Your stomach is grumbling and you feel light headed. It becomes hard to think about anything other than getting food. Suddenly, someone bumps into you and your first reaction is to unleash the fury. Sound familiar? Most people can describe this feeling as being “hangry.”
Hangry describes the feeling of extreme hunger resulting in anger and is a combination of the words “hungry” and “angry.” So, what exactly is going on when someone is hangry and what can you do about it?
The good news is there is a legitimate reason why you might feel hangry. Although it is not an excuse to have an emotional outburst, there is science to back up this feeling. Eating regularly allows the concentration of sugar in the blood to remain steady. If you haven’t eaten in a while, your blood sugar begins to drop resulting in a state called hypoglycemia. This can result in symptoms like shakiness, anxiety, irritability, sweating, fatigue, etc.
The feeling of “hanger” is often describing symptoms of hypoglycemia. Two researchers, Jennifer MacCormack and Kristen Lindquist, found that being hungry can increase your chances of viewing a particular situation as negative. This means that if you are hungry you may have a hard time seeing the “bright side” of a situation.
So, now that you know what hanger is and why it is caused, there are a few things you can do to address it. First, keep snacks on hand. As mentioned previously, feelings of hanger develop as a result of low blood sugar. The only way to keep your blood sugar regular is to eat!
When your blood sugar is low your body’s natural response is to eat something high in sugar like candy and cookies. However, there are other food choices that will keep you fuller for longer like almonds, jerky, and peanut butter. An added benefit to these foods is that you can easily throw them in your backpack so that you always have a snack on hand. Second, eat regular meals. It can be tempting to skip meals when you have a busy schedule however, maintaining a regular eating schedule can help prevent your blood sugar from plummeting throughout the day. It may be helpful to eat at roughly the same time every day to ensure you never have to skip. If your schedule prevents you from being able to go home and eat, investing in a lunch box may be an option so that you can pack your lunch from home.
Finally, if you are having trouble with finding a schedule for eating or just want more information about your diet you can schedule a visit with the campus dietician, Mindy Rice RD. The cost of a one-hour visit is $15, which will be billed directly to your student account. During your appointment you can work to create a dietary plan that works best for you.
If you are experiencing food insecurity or you feel that you may be, there are eight food pantries located around campus. An interactive map of the food pantry locations can be found on UI’s website. The food pantry is open to everyone and no personal information is required to utilize the service.
Feeling emotionally volatile over an empty stomach is no joke. Hanger can and does get the best of us sometimes. Keeping food on hand, eating regularly, and maybe even scheduling a meeting with the campus dietician can help keep those feelings in check. So, snack on, Vandals!