© Magnific
September 14, 2026
Marianne Waldenfels
Headaches, thirst, nausea – the physical effects of alcohol are well known. But a hangover can affect the mind too. New studies shed light on why some people feel especially anxious, restless, or low the next day
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Alcohol can initially relax you, lower your inhibitions, and ease anxiety. But for some people, that sense of calm has often disappeared by the next morning. A recent systematic review of more than 6,000 participants confirms that a hangover is not limited to physical complaints. Anxiety, stress, and low mood can also be more pronounced.
A dedicated term has emerged for this psychological dimension of the hangover: hangxiety, a portmanteau of "hangover" and "anxiety". What makes it particularly interesting is that not everyone seems to be affected equally. New studies offer clues as to why some people experience only the typical physical symptoms after drinking, while others are also left with restlessness, rumination, and anxiety.
The reasons behind this shift have not yet been fully explained. Alcohol alters signal transmission in the brain and interferes, among other things, with systems involving the neurotransmitters GABA and glutamate – which, in simple terms, regulate inhibitory and excitatory processes in the nervous system.
The brain responds to alcohol's sedating effect by counter-regulating. When alcohol levels drop, the previously balanced ratio between these systems can temporarily be thrown off. This reaction is considered one possible explanation for why relaxation can give way to nervousness and anxiety several hours later.
Hangxiety cannot be fully explained by this alone, however. Sleep quality, physical hangover symptoms, stress responses, and individual psychological disposition are also likely to play a role.
Alcohol makes you tired, but it does not automatically lead to restorative sleep. A systematic review and meta-analysis published in 2025 covering 27 studies shows that alcohol alters sleep architecture. The effect on REM sleep is particularly pronounced: it sets in later and is shorter in duration. These changes were observed even after relatively low amounts of alcohol and became more pronounced as doses increased.
This is likely relevant to hangxiety. Sleep deprivation also affects how well we regulate our emotions. Disrupted sleep alone does not explain next-morning anxiety, but it can make negative thoughts and feelings harder to shake.
A study published in 2026 involving 334 young adults offers clues as to why hangxiety affects some people more than others. The study focused on what is known as anxiety sensitivity – the tendency to perceive signs of anxiety as threatening in themselves.
Those who were more afraid of losing control over their own thoughts or being unable to concentrate also reported stronger hangxiety one month later. This association was not found for the physical or social aspects of anxiety sensitivity.
The idea that personal traits play a role had already been suggested by earlier research. In one study of 97 social drinkers, particularly shy individuals reported stronger anxiety the day after consuming alcohol. While their anxiety had initially decreased while drinking, the effect reversed the following morning.
Electrolyte powders, plant extracts, vitamins, and special "hangover drinks" all promise to make the morning after more bearable. The scientific verdict, however, is sobering.
A systematic review examined 21 studies on various remedies for hangover symptoms. While some individual substances showed positive effects, none of the treatments studied had been tested in more than one study. The researchers consistently rated the quality of the evidence as very low. No reliably effective anti-hangover remedy can be identified from the available data.
Even less is known about whether such products help with the psychological symptoms of a hangover. Even when headaches or nausea subside, anxiety, inner restlessness, and rumination do not necessarily go away with them. In the case of hangxiety especially, several factors appear to converge – from disrupted sleep to an individual predisposition toward anxiety.
Feeling anxious or restless after a heavy night of drinking does not in itself indicate an anxiety disorder. However, if severe anxiety, panic, or low mood occur regularly after drinking alcohol, or if the symptoms persist for an extended period, they should not simply be chalked up to a hangover.
Recurring hangxiety can also be a reason to take a closer look at your own drinking habits – especially if alcohol is being used at the same time to relieve anxiety or tension.
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