​If you’ve ever found yourself waking up feeling on-edge, super anxious, worrying about something you might have said or done after a night out of fun and drinking, rest assured - you're not alone. 
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'Hangxiety' is a common experience shared by many women, so I want to help you understand the cause better to so you can manage through it and breathe easier this holiday season!
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The science behind 'hangxiety' is rooted in the intricate workings of our brains when alcohol is consumed: 
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• Alcohol is actually a central nervous system depressant that causes the brain activity to slow down.  

 

• Initially, the effects of alcohol in our body brings on feelings of relaxation and ease, we feel happy and less inhibited. GREAT for those merry social situations! 

 

• As the night progresses though and during sleep the alcohol in our body begins to wear off, and the brain goes into action to restore its chemical equilibrium.  

 

• This process is called a “glutamine rebound” a bio-chemical reaction that reduces calmness and increases glutamate to restore “normal operation”. The body going into this ‘quick fix me response’ is the exact thing that heightens feelings of anxiety when we wake up in the morning!

 

• Alcohol is also a massive sleep disruptor! Studies tell us that a lack of deep sleep = anxiety is 30% more likely to trigger!! 

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Women tend to metabolise alcohol differently to men due to differences in body composition and our enzyme levels. This can result in a quicker rise in blood alcohol concentration while drinking and intensify both the initial “calming effects” and subsequent “glutamine rebound” = anxiety. 
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Women who are already prone to anxiety are more susceptible to experiencing intensified 'hangxiety' after drinking. Reason being - our body’s anxiety alarm system is super in tune with hormone fluctuations and likely in a pattern of triggering to negative or worried thoughts!  
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​The duration of the ‘hangxiety’ feeling will vary person to person, typically peaking the day after and lasting up to 24 hours or longer, depending on factors like how much alcohol you drank and physical/emotional/mental conditions (aka if you’re in a high stress period/already anxious mindset then look out - symptoms will be intensified!).  

Waking up with fragmented memories from the previous night can also contribute to post-drinking stress of course.  

Dealing with 'hangxiety' requires a high level of self-compassion. This is where you need to remind yourself -

• You are not going crazy, you’ve done nothing wrong 

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• No one hates you, you’re NOT an embarrassment 

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• There is a bio-chemical reaction happening in your body while it processes last night’s alcohol that’s causing you to feel anxious 

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• Everything will be ok again in 24 hours, drink some water and sleep it off

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• You’ll be ok, this won't last forever​ ​

Do something to distract and relax your mind, such as watching a favourite show or practicing mindfulness through meditation, aids in easing 'hangxiety.' And avoid consuming more alcohol or stimulant’s like coffee, which can just exacerbate anxiety. 
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If you want to prevent 'hangxiety' it will involvessome moderation and mindful drinking and I also believe assessing where you’re at emotionally and mentally before you drink is key.  

• Current high level stress/negative emotions = more intense ‘hangxiety’. 

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• Limiting your alcohol consumption during social events, can notably diminish its likelihood.  

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• Eat a good meal prior to drinking, don’t expect there will ever be enough canapes to go around at a work event! 

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• If you’re at an event and booze is free-flowing, perhaps telling the waiter to not fill up your glass until it’s empty so you can keep track.

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• Drink water in between, stay hydrated. If you feel pressure from 'not drinking' ask yourself - "what's more important? Me drinking now, or not having hangxiety tomorrow?"

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• And if you’re already feeling anxious - avoiding alcohol all together is the best action 😉

​By understanding how the body works and the triggers, and implementing a few preventive measures and coping strategies, I hope 'hangxiety' won’t overshadow this year’s festive cheer for you! 

Do you ever find your mind spinning about all the “what if’s” and the “unknowns” within a problem or situation and you just can’t seem to shut those damn thoughts off?  

Overthinking is something that happens to the best of us, and it’s a sure-fire trigger for anxiety.  

It’s kind of like there’s a dance party going on in your mind with all these thoughts on a wild and random playlist. You’re expecting “Sunday Chill” and get delivered “Hard Rock Hits of 1990”. YIKES! 

When things get too chaotic, we often forget that we are the DJ of the crazy party going on in our mind. We can take control of the playlist, even if the volume of the music feels a little loud and out of our control.

We can dial it down. But how? 

This week, perhaps start by recognizing when you are overthinking and practice interrupting the pattern of thought.

Instead of feeding the train of thoughts with MORE questions and scenarios on the overthinking train, try to disrupt the flow and change the tune. 
 
Here is a recent video I did for my overthinkers on Instagram which will help!

Overthinking is  very common in women who experience anxiety.

In fact I’ve dedicated a whole chapter to understanding “why we overthink” in my new book, Becoming Fearless launching next Tuesday Nov 21.
 
Here is a sneak peak of some things I share that can help to quiet down the internal noise: 

•  Take a few controlled deep breaths re-focus your mind on your breath for 30 seconds 
•  Get busy doing a different activity, opposite to the problem you’re overthinking 
•  Go for a walk and get a change of scenery 
•  Journal it, often putting pen to paper helps release the thoughts in our mind. Write a pro’s and con’s list or dot points 
•  Replace those racing thoughts with something positive, like an affirmation  
•  Call a friend and talk about a comforting topic that has NOTHING to do with the problem (very important – stop giving it fuel) 

 
It takes practice, but honestly from experience there is no amount of rehashing a problem that will help find a resolution in THAT moment if you’re anxious.  
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When our thoughts are like a loud party, then we don’t have space to listen to our inner voice of intuition who is trying to give us advice! Shift focus and come back to it at another time. 

​​Ps. You can learn more about Becoming Fearless here and jump on the waitlist to get a copy. It's packed full of actionable tips and tools to help you relieve anxiety, naturally!
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It's possible, perhaps this week if worry is at the forefront of your mind you can start here:

Step 1 - Become aware of when your mind is drifting to worry.  

Step 2 - Take a breath and remind yourself that this train of thought is essentially pointless, you cannot control all the “what IF’s” and this thinking will lead to anxiety.

Step 3 - Let it go, not every detail has to be decided today. Practice bringing your mind back to the present moment.  

It's crucial to remember that worrying drains your precious energy and robs you of the beauty of the present moment! What's more important? By recognizing the pointlessness of worrying, you can be more proactive about your anxiety. 

Janel Briggs
Thrive Mindset Coaching
 
ps. Look out for a special announcement from me tomorrow 07-11-23! Jump on my EMAIL LIST and be the first to know! Something new is coming 😊 (hint: to help you off the worry train!).