• Headlines
  • Restaurants (A-C)
    • Alinea
    • American Deli
    • Applebee’s
    • Bar Louie
    • Benihana
    • Bonefish Grill
    • Buffalo Wild Wings
    • California Pizza Kitchen
    • Chama Gaucha
    • Cheddar’s
    • Cheesecake Factory
    • Chili’s
    • Chuck E. Cheese
    • CiCi’s Pizza
    • Cracker Barrel
  • Restaurants (D-K)
    • Denny’s
    • Fogo de Chao
    • French Laundry
    • Genghis Grill
    • Grand Lux Cafe
    • Hard Rock Cafe
    • Hometown Buffet
    • Honey Baked Ham
    • Hooters
    • HuHot
    • IHOP
    • Joe’s Crab Shack
    • John’s Incredible Pizza
  • Restaurants (L-R)
    • Logan’s Roadhouse
    • Longhorn Steakhouse
    • Mellow Mushroom
    • Melting Pot
    • Morton’s Steakhouse
    • Old Country Buffet
    • Olive Garden
    • Outback Steakhouse
    • P.F. Chang’s
    • Pappadeaux
    • Peter Luger
    • Pizza Express
    • Rainforest Cafe
    • Red Lobster
    • Red Robin
  • Restaurants (R-Z)
    • Rock Bottom
    • Rodizio Grill
    • Ruby Tuesday
    • Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse
    • Shakey’s Pizza
    • Sizzler
    • Souplantation
    • Swiss Chalet
    • Texas de Brazil
    • Texas Roadhouse
    • TGI Friday’s
    • Umami Burger
    • Waffle House
    • Wagamama
    • Wood Grill Buffet
  • All Restaurants
Top Restaurant Prices
  • Headlines
  • Restaurants (A-C)
    • Alinea
    • American Deli
    • Applebee’s
    • Bar Louie
    • Benihana
    • Bonefish Grill
    • Buffalo Wild Wings
    • California Pizza Kitchen
    • Chama Gaucha
    • Cheddar’s
    • Cheesecake Factory
    • Chili’s
    • Chuck E. Cheese
    • CiCi’s Pizza
    • Cracker Barrel
  • Restaurants (D-K)
    • Denny’s
    • Fogo de Chao
    • French Laundry
    • Genghis Grill
    • Grand Lux Cafe
    • Hard Rock Cafe
    • Hometown Buffet
    • Honey Baked Ham
    • Hooters
    • HuHot
    • IHOP
    • Joe’s Crab Shack
    • John’s Incredible Pizza
  • Restaurants (L-R)
    • Logan’s Roadhouse
    • Longhorn Steakhouse
    • Mellow Mushroom
    • Melting Pot
    • Morton’s Steakhouse
    • Old Country Buffet
    • Olive Garden
    • Outback Steakhouse
    • P.F. Chang’s
    • Pappadeaux
    • Peter Luger
    • Pizza Express
    • Rainforest Cafe
    • Red Lobster
    • Red Robin
  • Restaurants (R-Z)
    • Rock Bottom
    • Rodizio Grill
    • Ruby Tuesday
    • Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse
    • Shakey’s Pizza
    • Sizzler
    • Souplantation
    • Swiss Chalet
    • Texas de Brazil
    • Texas Roadhouse
    • TGI Friday’s
    • Umami Burger
    • Waffle House
    • Wagamama
    • Wood Grill Buffet
  • All Restaurants
  • RSS

Food Tips

Dealing with the ‘Hangry’ Beast in You

Dealing with the ‘Hangry’ Beast in You
Restaurant Staff
September 24, 2019

We all know someone who gets so irritable when they’re hungry. They lash out irrationally at whoever’s nearby when their tummy starts to rumble. It’s not a rare phenomenon as there really are folks who just can’t process their emotions well anymore when their stomachs are rumbling. Sometimes it’s someone else, sometimes, it’s you. Whatever the case is, hangry people are everywhere.

Contents show
1 Hangry vs. Hungry
2 The Science Behind Being Hangry
3 What to Do When Hangry

‘Hanger’ or being ‘hangry’ refers to the negative feelings a person exhibits when they start feeling hunger pangs. It’s a portmanteau of the words ‘hunger’ or ‘hungry’ and ‘anger’ or ‘angry’. It’s a rather funny play on words, just don’t crack it around someone who’s actually experiencing hanger.

Science proves that your mood can really be affected by your hunger, so that should quickly explain why people get so crabby when they haven’t eaten in a while. Some people can even get aggressive or impulsive, leaving them regretting a number of actions after their appetite has been sated.

Despite these, some folks are still not sold on the idea that some people can get very hungry that they temporarily lose their control over their feelings. Some even accuse others of using the phenomenon as an excuse for their bad behavior. This is why it might be wise to take a closer look at being hangry.

Hangry vs. Hungry

First off, let’s start with differentiating ‘hanger’ and hunger apart. It’s normal to crave and long for specific food items especially when in between meals. That’s just hunger. It might even be normal that you start feeling mildly upset when your hunger pangs start to kick in.

However, when your negative emotions are already high enough for you to lash out, then that’s ‘hanger’. If you’re already getting crabby and pouncing on others because your stomach is calling for some food, you’re getting ‘hangry’. It’s not that hard to tell them apart since hanger often comes with a certain amount of aggression.

The Science Behind Being Hangry

What makes you ‘hangry’? According to experts, your blood sugar levels are the main triggers of this behavior. When you get hungry, your blood sugar levels drop. In response, your body will release the hormones epinephrine and cortisol to try to raise it back to its normal levels.

Unfortunately, both hormones can cause irritability. Cortisol is also known as the stress hormone so a spike in the amount of it on your bloodstream will certainly affect your mood negatively. It will increase your blood sugar levels but in exchange, it will also sour your mood a little.

Epinephrine, also known as adrenaline, is also helpful in giving you a boost in blood sugar levels and energy when your hunger kicks in. However, if that energy doesn’t go anywhere, you’ll be left restless and irritable instead.

The feeling of hunger itself can also impact your mood negatively. The hormone Neuropeptide Y is released to make you feel hungry to signal your brain that your body needs food. Unfortunately, this brain chemical also triggers aggressive behavior which can explain why some folks are very crabby when hungry.

With these, it’s quite safe to say that being hangry isn’t just some excuse to be horrible when you want food. The irritability, aggression, and snappiness are all caused by your brain chemicals and tummy rumbling.

What to Do When Hangry

Being irritable will never put you in other people’s good graces. It doesn’t matter if it’s a natural biological response to certain triggers; if you have a foul mood, it’s highly likely that others will not find you a delightful companion.

If you dine out when you’re hangry, you might even receive the ire of the people who work in the restaurant you’re eating at. They know you’re hungry – that’s the most likely reason why you’re in their establishment, so throwing a fit or being snarky to the folks who are just doing their jobs wouldn’t be appreciated. You’ll only make their already stressful work environment a lot worse.

If you don’t want to become that horrible person when hungry, you should learn how to control your hanger. Experts recommend healthy snacking.

Eating the right things in between meals will help you stave off hunger in between meals without increasing your calorie and sugar consumption significantly. Healthy snacks like veggies, yogurt, and fruits are highly recommended as they’re healthy, filling, and aren’t packed with empty calories.

Eating 3 healthy and balanced meals during the day will also help keep hunger and the freakouts at bay. Consuming full meals is ideal as they can keep you full for much longer.

If you still find yourself getting hungry without instant access to food, make sure to avoid emotionally or mentally taxing tasks until you can whip something up or head to a nearby IHOP. Such things can trigger an act of aggression that you will surely regret later on. So just stay away from them when you’re already starting to feel cranky and hungry.

Related Items
Click to add a comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Food Tips
September 24, 2019
Restaurant Staff
Related Items

More in Food Tips

Is the KFC x Pizza Hut Popcorn Pizza Any Good?

Restaurant StaffJune 18, 2020
Read More

Is Kosher Safer Than Other Food Types? A Look at the Facts and Fiction

Restaurant StaffMay 23, 2020
Read More

Where Chipotle Went Wrong and Right With Its Queso

Restaurant StaffMay 11, 2020
Read More
instagram food photo

Taking Instagram-Worthy Food Photos for Beginners

Restaurant StaffDecember 25, 2019
Read More
candy corn halloween

Wacky Halloween Candies to Hand out or Munch on

Restaurant StaffNovember 7, 2019
Read More

Of Perennial Favorites: Cheesecakes and Pancakes

Restaurant StaffAugust 6, 2019
Read More

Sabrage is Fun But it Ain’t Easy!

Restaurant StaffJuly 4, 2019
Read More

When Belgian Waffles Became The King of Waffles in America

Restaurant StaffJune 21, 2019
Read More

Cops Weigh in on The Pizza Debate

Restaurant StaffMay 27, 2019
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Popular Restaurant Menus

  • Applebee’s menu prices
  • Benihana menu prices
  • Buffalo Wild Wings menu prices
  • Cheesecake Factory menu prices
  • Chuck E. Cheese menu prices
  • Cracker Barrel menu prices
  • Denny’s menu prices
  • Fogo de Chao menu prices
  • Hometown Buffet menu prices
  • Hooters menu prices
  • IHOP menu prices
  • Longhorn Steakhouse menu prices
  • Mastro’s Steakhouse menu prices
  • Morton’s Steakhouse menu prices
  • Olive Garden menu prices
  • Outback Steakhouse menu prices
  • Peter Luger menu prices
  • Red Lobster menu prices
  • Red Robin menu prices
  • Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse menu prices
  • Ruby Tuesday menu prices
  • Texas Roadhouse menu prices
  • TGI Friday’s menu prices
  • Waffle House menu prices

Latest Articles

  • 3 Restaurants with ‘Misleading’ Names
    Fun FactsDecember 15, 2020
  • What Can You Do to Help the Struggling Restaurant Industry?
    Restaurant BusinessDecember 9, 2020
  • Can Food Trucks Change the Restaurant Game in 2020?
    Restaurant BusinessDecember 1, 2020
  • 2 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Feel Bad about Dining Out Amidst the Pandemic
    Dining TipsNovember 25, 2020
  • Comparing Top Fast Food Restaurants: McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, and Chick-fil-A
    ComparisonNovember 18, 2020
  • Pizza Chains are Flourishing in the Pandemic
    Restaurant BusinessNovember 12, 2020
  • Which Casual Restaurants Cook Food from Scratch?
    Dining TipsNovember 5, 2020
  • Waffle House vs Denny’s: Where Can You Get the Best Version of the Most Important Meal of the Day?
    ComparisonOctober 30, 2020
Top Restaurant Prices

Third-party trademarks are the property of their respective third-party owners. Presence of a third-party trademark does not mean that TopRestaurantPrices has any relationship with that third party or that the third party endorses TopRestaurantPrices or its services in any way.

Prices provided on this website are estimates only. To get exact pricing, contact your local restaurant location directly.

View our privacy policy.

Latest Articles

  • 3 Restaurants with ‘Misleading’ Names December 15, 2020
  • What Can You Do to Help the Struggling Restaurant Industry? December 9, 2020
  • Can Food Trucks Change the Restaurant Game in 2020? December 1, 2020
  • 2 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Feel Bad about Dining Out Amidst the Pandemic November 25, 2020
  • Comparing Top Fast Food Restaurants: McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, and Chick-fil-A November 18, 2020
  • Pizza Chains are Flourishing in the Pandemic November 12, 2020
  • Which Casual Restaurants Cook Food from Scratch? November 5, 2020
  • Waffle House vs Denny’s: Where Can You Get the Best Version of the Most Important Meal of the Day? October 30, 2020

Popular Restaurants

  • Applebee’s menu prices
  • Benihana menu prices
  • Buffalo Wild Wings menu prices
  • Cheesecake Factory menu prices
  • Chuck E. Cheese menu prices
  • Cracker Barrel menu prices
  • Denny’s menu prices
  • Fogo de Chao menu prices
  • Hometown Buffet menu prices
  • Hooters menu prices
  • IHOP menu prices
  • Longhorn Steakhouse menu prices
  • Mastro’s Steakhouse menu prices
  • Morton’s Steakhouse menu prices
  • Olive Garden menu prices
  • Outback Steakhouse menu prices
  • Peter Luger menu prices
  • Red Lobster menu prices
  • Red Robin menu prices
  • Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse menu prices
  • Ruby Tuesday menu prices
  • Texas Roadhouse menu prices
  • TGI Friday’s menu prices
  • Waffle House menu prices

Copyright © 2017 Top Restaurant Prices. All Rights Reserved.

Of Perennial Favorites: Cheesecakes and Pancakes
Wacky Halloween Candies to Hand out or Munch on