• Home
  • About
    • About Alethea
    • Qualifications and Associations
    • What Can I Help With?
  • Services
    • Consult Structure & Pricing
    • Meal Plans
  • book consult
  • Shop
  • Blog
    • Nutrition
    • Sports Nutrition
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Recipes
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Main Meals
    • Salads
    • Drinks
    • Sweets
  • Contact
  • Cart
    • Facebook
    • Instagram

Alethea Mills Nutrition

BHSc Nutritional and Dietetic Medicine

Hangxiety – those feels after the night before

July 23, 2019 by aletheam Leave a Comment

Pin0

Have you experienced it? The post alcohol anxiety, feeling unsettled, guilty or overwhelmed? There is a reason for this and a relationship between alcohol, neurotransmitters and alcohol.

Alcohol consumption boosts dopamine levels in the brain, the reward pathway or the dopamine pathway, is essentially overloaded and feelings of euphoria can occur. This can lead to repeated behaviour and seeking that dopamine rush again, which can amongst other factors lead to addiction.

Alcohol affects neurotransmitters, it slows the release of glutamate and increases the release of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and dopamine. The result is a mix of brain chemicals where some increases make you feel good and others enhance feelings of calm and often depression – all in all pretty damn confusing for the brain.

Glutamate can cause feelings of anxiety which is why alcohol can make us feel good as it decreases glutamate. Glutamate and GABA are at opposite ends of the see-saw, if there are high amounts of alcohol consumed there will be high amounts of GABA.

The issue with this is our bodies are super smart and constantly are trying to create balance, known as homeostasis. Due to the high GABA, the body will increase levels of glutamate which can result in anxiety.

This post alcohol anxiety is often worse in shy people, people experiencing stress and women in the luteal phase of their menstrual cycle.

If you are experiencing the hangover anxiety it’s a great idea to eat unprocessed whole foods particularly food high in B vitamins (think vegetables, free range eggs, fish, bananas, avocados and whole grains) as this helps minimise glutamate by helping it convert to GABA (the calming one). Avoid stimulants such as coffee, alcohol and sugar, get moving – head out for a walk or a gentle run, 5-10 minutes of diaphragmatic breathing and enjoy some sunshine.

You might also enjoy...

Square Breathing
Going Vegan…what you need to know.
Eating Rainbows vs Counting MacrosMacros, Eating Rainbows
Pin0

Filed Under: Health

Previous Post Benefits of morning exercise – What is BDNF?
Next Post Banana & Date Porridge

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Cart

Essential Runners Tips

Turn your run into fun! Do bloating, diarrhoea or food sensitivities affect your runs?  Download the FREE guide on how to run and have a happy gut.

Runners Tips | Nutritionists Guide to Runners Gut

HELLO!

HELLO!

I'm Alethea, a Gold Coast based Clinical Nutritionist with a Bachelor's Degree of Health Science in Nutritional and Dietetic Medicine. I'm passionate about helping people rediscover the spark of vitality deep within.

Nutrition News

Register your details to receive interesting health and nutrition news! Only goodness will be delivered to your inbox and I will never share your email.

Recent Posts

  • Red Witch Immune Tea
  • Can health be packaged into a convenience product?
  • Coco-Green Smoothie
  • Ginger Digestive Tea
  • Square Breathing

GET SOCIAL

  • Facebook
  • Instagram

BLOGS

  • Breakfast
  • Brunch
  • Dinner
  • Drinks
  • Exercise
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Lunch
  • Main Meals
  • Nutrition
  • Recipes
  • Salads
  • Sports Nutrition
  • Sweets
  • Uncategorized

LATEST POSTS

Red Witch Immune Tea

Can health be packaged into a convenience product?

Coco-Green Smoothie

Ginger Digestive Tea

Follow on Instagram

SIGN UP FOR NEWS

Register your details to receive interesting health and nutrition news delivered to your inbox!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram

Code of Conduct

Privacy Policy

Contact

Terms & Conditions

COPYRIGHT © Alethea Mills 2019. This website was brought to life by Little Palm Creative Co. · DMCA.com Protection Status