Life
What Happens To Your Body When You're Hangry
Hanger is the worst. For those of you who have never heard of "hangry", it's that particular anger you feel that's caused entirely by having an empty tummy. For instance, you've been slammed with work all afternoon and forgot to have lunch, and in the afternoon, you're snappy and impatient. That's not because you're a snappy or impatient person, it's because you're a hungry person. In my personal experience, nine times out of ten, annoyance can be traced back to an empty stomach.
My mum and I once had a really stupid argument about something, and were sitting in silence watching TV on the couch, not looking at each other, when my stepdad bought us both a peanut butter sandwich. Smart man. We gobbled them up and weren't angry anymore. We couldn't even remember why we'd been perturbed by each other in the first place. Other than the fact that our stomachs were grumbling. As it turns out, being full makes you happy and personable, so before you go around inadvertently skipping meals, think about the people around you. Keep your blood sugar levels regular, and you'll be a real delight to be around. Here are the things that are happening inside your body when you're hangry:
1. Your Body Runs Out Of Glucose
This happens around six hours after eating (unless you eat again), and is basically why you feel grumpy or hangry. Glucose gives you energy, and it's created when your body breaks down the molecules from your food. Your brain is also highly dependent on glucose to function. So without the energy to be happy and nice, you go directly to hangry, do not pass go, do not collect $200.
2. Your Body Releases Hormones
To compensate for the lack of glucose, your body will go into survival mode, and send signals to your brain to release hormones in your body that regulate glucose. These are "fight or flight" hormones, and result in a lot of adrenaline being released into your body, which might cause you to be shaky or anxious.
3. Your Body Stops Producing Other Nutrients
Glucose isn't the only nutrient your body gets from food. You get other things like amino and fatty acids, and these are sent all about your body and into your blood stream to keep everything functioning at a healthy level, and give you energy. When these are absent you're going to feel it, and you're going to go all "HULK SMASH" because of your hanger.
4. Your Body Starts Storing Fat
When you don't eat at regular enough intervals, it actually messes with your metabolism so your body starts storing fat. This is called "famine response" and your body does it in order to ration your fat for energy conservation. Smart, right?
5. Your Body Might Use Your Muscles For Energy
If you're hangry and decide to exercise (maybe you think endorphins will cure your mood), your body might start biting into your muscle protein for energy instead of using fat. This will eventually cause your muscle mass to decrease, which I guess negates the purpose of working out (getting stronger and healthier).
In conclusion: always pack an emergency energy bar, and be the hangry hero this world needs.
