Today seems like the perfect day to write this article, because I’m sitting here feeling a little sorry for myself. This weekend was our work Christmas do – a night full of laughter, good food, and festive cheer. But by the end of it, all I could feel was tiredness, “hangxiety,” and an overwhelming sense of guilt after the night unexpectedly ended in A&E with one of my friends. A classic case of a UDI (unidentified drunken injury).

Sitting in the early hours in the A&E waiting room, still in my formal clothes and 3-inch heels – having only ever experienced this on the other side during Christmas party season – I couldn’t stop thinking: Did I say something silly? Did anyone notice how tipsy I was? Why did I ever think 3-inch heels was a good idea?

If this resonates with you, you’re far from alone. For many of us, the festive season is a double-edged sword: full of celebration, yes, but also pressure, anxiety, and moments of regret. And while hangovers fade, the “hangxiety” that comes with overindulging often lingers longer than we expect. In this article, I want to explore why this happens – and how we can respond to it with understanding, reflection, and a bit of self-compassion.

Contents

1. What Is “Hangxiety” and Why Does It Happen?
2. How To Manage Hangxiety and Regret
3. The Mental Health Impact of Holiday Drinking
4. Planning Ahead for Healthier Festive Drinking
5. In Summary: Normalising The Experience
6. A Note on Safe Drinking

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DISCLAIMER:

While I am a practising doctor, the information on this site is for educational purposes only. It does not take into account your personal circumstances, which can significantly affect medical decision-making and treatment. This content therefore does not constitute medical advice, and should not be relied upon for diagnosis or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider regarding any health concerns.

This article was written on the 08/12/2025 using up-to-date sources at that time. Please be aware that medical information and guidelines change often.

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What Is “Hangxiety” and Why Does It Happen?

Alcohol is what we call a central nervous system depressant – meaning it slows down the brain’s activity. It does this by shifting the balance of key neurotransmitters (the brain’s chemical messengers), which is why drinking can initially feel relaxing and enjoyable, but the next day can feel quite the opposite. Here’s what’s happening:

1. It enhances the effect of GABA

Alcohol binds to the same receptors that the neurotransmitter GABA normally uses.
GABA’s main job is to slow things down in the brain – it’s calming, sedating, and reduces anxiety.
When alcohol enhances GABA’s effect, you feel more relaxed, social interactions feel easier, and worries fade into the background.

2. It reduces glutamate activity

Alcohol also inhibits glutamate, a neurotransmitter that normally keeps us alert, focused, and “switched on.”

With glutamate dialled down:

• reaction times slow
• decision-making becomes harder
• inhibitions are lower
• memories don’t form as strongly (hello, patchy night – the kind you can’t fully remember but will definitely laugh about later)

This is why we might say or do things that our sober selves would approach differently.

3. It boosts dopamine

Alcohol increases levels of dopamine, the neurotransmitter linked to pleasure and reward.
That dopamine surge is what makes us feel:

• confident
• chatty
• socially connected
• like having “just one more”

But dopamine drops sharply once the alcohol wears off – contributing to the emotional crash the next day.

Together, this cocktail of chemicals means we tend to think less about our actions, feel more impulsive, and relax into the moment without our usual filters.

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A lot of the uncomfortable feelings we experience the day after drinking – the worry, regret, overthinking, or sense of dread – are the result of these chemical imbalances rebounding.

When the alcohol leaves your system, your brain tries to regain balance:

• GABA levels drop → you feel jumpy, anxious, or on edge
• Glutamate spikes back up → your mind races more than usual, and you become “hyperalert”
• Dopamine dips → low mood and lack of motivation

Add dehydration, poor sleep, low blood sugar, and maybe a few fuzzy memories +/- work colleagues… and it’s no wonder the emotional aftermath feels so intense.

The bottom line: Hangxiety isn’t a sign that you did something awful – it’s a physiological rebound layered with a bit of psychological self-critique.

How To Manage Hangxiety and Regret

Prevention is always the best cure, so being mindful of alcohol before you reach the “one-too-many” stage is helpful – but let’s be honest, that’s advice for next time, not for when you’re already in the thick of hangxiety. So if you’ve woken up feeling headachey, embarrassed, or full of dread, here are a few strategies that genuinely help:

1. Remember: it’s your brain chemistry talking

Alcohol temporarily boosts GABA and dopamine, then drops both sharply once you sober up. That sudden dip leaves your brain overstimulated, sensitive, and primed for worry.
Chances are, you’re not feeling awful because you did something terrible – you’re feeling awful because your brain chemistry is out of balance.

If you hadn’t been drinking, you wouldn’t feel anywhere near this level of catastrophic overthinking.

2. Check the facts, not your feelings

If you’re suffering from hangxiety, you have a tendency to over-analyse everything tiny little thing that happened the night before. Ask yourself:

• Is there actual evidence I embarrassed myself?
• Has anyone reached out to express concern?
• If someone else did what I did, would I judge them this harshly?

Ninety percent of the time, the answer is “no” – and your friends are feeling just as fragile.

3. Talk to someone you trust

A quick message like, “Please tell me I wasn’t a complete idiot last night,” can be grounding.
Often, the reply is:

“Honestly, you were fine – and I was worse.”

Sharing how you feel breaks the vicious cycle of internal worry and reminds you that last night wasn’t a solo performance; it was a group event, and everyone had their moments.

4. Reset the balance

Do the things that make your body feel good to get back on track. Go for a gentle walk, rehydrate, have a shower, eat a proper meal – you’ll feel better in no time.

5. Be kind to yourself (really)

Beating yourself up won’t undo anything – but it will prolong the anxiety, and make you feel worse.

6. Reflect on it

Reflection is useful, self-criticism isn’t. Once you’re feeling a bit brighter, have a think about what happened. Why did you drink so much? Did you feel pressured? What could help for next time?

The Mental Health Impact of Holiday Drinking

So what happens after the party ends and the fun fades? That’s where the emotional aftermath kicks in.

The festive season has a way of magnifying everything – the highs feel higher, but the lows can feel much lower too. Drinking often slots naturally into Christmas celebrations: work parties, family dinners, catch-ups with friends, “a few pints” at the pub. 

And the fact that it is Christmas brings its own challenges, too. Social pressure to stay out on the work night out, the expectation to be cheerful (even if you’re exhausted and overwhelmed), a packed social calendar with little time to rest and recover, all on the back of a long year.

If you’re someone who naturally worries more, alcohol can act like an amplifier. The parts of you that tend to replay conversations, overthink interactions, or fixate on “what ifs” suddenly have even more noise to work with. It’s no wonder that a simple “Did I say something weird?” can spiral into a whole storyline of regret.

Understanding this doesn’t erase the feelings – but it does make them make sense. You’re not being dramatic. You’re not overreacting. Your brain, your body, and the emotional context of the festive season are all playing a part.

Planning Ahead for Healthier Festive Drinking

1. Check in with yourself emotionally. If you’re already feeling stressed, upset, anxious, or overwhelmed, alcohol can feel like a tempting “quick fix” – a fast way to take the edge off. But when we drink from an already-fragile emotional state, things are far more likely to spiral: we drink faster, we notice the effects sooner, and we’re less able to recognise when we’ve had enough. If you know you’re not in the best frame of mind, choosing to limit alcohol – or skip it altogether – is a good form of self-care.
2. Set boundaries beforehand. That might mean deciding on a maximum number of drinks, alternating alcoholic drinks with water, eating beforehand, or arranging a plan to get home safely. These small steps don’t take away from the fun – they simply give your brain and body the stability they need to enjoy the moment without paying for it emotionally the next day.
3. Pace your drinks. It sounds obvious, but alternating alcoholic drinks with water or soft drinks genuinely helps. Your brain and liver will thank you for it. Plus no-one will know whether it’s alcoholic or not.
4. Eat before you drink. Just do it. It always ends badly if you don’t. And keep snacking.
5. Know your personal “point of no return”. Most of us have a moment where we think: I’m tipsy but okay – and pushing past that is when the risky decisions happen. Making a quiet promise to yourself to stop at that point can be surprisingly effective.
6. Lastly, it’s okay to leave early, pace yourself, or not drink at all. You’re an adult. No one is telling you what to do anymore. 

In Summary: Normalising The Experience

Ultimately, hangxiety is your brain’s way of recalibrating – not a reflection of your character. Understanding how alcohol affects your mood, planning ahead, and allowing yourself time to recover can help break the cycle of shame and overthinking that so often follows a big night out.

Whether that means drinking less (or avoiding alcohol altogether), alternating with soft drinks, having a plan for getting home safely, or checking in with yourself emotionally before you pour yourself that next glass – you have more control than it feels like in the moment.

And if you do overdo it again? It happens. To everyone. Instead of spiralling into the “post-night-out debrief,” try to be kind to yourself.

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A Note on Safe Drinking

In the UK, the recommended guidelines advise drinking no more than 14 units of alcohol per week, spread evenly over at least three days, with a few alcohol-free days too. It can be surprisingly easy to exceed this, especially during the festive season, so keeping an eye on units – and how drinking affects your mood – can be really helpful.

If you’re finding it hard to cut back, or if alcohol is starting to affect your wellbeing, speak to your GP, who can offer confidential support and advice. You can also reach out to services such as Drinkaware, Alcohol Change UK, or your local NHS alcohol support service for information, tools, and guidance.

Find out more about support that is available on the NHS website.