The Sunday Scaries: why do we feel so anxious when we’re hungover?

After going to university in Newcastle for however long, I’m sure most of us are familiar with the symptoms of a hangover: nausea, a splitting headache, and feeling exhausted and dehydrated after drinking one too many trebs. But arguably worse than these physical symptoms is the feeling of “hangxiety” which often comes along with them; the day after drinking can bring a sense of impending doom and regret which just can’t be shook, but why is it we feel so anxious during a hangover?

Alcohol acts by decreasing the activity of neurons all over the brain, lowering our inhibition so we feel more relaxed. It has this effect by increasing the activity of GABA, a brain chemical which inhibits any neurons it comes in to contact with from firing. While this decreased brain activity can feel very freeing in the moment, our brains don’t like it. 

In an attempt to counteract the inhibition of alcohol, the brain increases the activity of glutamate, a brain chemical which activates neurons, to attempt to restore brain activity levels back to normal. This heightened brain activity is only noticeable once the effects of alcohol have worn off, and causes the feeling of hangxiety. Too much neuronal stimulation during a hangover can make us feel overwhelmed, stressed, and like we can’t rest or focus on anything.

Not only this, but alcohol also activates our stress network, the HPA axis, which put us in “fight or flight” mode. The activation of this stress system causes cortisol to be released, meaning our heart rate increases, and we feel extremely alert and on edge. Again, these effects only become noticeable once we have sobered up, causing us to feel anxious once alcohol’s effects have worn off.

In other words, your nervous system can’t tell the difference between too much alcohol and a bear chasing you in the woods- there’s no wonder we feel so anxious when hungover if alcohol activates the same stress network which evolved to help us deal with real-life danger!