The alcoholic drinks giving you the dreaded HANGXIETY this Christmas – and what to have instead
THE morning after a night out is often rough.
From battling a relentless headache, a nausea to crushing “hangxiety“, alcohol’s euphoria often returns with a vengeance.
While lying in bed, cringing at last night’s missteps and regretting things you said, it’s easy to swear off booze forever.
But with 70 per cent of Brits admitting they drink at least once a week, cutting out the booze altogether seems unlikely for many – especially with Christmas around the corner.
Sadly, no boozy drinks truly boost mental health, but when it comes to the dreaded post-drink jitters, some seem to ramp up anxiety more than others.
We spoke to two experts to guide us through the worst and best options to get you through this party season.
But first, what is a ‘hangxiety’?
While hangxiety is not a medical term, it’s often used to refer to the anxious feelings that often accompany a hangover. But what causes it then?
Sarah Campus, a nutritionist and founder of LDN fitness mums, says alcohol affects our brain chemistry by targeting the GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) receptors.
It sends chemical messages through the brain and central nervous system to slow down the activity of nerve cells.
This is why even a small amount of alcohol can give you that relaxing feeling you get from the first glass of vino on a Friday night.
However drinking more can deplete GABA, causing increased tension and feelings of panic and anxiety.
She added: “Not only that, because alcohol consumption can also initially increase dopamine levels, a neurotransmitter linked to pleasure and reward.”
This can create a temporary feeling of euphoria, which is why drinking can initially make you quite excited.
However, once the alcohol leaves your system, dopamine (the feel-good hormone) levels drop, leading to feelings of anxiety or low mood, she explains.
On top of that alcohol is very dehydrating.
Sarah explains: “It can cause your body to lose fluids and electrolytes, which can contribute to physical symptoms like fatigue, anxiety and often palpitations.
“Alcohol also also disrupts sleep quality, particularly the REM cycle, or deep sleep.”
And as you probably already know, poor sleep can make you feel more anxious and irritable the next day, which can make your hangover worse.
The ‘worst’ booze for hangxiety
Dark drinks…
A good rule of thumb is that the darker the drink, the more severe your hangover is likely to be.
Think red wine, whisky and brown tequila.
This is because darker drinks contain a greater number of what are called “congeners”, according to Sam Royle, from the University of Salford and a member of the Alcohol Hangover Research Group.
He says: “Congers are biologically active compounds in a drink (i.e. chemicals that react with systems in the body), that aren’t ethanol (alcohol) or water.
“These congeners are created as part of the production processes for alcoholic drinks and include substances like methanol, esters, and tannins.”
If you’re a wine drinker, you may be familiar with the effects some of these chemicals can have on drinks.
“Tannins are known to affect the ‘legs’ on a wine (AKA, how much it ‘sticks’ to the glass), and are found in greater levels in red wine (compared to white wine),” he explains
“These congeners though, have consistently shown relationships with more severe hangovers”.
Certain cocktails…
Cocktails, especially the super sweet ones, might taste like a party, but they’re a hangover’s best friend.
Eggnogs, hot toddies and white Russians might be delicious, but they are also full of added sugars or syrups
“This can cause rapid blood sugar spikes followed by crashes,” Sarah explains.
“These fluctuations in sugar levels can trigger symptoms like shakiness and irritability which can worsen anxiety,” she adds
On top of that, your liver has to process the alcohol and the sugar, putting it under extra strain.
“This slows down how quickly your body can deal with the booze, meaning toxins hang around longer.
“Plus, sugar’s dehydrating effects team up with alcohol to leave you feeling even more parched,” Sarah adds.
Neat spirits…
Straight spirits, like rum, gin or whiskey over ice might seem like the smarter choice, but they can still make for a rough hangover.
“Sipping spirits neat often means you’re drinking faster, leading to higher blood alcohol levels and more toxins for your body to handle,” Sarah says
“This can overwhelm your nervous system, and intensify anxiety and mood as your body needs to work harder to break down and metabolise the alcohol,” she explains.
Caffeinated booze…
Caffeinated booze can feel like a party hack.
Tired after a long day of work, but still want to have fun at the work party? Time to stock up on those espresso martini or vodka red bulls!
However, according to Sarah these drinks can mask the “relaxing effects of alcohol” and “encourage overconsumption”.
So only when the caffeine wears off does the alcohol hit you like a ton of bricks.
“Plus caffeine is a stimulant that can exacerbate anxiety, increase heart rate, and disrupt sleep.”
Sun Health Team's favourite hangover cures
Isabel Shaw, Health Reporter:
“My university fail-safe method used to be half pint of orange juice topped up with half a pint of lemonade. This is not the same as Fanta, I might add.
“I’m not sure this fizzy concoction is the healthiest choice, but the sugar boost works wonders first thing in the morning, especially when you’ve got to get up and can’t spend your hungover day moping around the flat.
“Nowadays, I always try and keep myself awake and drink lots of water until I feel more sober.
“This is because experts actually recommend avoiding alcohol at least three hours before bed.
“Apparently falling asleep drunk can lead to low-quality sleep, which in turn can make your hangover worse.”
Vanessa Chalmers, Assistant Head of Health:
“I will take Myrkl tablets before bed.
“I was skeptical at first because there are so many hangover supplements, capsules and patches on the market and I’ve not found one that works.
“But after reading the reviews, I had to try myself.
“These have helped me get through two festivals with only mere sleepiness.
“That is incredible for someone who has experienced flooring hangovers since my early 20s.
“I think you are meant to take them before you start drinking, but I find before bed works better for me.
“I sometimes have it with a Dioralyte rehydration sachet which yes, is for diarrhoea, but contains electrolytes.
“These are minerals the body needs but are suppressed in some ways by alcohol, I believe.
“I also find a smoothie in the morning picks me up a lot better than a fried breakfast which I try my hardest to avoid.
“Having something pre-prepared for lunch always helps too, such as chicken fajita mix that you can reheat and have in wraps.
“This way, you’re eating something tasty that is balanced and with vegetables, which will help you on the road to recovery faster than McDonald’s (which I do, obviously, occasionally fall for!)”
Alice Fuller, Health Features Editor:
“I very rarely drink these days.
“But when I do, the first thing I want in the morning is a giant glass of ice cold orange juice.
“It provides an instant sugar hit, helps with hydration and genuinely perks me up.
“I also find you can’t go wrong when you alternate alcoholic and soft drinks (or better still, water) when you’re out – and of course nothing beats two crumpets absolutely slathered in butter the next day!”
Eliza Loukou, Health Reporter:
“Everyone tells you to knock back water to stave off a hangover, but it’s one of those things that actually works – aside from sipping on a glass or two in between drinks, I always make sure to have two full glasses of water before going to sleep at night.
“I find that my hangover headaches are much duller when I do this. As for the next morning, I tend to crave something fizzy.
“But rather than going for a sweet soda, I’ll pack a glass with ice cubes and add in fizzy water and a slice of lemon or some mint.
“I follow that up with a cup of coffee and two thick slices of toast with eggs and some greens, or just plain with butter.
“Carbs always sort me out.
“My hangover often properly hits in the afternoon and I’ll get a huge dip in energy.
“Though it’s the last thing I want to do, I tend to push myself to go for a short walk for a dose of fresh air, before retreating back to bed.”
Sam Blanchard, Health Correspondent:
“I take the Myrkl supplement in the day before I start drinking, and find it stops me feeling sick the next day.
“When the morning comes around, the key is to get as much of a lie-in as possible, then eat and drink all day (but not more alcohol…).
“Staples are coffee, water, Marmite on toast, crisps, chocolate, McDonald’s if it’s really bad.
“A short walk is good but I generally don’t try to be active or particularly healthy if it will add to the suffering.
“Embrace the rot and ride it out.”
The ‘best’ alcoholic drinks for anxiety
White wines…
White wines might just be the lesser evil when it comes to hangxiety.
They tend to have lower sugar content compared to sweeter wines or sugary cocktails, so they don’t send your blood sugar on a rollercoaster, Sarah explains.
That means less chance of those annoying energy crashes and jitters the next day.
Plus, dry wines are usually lower in alcohol than spirits, so you’re less likely to overdo it and feel overwhelmed by the booze the morning after, she adds.
They also contain fewer congeners – the chemicals Sam was on about – which could mean less severe hangovers.
So, while not a cure-all, sipping on white dry wine can leave you with less of the dreaded hangover anxiety the next day.
Light beer…
Light beer can be a bit kinder to your hangxiety than stronger drinks.
With less alcohol and fewer calories, it’s easier on your body, meaning you’re less likely to feel wiped out or anxious the next day, Sarah says
Plus, light beer is usually less sugary than cocktails, so you won’t get that blood sugar crash that can trigger the hangover shakes.
Spritzers…
Swapping for drinks that have a lower concentration of alcohol may also be beneficial.
So drinking a spritzer instead of a straight glass of wine might be a good idea.
“But this is likely to be because you drink less alcohol than you would if drinking stronger drinks in smaller volumes” Sam explains.
“It may also help you to avoid dehydration, which whilst it isn’t considered a primary cause of hangover, can exacerbate certain hangover symptoms.”
How to cut back on drinking
If you're concerned about your drinking, a good first step is to see a GP.
They’ll be able to give advice and support on how to manage your drinking habits and cut back safely.
This might involve counselling, medicines or detox services.
There are many charities and support groups you can join or speak to, as well as helplines:
- Drinkline national alcohol helpline on 0300 123 1110
- Alcohol Change UK
- Alcoholics Anonymous helpline on 0800 9177 650
- Al-Anon Family Groups helpline on 0800 0086 811