Tips to Improve Hangry | It’s All About Hangry Management

Health May 2, 2024

This post was last updated on July 2nd, 2024

Is HANGRY a real term or just another term coined by pseudo-scientific influencers? It is a combination of hungry and angry that you may feel at the end of a long day and you feel irritable and snapped at all and sundry.

hangry is a combination of hungry and angry

This article explores the science behind feeling Hangry and tips for Hangry management.

The science behind being Hangry

Let us understand that being Hangry is a state of mind when anger is triggered by hunger. The effects are temporary but extreme but can affect your personal and professional relationships.

A scientific study from 2019 has explained that Hangry is the result of our response to external stimuli. We receive internal signals, including hunger pangs, but how we respond to them depends on our external stimuli. Negative stimuli can produce exaggerated responses in a state of hunger. So, you must recognize stimuli and surround yourself with positivity to control your Hangry reactions.

The response of individuals varies as per the individual. Interoceptive people are balanced people who can recognize their body’s hunger signals and control their irritability when extreme hunger strikes. Weak interoceptive people are not in tune with their bodies are overwhelmed by hunger and react brashly and strongly. So, the best way to tackle hangry emotions is to be more mindful of your body signals so you do not reach the point of letting hunger get the better of you.

Fasting or uncontrolled eating with periods of dieting can lead to changes in sugar levels that increase irritability. Also, ghrelin, the hunger hormone, decides our emotional responses and how hungry we feel.

What causes a person to be Hangry?

When we eat food, it is converted into glucose. Most organs can function without blood sugar for a while but not so the brain, when blood sugar in the brain decreases, your patience wears thin and you get headaches. Alertness drops and you cannot focus on your work. The body goes into fight or flight mode and stress increases the level of cortisol in the body, making you very Hangry and irritable.

What happens when you are Hangry?

You lose all self-control when you are Hangry.
You tend to overeat and gorge on junk food.
You snap at all and sundry people around you.
Small issues seem insurmountable and you feel you cannot overcome them.
You dream and fantasize about food all the time until the time you eat a meal.
Hangry makes you melodramatic and produces exaggerated reactions for little things.
The brain dulls due to a fall in sugar levels and it can impair your cognitive functions.
Your friends and co-workers tend to distance themselves from you to avoid your crankiness.
You tend to pick fights with your spouse or partner for no reason at all.
You feel tired and sleepy all the time.
You overspend on unnecessary food items for binge eating and that is harmful to your health.

Tips to improve Hangry

You get Hangry when you eat a high-sugar diet, consume junk food, and do not have enough fiber in your meals.

Include fresh fruits like apples and oranges in your diet, and eat whole grains and bread instead of processed foods.
Have a balanced meal that includes protein, fats and carbohydrates.
Eat vegetables like sprouts, broccoli carrots, and peas.
You can also have oatmeal, popcorn, and nuts that keep you fuller for longer as they take longer to digest.
Have healthy snacks in between meals mentioned above and do not have a gap of more than 2 hours between meals.
Do regular exercise and drink plenty of water.
Maintain a proper sleep schedule so that you are well-rested.

Thus, we can understand that Hangry is nothing but a response to complex neural and hormonal processes and mindful eating is the key to managing your emotions. Take good care of your body and it will reward you well.

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