worsened by regular alcohol abuse. Hangxiety can leave a lasting impact on the brain that puts you at a higher risk of developing mental health issues, including anxiety and depression.
Alcohol abuse also negatively affects personal relationships, which can reduce stress tolerance and increase the side effects of anxiety. Many people who lack a solid support system use unhealthy coping mechanisms to manage mental health issues, impacting their relationships and quality of life.
Early intervention and treatment at a professional addiction recovery center offer you the best potential outcomes and allow you to heal from the emotional damage caused by AUD.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hangxiety
Can hangxiety happen after just a few drinks?
Yes, even moderate alcohol consumption can trigger hangxiety in sensitive individuals, depending on neurotransmitter response and mental health factors.
Everyone has a unique alcohol tolerance. You may experience hangxiety after only a few drinks, or it might take many drinks for you to feel the full effects of anxiety and withdrawal. Avoiding alcohol use entirely is the best way to ensure you do not experience hangxiety and other side effects of alcohol abuse.
How long does hangxiety last?
Hangxiety typically lasts through the next day after drinking alcohol, often coinciding with hangover symptoms like dehydration, fatigue, and trouble concentrating.
A hangover typically lasts between 12 and 24 hours, depending on the type and amount of alcohol consumed. Hydration and metabolism play a critical role in determining how long a hangover will last. If you hydrate regularly, remain physically fit, and practice self-care, you may experience hangxiety over a shorter period of time.
Is hangxiety the same as a hangover?
No, hangxiety specifically refers to increased feelings of anxiety, racing thoughts, and stress, while a standard hangover primarily involves physical symptoms.
Hangxiety involves a combination of hangover symptoms and anxiety side effects. Not everyone who has a hangover will experience hangxiety. In addition, people with a high risk of hangxiety can take steps to avoid the condition, including staying hydrated during periods of drinking and avoiding risk-taking behaviors while under the influence.
What can I do to prevent hangxiety?
Preventive strategies include drinking in moderation, staying hydrated, eating balanced meals, and avoiding binge drinking, which intensifies alcohol’s chemical effects.
Anxiety-related mental health issues often manifest when you feel physically or emotionally stressed. Alcohol withdrawal and hangxiety can cause significant stress on the mind and body unless you take steps to counter the effects.
Staying hydrated, engaging in low-stress activities, getting the recommended amount of quality sleep, and practicing self-care before or after a night of drinking can prevent hangxiety and some side effects of overdrinking.
Does drinking more alcohol (“hair of the dog”) help hangxiety?
While some try it, drinking more alcohol only temporarily masks symptoms and can worsen alcohol use and future hangxiety episodes.
Continuing to drink the next day after a night of binge drinking only increases symptoms related to alcohol abuse and hangovers. The temporary relief provided by continuing to drink alcohol does nothing except delay withdrawal and hangxiety.
Instead of drinking more alcohol, you would benefit more from hydrating with plain water or electrolyte drinks that replace the fluid and chemicals lost due to the diuretic properties of alcohol.
A hangover may cause physical and emotional changes that increase anxiety in individuals with anxiety-related mental health disorders or heightened stress responses. New Found Life treats alcohol use disorder and co-occurring anxiety disorders using evidence-based therapies. To learn more about how we can help you, call our office today at (562) 434-4060.