Tag: meditation

Why Am I So Hungry When Hungover? Plus My Best Hangover Tips

Hi everyone! 

Do you enjoy socializing with a drink? So do I. I’m not a big drinker, and it doesn’t take much for me to feel rough after a night out, so if you’ve woken up wondering why I’m so hungry and hungover the day after drinking, I promise you’re not alone, and there’s a real reason behind it.

Let’s face it, none of us is perfect, and life wouldn’t be much fun without the occasional late night. My honest philosophy on drinking and socializing: the best hangover tips are simple: drink less, have more fun. Socializing genuinely benefits your mental health and your immune system, and for a lot of us, that goes hand in hand with a drink now and then, which is exactly why small amounts of alcohol are allowed as part of the Eat Burn Sleep lifestyle.

The tricky part is the next morning.  So let’s get straight into the question I get asked constantly, in every form: why am I so hungry after drinking the night before, why am I so hungry when I’m hungover, and why does a hangover make me so ravenous?

Why Am I So Hungry When Hungover?

You’re hungrier when hungover mainly because alcohol crashes your blood sugar, dehydrates you in a way your body mistakes for hunger, and wrecks your deep sleep, which throws off the hormones that control appetite. Whether you’d describe it as being so hungry, hungover, or just hungry the day after drinking, it’s the same underlying cause. The result is a strong, hard-to-ignore craving for starchy, salty, or sugary food.

Here’s what’s actually going on, one piece at a time:

• Alcohol is essentially liquid sugar. A few drinks send sugar flooding into your bloodstream, spiking your blood sugar. A few hours later, it crashes, and you’re left craving starchy food to bring it back up.
• Alcohol is dehydrating. Dehydration can trigger hunger signals because your body sometimes mistakes thirst for hunger.
• Your sleep takes a hit. Alcohol disrupts deep, restorative sleep especially. You might drop off fast, but your normal sleep cycles get disrupted underneath the surface.
• Poor sleep messes with your hunger hormones. Without proper deep sleep, you produce more ghrelin (your hunger hormone) and less leptin (your satiety hormone), a combination that makes you want to eat more than usual.
• Your liver is working overtime. Detoxifying alcohol uses up a lot of energy and nutrients, so it makes sense that your body starts craving food to keep up with the demand.

If any of this sounds familiar, you might also want to read about how good, regular sleep helps you lose weight; the same hormones are at play here. Read this article on Weight Loss and the Link to Sleep.

How To Recover From a Hangover

First things first: don’t beat yourself up. You had a great night, and life is meant to be enjoyed. Overindulging happens to the best of us.

If you can start your recovery plan before you even go to sleep, you’re already ahead. When you get home, drink plenty of water and consider adding electrolyte minerals such as magnesium and potassium to help replace those lost through alcohol. We also share a simple homemade electrolyte mix in our Electrolytes recipe. Some nights I’ll take a dose of Alka-Seltzer too, just to head off acid indigestion, as alcohol and sugary drinks can be a common trigger for reflux.

(Please check with your doctor before taking any over-the-counter medicines.)

When you wake up the next morning, repeat the process, keep rehydrating, and don’t push yourself too hard too soon.

What to Eat the Morning After a Hangover

When I wake up hungover, I crave sugar hard, and the last thing I want is something virtuous like eggs and salmon. So I make my go-to Coconut and Fruit Protein Shake, which satisfies the sweet cravings while keeping my blood sugar stable, instead of sending it on another rollercoaster.

Other breakfast options I turn to:

• Bananas: packed with magnesium, vitamin B6, and fiber.
• Avocados: another great source of fiber, magnesium, and potassium, which help support energy levels and blood pressure.
• Almonds: A handful of almonds gives you fiber, B vitamins, and antioxidant vitamin E.
• Eggs (if you can face them): boiled, scrambled, poached, or in a Shakshuka. Eggs are packed with protein, B vitamins, and glutathione, our master antioxidant, and your liver needs plenty of both to finish detoxing the alcohol.

Later in the day, a bowl of immune-boosting chicken soup is one of my favorites. It’s hydrating, and the turmeric, carrots, lemon, and olive oil all support liver health at the same time.

The goal is simple: fill your body with nutrients and resist the pull toward junk food. Junk food will only make you feel worse in an hour. This isn’t about punishing yourself; it’s about nourishing yourself back to normal.

Members: there’s a full Overindulgence Recovery Protocol in the Membership Section, which also covers bouncing back from overeating.

Everyone: making a batch of egg muffins before your night out means you’ll have a healthy snack waiting when you get home. Your future self will thank you.

What to Drink When You Have a Hangover

Water is the single most important thing you can drink. Have it plain, or add fresh lemon slices for a vitamin C boost.

Coffee can worsen blood sugar swings, but if you really want one, go ahead; just have it after food, never on an empty stomach.

Green tea is one of my favorites for hangover mornings. It’s rich in antioxidants, supports healthy blood pressure, helps regulate blood sugar, and gives your metabolism a gentle boost. The caffeine in green tea is balanced out by an amino acid called theanine, which calms your nervous system so you feel alert without the jittery edge.

Get Moving and Shake Off That Hangover

Gentle movement gets your blood flowing and boosts endorphins, your body’s natural mood lifters. A light walk, an easy jog, or a gentle yoga session all work well. Getting outside in daylight is even better, since natural light and vitamin D help reset your body’s normal rhythms. Later that evening, if you’re an Eat Burn Sleep member, a soothing meditation bath before bed is the perfect way to close out the day.

What to Drink to Avoid a Hangover Altogether

What should you actually drink on a night out if you want to wake up feeling human? Here’s exactly what I do:

1. Alternate water and alcohol. This is the single biggest thing that keeps me from getting dehydrated. My trick: order sparkling water with ice and a slice of lemon between drinks. It looks like a cocktail, so nobody questions it, and you get a proper break from the alcohol without anyone noticing.
2. Steer clear of cocktails. Cocktails are usually loaded with sugar, and I’d rather save those calories for a proper Eat Burn Sleep muffin the next day. Sugar also disrupts the healthy bacteria in your gut, which is part of why sugary cocktails leave you feeling worse the morning after. If you love a mixed drink, try a plain spirit like vodka, tequila, or gin with soda water, lime, or just a drop of cordial. A small amount of cordial is nothing compared to the sugar load in a full cocktail.
3. Limit wine and champagne. I love a good glass of wine, but I stick to one, maybe two. My own health issues make me feel the yeast and fructose in wine and champagne almost immediately, and I pay for it the next day. If you’re out for dinner, though, go ahead and enjoy a proper glass with your meal. It’s about moderation, not restriction.

I hope these are genuinely some of the best hangover tips you’ll find, and that this was helpful. If you’ve got your own hangover tips, share them in our members’ health community, or drop me a message on Instagram. 

Don’t forget to smile and enjoy having a fantastic social life!

I also chat about the importance of socializing with Nick Potter on the podcast about the behavioral immune system. We get into the immune system, gut health, and socializing, among other things. Well worth a listen if this topic interests you.

You may also like:

• How to Avoid a Hangover 
• Best Alcohol for Diabetes 
• The Benefits of Sun Exposure 

And if you notice you’re regularly hungover and feeling anxious or low afterward, know that we have Expert Advice for depression on the platform, plus insomnia and 40+ other conditions.

Enjoy your night out!

Frequently Asked Questions

Does alcohol make you hungry the next day, or just during a hangover? 

Both, actually. The blood sugar crash and dehydration hit hardest the next morning, but the effect on your hunger hormones (more ghrelin, less leptin) can linger for a day or two if your sleep was badly disrupted.

Why can’t I eat when I’m hungover, even though I feel hungry? 

Some people experience the opposite feeling, too hungover to eat, where nausea and stomach irritation override hunger signals entirely. If this is you, start with small sips of water and something bland like plain toast or crackers before attempting a full meal.

Does eating help with a hangover? 

Yes, eating the right foods helps stabilize your blood sugar and gives your liver the nutrients it needs to finish detoxifying. The key is choosing nutrient-dense food over greasy junk food, which tends to make you feel sluggish rather than better.

What’s the best food for a hangover? 

Foods rich in electrolytes, protein, and healthy fats work best, such as bananas, avocado, eggs, and a nutrient-dense smoothie. Save the greasy takeaway for another day; it rarely delivers the relief people expect.

Does being hungover actually make you hungry, or does it just feel that way? 

It’s real, not just in your head. The blood sugar crash, dehydration, and disrupted sleep hormones all genuinely increase your appetite; it’s not willpower failing you, it’s biology.

Why are you so hungry when hungover compared to a normal day? 

On a normal day, your blood sugar and hunger hormones stay fairly stable. A hangover throws both off at once: a sharp blood sugar crash plus a hormone imbalance from poor sleep, which is why the hunger hits so much harder than usual.

What does hangover hunger actually feel like, and is it different from regular hunger?

Hangover hunger tends to feel more urgent and less selective. You’re not craving a balanced meal; you’re craving anything starchy, salty, or sweet, fast. That’s the blood sugar crash talking, not genuine physical need, which is why reaching for nutrient-dense food (rather than the nearest takeaway) tends to satisfy it better.

Is it normal to feel hungry after drinking alcohol even without a full hangover? 

Yes. Even one or two drinks can nudge your blood sugar and hydration enough to trigger some hunger, especially later in the evening or the next morning. You don’t need a full-blown hangover for the effect to kick in.