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Hanger: Why do people sometimes feel hangry and how can it be handled?
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Hanger
What is hanger?
Why do people sometimes feel hangry and how can it be handled?
The term 'hangry' is an amalgam of angry and hungry (Sami, 2015).
It refers to the phenomenon of
experiencing anger when you're hungry (Oxford University Press, 2015).
[Hangry woman]
Why does hanger occur?
Research
The human brain requires an enormous amount of energy to function. In
fact, 20-30% of the body's energy is used by the brain, despite the brain
only comprising 2% of the body's total mass (Benton & Nabb, 2003).
Much of the brain's energy is provided by glucose, which is derived from food intake and supplied via the bloodstream (DeWall et al., 2011).
Researchers have theorised that when people experience anger, their tendency to act upon it is dependent on their self-control (Denson et al., 2012).
However, according to ego-depletion theory, self-control is a finite resource (Denson et al., 2012). Energy is required to effectively execute self-control, and therefore it can run out (Heatherton & Wagner, 2011).
Hanger occurs when people lack sufficient energy for self-control and are therefore unable to control their aggressive impulses (DeWall et al., 2011; Bushman et al., 2014).
Studies have found a causal relationship between low-blood glucose concentrations and high aggression levels, providing scientific evidence for hanger (DeWall et al., 2011; Bushman et al., 2014).
Aggressive behaviour
due to low blood-
glucose levels can occur
between strangers and
also between intimate
partners (DeWall et al., 2011; Bushman et al., 2014).
[Hangry people]
References
How to manage hanger
Eat regularly, and in moderation, to regulate your
blood-glucose concentration (Ciampolini et al., 2010).
Eat healthy, low-GI foods and avoid food that is
high in sugar (Lamport et al., 2011).
Practice self-control exercises, such as using your non-dominant hand for everyday tasks over a period of time (Denson et al., 2012).
[Blood-glucose levels throughout the day]