Why do you get grumpy when you’re hungry?

It is not an unknown phenomenon for many. One minute you’re really happy and good-humoured, the next you’re irritable, snapping, or suddenly feeling bad. Cause? hunger. There is even a word for it in English: hangry, a contraction of hunger (hunger) and angry (angry).

Does that really exist: hangry or in Dutch hunger chagrin? The answer seems yes: it is a natural response of the brain to an empty stomach. There are several possible explanations.

For example, there are specific neurons in the brain that tell you when to eat. If you don’t eat right away, these neurons stay active and activate other brain regions, including those for anxiety and mood. Your brain is going to tell your body more and more urgently that you need to eat something. You are actually motivated to eat in a negative way: you want that restless, negative feeling to go away.

Deficiency of glucose

A deficiency of glucose – also called blood sugar – also seems to play a role. An investigation at the Ohio State University for example, couples and voodoo dolls showed that participants with low blood sugar levels at the time of injection were twice as badly beaten up as the group with the highest blood sugar levels.

Your brain is dependent on glucose for fuel. When there is a shortage, the brain goes into low-power mode: a survival mode. Less crucial brain functions – such as self-control – are then temporarily put on the back burner.

In addition, in a glucose deficiency, your body also produces the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline to promote glucose production. Your body enters a state of readiness that used to come in handy when you had to work hard for or search for your food, but today it only provides mild flammability.

Genes

Another explanation is that hunger and anger are controlled by the same genes. The product of one of those genes is neuropeptide Y, a chemical in the brain that is released when you are hungry. It stimulates voracious behavior by acting on various receptors in the brain, including the Y1 receptor.

Neuropeptide Y and receptor Y1 also play a role in regulating fear and aggression. People with large amounts of neuropeptide Y in their cerebrospinal fluid show more impulsive aggression. Being hangry seems to be a survival mechanism: if hungry ancestors kindly let others eat first, they could have gone extinct.

avoid hangry

Although hunger pangs are a natural process and you can’t really do anything about it, luckily prevention is possible. And it’s actually very easy: make sure you eat on time (every 4 hours) or try to eat something if it’s already that far. Preferably choose natural products rich in nutrients such as protein or fiber. Fruit is a good choice if you’re already a bit hangry, thanks to the sugar. Other foods with a lot of sugar cause a short sugar peak and are therefore better not to take.

If eating – for whatever reason – is not an option for a while, at least know that your body is working hard to stabilize glucose levels. So persevere. And better save difficult decisions or discussions for a later moment. Even if you don’t become grumpy with hunger, your body reacts to a lack of nutrients in the form of fatigue and concentration problems.