image by: HWN

HWN Suggests

This Is How Hungry Becomes Hangry

Earlier this year, the Oxford English Dictionary finally added the word hangry, which many of us use to describe the belligerence that overcomes us when we desperately need some calories.

That “hangry” feeling is the sort of stuff that causes a spike in your normal usage of curse words. The aggression alone seems to have the power to threaten almost any relationship. While many might consider “hanger” as inevitable each time we wait a little too long for a snack, hunger doesn’t always equal anger. How do we become “hangry” and is there any way to prevent it (at least for the sake of salvaging our friendships)?

read full article

Featured

 Health Check: the science of ‘hangry’, or why some people get grumpy when they’re hungry

While many physical factors contribute to hanger, psychosocial factors also have a role. Culture influences whether you express verbal aggression directly or indirectly, for instance. And as we are all different across all of these factors, it’s little wonder there are differences in how angry people seem to get when they’re hungry.

 ‘Hangry is a real thing’: psychologists find link between hunger and emotions

For those who get snappy when they miss out on lunch, it may be the perfect excuse: researchers have confirmed that a lack of food makes otherwise bearable people “hangry”. In one of the first studies to explore how hunger affects emotions as people go about their daily lives, psychologists found that the more hungry people felt, the more angry – or hangry – they became.

Articles of Interest

Don’t Get Mad, but ‘Hangry’ Isn’t Really Angry

Anger comes in many flavors, it turns out, and the hunger-induced variety isn’t quite like the others.

Hangry: a stupid, made-up word for being hungry and angry at the same time?

No – it's a real thing. A scientific study has found that people have difficulty regulating temperament when their blood sugar level drops and that married couples are more likely to argue when they're peckish.

Here’s Why You Get Hangry, According to Science

There’s a difference between being hungry—a feeling we all get between meals—and being “hangry“. If you get hangry, you probably already know it: your hunger pangs put you in a very bad mood that you (and your family and friends) have a hard time ignoring.

How Hunger Pangs Can Make Nice People 'Hangry'

Hunger can trigger cruel words from kind people. A starved dog lover might fantasize about punting the neighbor's Chihuahua that just will not shut up. A puckish but otherwise nice person might snap at a friend, "Bring me the freaking cheesesteak before I flip this TABLE!"

How to Be a Less Hangry Person

It’s not as simple as just snacking..

Is Getting ‘Hangry’ Actually a Thing?

A psychology professor explains whether a shorter temper can be the direct result of low blood sugar.

Junk food and the brain: How modern diets lacking in micronutrients may contribute to angry rhetoric

Important evidence that irritability, explosive rage and unstable mood can be resolved with improved micronutrient intake comes from studies evaluating micronutrient supplements to treat mental health problems.

My Husband’s Fasting Diet Has Turned Him Into a Hangry Monster

He won’t eat all day, then melts down like a toddler if dinner isn’t ready when he gets home.

The science of "hangry" — how low blood sugar makes you a monster

But it's not just weird slang. There's a growing body of scientific evidence that being hangry is a completely real thing — and that low blood sugar leads to bad behavior.

When does hungry become hangry?

Many people feel more irritable, annoyed, or negative when hungry – an experience colloquially called being “hangry.” The idea that hunger affects our feelings and behaviors is widespread – from advertisements to memes and merchandise. But surprisingly little research investigates how feeling hungry transforms into feeling hangry.

Resources

The Hangry Economist

Welcome to The Hangry Economist! Here you'll find fast and easy recipes that are perfect for busy weeknights. Make sure to check out our different recipe categories and featured recipes to find exactly what you're looking for.