Hangxiety: why you wake up with the fear, and how to ride it out

It is Sunday morning, the kettle has barely boiled, and the hangxiety has already let itself in. You are scrolling the group chat for evidence and typing the classic message: "Great night! So sorry if I was weird. Do you all hate me?"

Hangxiety is the anxious, guilty feeling lots of people wake up with after a night of drinking. It is a normal part of a hangover, and it lifts as your body and brain settle back down.

The quick version

• Hangxiety is the worried side of a hangover, and almost everyone who drinks has met it.
• It comes from your brain rebalancing as the alcohol wears off, plus a short and broken night.
• Water, food, fresh air and a slow morning make it easier to ride out.
• A plan before you go out, with alcohol-free rounds in the mix, sets up a brighter tomorrow.
• If the anxious feeling sticks around, your GP or Mind are lovely people to talk to.

What is hangxiety?

Hangxiety is the mental side of a hangover. Some people call it "the fear", which neatly sums up lying in bed replaying every conversation like a detective on a cold case. Drinkaware describes people waking up anxious or low, often with a hefty side of guilt.

It can look like a racing mind, a knot in your stomach or a sudden certainty that your joke about the DJ went down badly. Usually, the night was lovely and everyone else has already moved on to brunch.

Why do I feel anxious after drinking?

The short answer is that your brain is having its own comedown. As researchers explain in The Conversation, alcohol turns up the brain's calming messengers while you drink, so as it wears off, things swing the other way and you feel jumpy and on edge.

Your body joins in too. You probably slept less than you think, drank less water than you meant to and skipped the kebab you promised yourself. Add a few blank spots in your memory, and your imagination happily fills them in with the worst possible version of events.

Why do some people get hangxiety worse?

Personality plays a part. In a 2019 study from UCL, very shy people felt a little more relaxed while drinking and noticeably more anxious the following morning.

So if a couple of drinks help you feel at ease in a crowded room, you may also be the one who wakes up feeling it most, which is handy to know when you plan the night.

How do you get through the morning after?

Look after your body first, and your mind tends to follow. Here is the gentle recovery plan our community swears by:

• Drink water. Not to sound like your mum, but a big glass by the bed is a gift from past you.
• Eat something kind. Toast, eggs, porridge with banana or yoghurt and fruit all sit happily on a delicate stomach.
• Take it slow. Sleep in if you can, then claim the sofa for a film you have seen ten times.
• Get outside. It sounds like a terrible idea, yet ten minutes round the block with a podcast genuinely lifts the mood.
• Use the one message rule. If one moment is really bugging you, send a short, friendly text and put your phone face down.
• Skip the hair of the dog. A morning drink just moves the comedown to later in the day.

Most people recall far less about your night than you do.

How can you plan a better morning after?

The kindest thing you can do for tomorrow is make a few decisions tonight. Eat a proper dinner before you head out, set yourself a budget, and swap every other round for something alcohol-free. Our guide to the best alcohol-free drinks for a night out is full of ideas for those rounds.

Pacing is more fun with a friend, and a Sunday walk already in the diary gives the morning something nice to wake up for.

And if the anxious feeling turns up after most nights out, hangs around for days, or arrives even when you have not been drinking, please talk to someone. Your GP is a great first step, and Mind (0300 123 3393) offers friendly, confidential support.

Where does Peak Calm fit?

Our founder Louie started Peak after spotting how many of us live in a loop of coffee to get going and alcohol to switch off. Calm is made for the evening half. It is a lightly sparkling juicy peach mood drink, caffeine free and alcohol free, and its whole mood is relaxed, not tired.

We have poured it in a Calm room at Ministry of Sound and on dancefloors at Amsterdam Dance Event. People keep a can in hand at house parties, gigs and the bar between rounds, because it is cold, tasty and still feels like part of the night.

Try Peak Calm, the juicy peach mood drink for your alcohol-free rounds.

Common questions

How long does hangxiety last?

Usually about as long as the hangover itself. It tends to be strongest first thing and eases through the day as you eat, rest and get some air.

Is "the fear" the same as hangxiety?

Yes, they are two names for the same thing. Both describe that anxious, what-did-I-say feeling the morning after drinking.

What is the surest way to avoid hangxiety?

Drinkaware says not drinking is the only sure way. If you do drink, a plan, plenty of water and a few alcohol-free rounds give tomorrow a much better start.