Any over the age of 21 will know the sheer dread of waking up from a night out, your head pounding, as feelings of angst slowly creep over you.
But it turns out this isn't just because you're prone to a table top singsong after a few G&Ts, it's actually a thing and it's called 'hangxiety'.
According to Dr Aparna Iyer, a psychiatrist and assistant professor at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, hangxiety is defined as the feeling of being overwhelmed or anxious while recovering from drinking.
In an article for SELF she explains that it happens because after the 'high' that alcohol gives you, your dopamine levels must return back down to normal and it can impact your mood and anxiety.
'The feelings that you have after you drink alcohol, or even the day after, can result in a whole range of feelings and moods and anxiety symptoms,' she explains.
'It can range from panic to feeling depressed to feeling impulsive to feeling agitated and irritable.'
And if you're someone who struggles with anxiety anyway, it's likely that the after-effects of drinking will heighten these as your body tries to regulate itself.
It also effects your sleep cycle which is a critical part of managing anxiety because although you may feel drowsy after drinking your quality of sleep won't be as good as usual.
If you think you are suffering from anxiety or depression you should contact your GP but for anyone who just feels a little low come Sunday morning, just remember it's probably your body returning to normal. No need to re-evaluate your life choices just yet!
