That Nagging Feeling of Dread: Is 'Hang-Xanity' a Real Thing?
Chloe Hayward (Health reporter) & Eleanor Tobin (as told) explore the phenomenon of hang-xanity.
You wake up with a pounding head, and then it hits you – the second wave of anxiety. You replay conversations from the night before, worrying about what you said or did.
"It's that nagging feeling of dread," says Tobin, "If the day starts with me doing a checklist, I know the anxiety will seep into everything."
Hang-xanity, a term coined for the anxious aftermath of a night out drinking, is more than just a hangover.
Celia Morgan, professor of psychopharmacology at the University of Exeter, explains, "Alcohol affects the brain in ways that can lead to anxiety the next day." It interacts with chemical messengers GABA and glutamate, influencing sleep, hormones, and nervous system regulation.
A 2023 study found that nearly one in five students reported anxiety symptoms when hungover.
Tobin's experience reflects this. "Everything is always 100% worse in my mind than in reality," she says.
Research suggests genetics and personality traits, particularly shyness, play a role. A study by Morgan found shy drinkers experienced higher levels of anxiety after drinking compared to a control group.
While not everyone gets hang-xanity, understanding its causes can help those who do navigate the anxious morning aftermath more effectively.