Anxiety After Drinking, You’re Not Alone

Written by: MADELINE FERGUSON

Have you ever woken up after a night of drinking with crippling anxiety and what feels like depression? If so, you are not alone.

So many people experience the same feelings that there is now a slang term for it: hangxiety. And alongside that anxiety, it’s also pretty common to experience an inability to relax or sleep. What an awful combo, right?

Waking up after a night out with friends or a wedding where you had a few too many drinks feeling like everyone hates you or that you did or said the wrong thing is all too common, which should ease your stresses a little just in knowing that you are not alone.

What Causes Hangxiety?

Alcohol is a downer, so it’s really not much of a surprise that it can have anxiety and depression-inducing effects. And if you’re already prone to anxiety and depression, alcohol can make it much worse.

Chemical compounds in alcohol work on your GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) receptors, which is what can make you feel more relaxed or at ease. It also stops producing compounds that make us feel anxious, but as alcohol starts to wear off, your brain tries to get back to equilibrium, which can mean an influx of those compounds that make us anxious.

How To Deal?

Reducing alcohol consumption is the best way to prevent hangxiety, because the more you drink the more hungover you tend to become, but for those of you who still want to be able to enjoy a night out, there are ways to try to lessen the anxiety you feel the next morning.

One of the best ways to prevent hangovers and hangxiety is to stay hydrated. Make sure you are drinking lots of water before, during and after you plan to have alcoholic beverages. Setting limits on the number of drinks you want to have before you start drinking is another powerful tool to keep things in check.

Eating a good meal before drinking and when you wake up in the morning can also help you feel better as alcohol does weird things to your blood sugar levels.

And finally, if you’re looking for something enjoyable with less hangxiety, try cannabis. Cannabis doesn’t give you hangovers, but remember to start with small amounts if you’re not used to it.

And finally, if all else has failed and you’re in the thick of an anxiety-ridden morning after drinking, try mindfulness and meditation. There are tons of great meditations for free on Youtube and the Insight Timer app is amazing for meditations of varying lengths and types.

Most importantly remember that you are not alone and SO MANY people also experience anxiety. No one hates you and everything will look brighter tomorrow after a good night’s sleep.