Learn what to expect for *your* sign here.<\/p>\n
POV: The gang is finally back together, and before you know it you\u2019re one margarita, two margarita, three margaritas deep. When the good times are flowing, so might the booze\u2014which can mean a morning-after hangxiety session<\/a> is on its merry way. You know, that dreaded anxious and depressed feeling the morning after a spirited<\/em> bender? Hangxiety is too real, and health experts agree.<\/p>\n But why does something that can make you feel so good (at least for a little while), make you feel so<\/em> bad shortly thereafter? According to Uma Naidoo, MD<\/a>, a Harvard-trained nutritional psychiatrist and the author of the upcoming book, Calm Your Mind With Food<\/em><\/a>, it\u2019s simple: alcohol functions as a depressant<\/a> of the central nervous system that can have both long- and short-term effects. Ahead Dr. Naidoo delves into the short-term effects of hangxiety, and ways to mitigate its symptoms the morning after a long night out.<\/p>\n According to Dr. Naidoo, hangxiety is the phenomenon of feeling an increase in anxiety after a bout of heavy drinking, often accompanied by other symptoms of a hangover such as fatigue, nausea, and irritability. \u201cAlcohol functions in the brain as a depressant of the central nervous system. That is, it works by slowing our brain activity down, which is why it\u2019s common for some people to reach for alcohol when feeling anxious or needing help falling asleep,\u201d she says. On the flip side, however, once the sedative effect wears off, so do these feelings of calmness and relaxation, which can also ramp up feelings of anxiety.<\/p>\n In addition to the psychological impact, hangxiety can also come with feelings of jitteriness, heart palpitations, excessive sweating, and dehydration, which are physiological reactions to alcohol consumption. Keep in mind, the more alcohol consumed, the more intense the hangxiety and accompanying side effects will likely be.<\/p>\n \u201cAlcohol functions in the brain as a depressant of the central nervous system. That is, it works by slowing our brain activity down, which is why it\u2019s common for some people to reach for alcohol when feeling anxious or needing help falling asleep,\u201d Although the only true foolproof method for preventing hangxiety is abstaining from drinking alcohol, Dr. Naidoo says there are ways to help reduce the symptoms without<\/em> going cold turkey. \u201cIt\u2019s comforting to keep in mind that the anxiety associated with alcohol withdrawal is temporary [in most cases], but there are tools you can utilize to ease the symptoms,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n First and foremost, Dr. Naidoo notes that since alcohol is extremely dehydrating\u2014and dehydration is one of the key players in feelings of anxiety\u2014it\u2019s critical to rehydrate as soon as possible after a drinking event. \u201cIt\u2019s very important to make sure you are hydrating with plenty of water, electrolytes, and hydrating fruits and veggies the day after consuming alcohol to help clear any anxious thoughts,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Looking for something soothing and <\/em>hydrating? Dr. Naidoo recommends relaxing herbal teas, like chamomile, lavender, or passionflower. Or, coffee\u2014if you can stomach it after drinking\u2014packed with polyphenols, which act as antioxidants.<\/p>\n In addition to adequately hydrating, Dr. Naidoo says there are several foods and drinks that can help alleviate hangxiety symptoms. From a beverage standpoint, her go-tos include green or black teas due to their L-theanine<\/a> content, an amino acid that\u2019s been shown to help reduce levels of stress and anxiety<\/a>. Additionally, she says the caffeine content in these teas can also lend a helping hand in maintaining energy levels the day after consuming alcohol.<\/p>\n From a food standpoint, Dr. Naidoo says fermented foods such as plain, unsweetened whole-milk Greek yogurt (topped with berries and a sprinkle of cinnamon for some sweetness and an extra antioxidant boost) is a great choice.<\/p>\n Although a late-night meal delivery service may sound like a good idea at the time, fried or overly-sugary foods might not be as beneficial for alleviating hangxiety. \u201cThese foods may initially feel satisfying but are drivers of inflammation in the gut and brain which can further exacerbate symptoms,\u201d the nutritional psychiatrist says. Better hangover brain food from Dr. Naidoo\u2019s purview includes: a batch of air fryer zucchini fries or a homemade burger (beef, turkey, salmon, tofu, or vegetable).<\/p>\n In addition to fermented foods, Dr. Naidoo suggests fiber-rich plant foods that help reduce inflammation loaded with vitamins and minerals. \u201cB vitamins, specifically, are important for making it through a hangover because alcohol consumption has been associated with B vitamin deficiency<\/a> as well as increased stress and low mood, and certain B vitamins help to metabolize alcohol quicker,\u201d Dr. Naidoo says. Foods rich in vitamin B<\/a> include eggs, nuts and seeds, whole grains, leafy greens, and dairy products.<\/p>\n Pro tip: Dr. Naidoo suggests prepping your \u201cdrunchies\u201d ahead of time and leaving them in your fridge, so they\u2019re ready to go, sparing you the pricey take out order and potentially less healthy choice. Or \u201cpregaming\u201d with a meal filled with plenty of fiber-rich veggies and protein that can potentially reduce the effects of alcohol (and subsequent hangxiety). \u201cResearch has found tha<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Learn what to expect for *your* sign here. POV: The gang is finally back together, and before you know it you\u2019re one margarita, two margarita, three margaritas deep. When the good times are flowing, so might the booze\u2014which can mean a morning-after hangxiety session is on its merry way. You know, that dreaded anxious and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":41,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/health.easydigital.shop\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/health.easydigital.shop\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/health.easydigital.shop\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/health.easydigital.shop\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/health.easydigital.shop\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=42"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/health.easydigital.shop\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/health.easydigital.shop\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/41"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/health.easydigital.shop\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=42"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/health.easydigital.shop\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=42"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/health.easydigital.shop\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=42"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}What is hangxiety?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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\n\u2014Uma Naidoo, MD, nutritional psychiatrist<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n5 ways to alleviate hangxiety before it fully creeps in<\/strong><\/h2>\n
1. Rehydrate ASAP<\/h3>\n
2. Sip on L-theanine-rich drinks<\/h3>\n
3. Eat gut-friendly, fermented foods and fiber-rich foods<\/h3>\n