What Does It Mean To Be Hangry?

Every office has one. That one employee who starts to get a little grouchy just before lunchtime, or in the middle of the afternoon. Suddenly, their cheery demeanor is replaced by threats of violence against the copier or thunderous silence at that board meeting. Yes, hanger is more than just a fun word, it’s an actual phenomenon. But what exactly is it? In today’s blog, the snack specialists at Simpalo Snacks will discuss this distinct combination of hunger and anger.

Definining Hangry

Hanger is the result of your body running out of the fuel and energy it needs to maintain your mood or emotional state. That’s why it’s not uncommon for people to feel sluggish, grouchy, or irritable when they’re between meals, or right before a meal. Anger is the hardest emotion to regulate and requires a lot of energy to do so. If you’re hungry, your body lacks the resources it needs to keep a level head during that office meeting that seems to be dragging on forever.

Your brain regulates your emotions and uses glucose to do so. Glucose is produced by your body based on the foods you eat. Your brain uses a lot of the energy that you put into your body. For a relatively small organ, it uses nearly 30 percent of your body’s energy.

Why Does Hanger Flare Up When It Does?

Hanger is experienced differently among different people. While most people don’t experience a sense of hanger when they first wake up before breakfast, your sense of patience and tolerance for adversity begins to wane throughout the day. Commuting, work, and more all increase your stress levels. The part of your brain that sends signals of hunger is also connected to the regions of the brain that recognize stress and anxiety. So as your hunger levels rise, so do your stress levels and vice versa. Everyone’s body processes energy differently. So while Mike in Marketing might get hangry right after he gets to work, Martha in Admin might not feel the effects of hanger until the end of the workday.

Your Body’s Reaction To Hanger

For many people, when they feel hangry, they crave sugary treats like candies, cookies, and cakes. This is because your blood sugar is low, and your body wants a quick fix. While these treats will spike your blood sugar quickly, they’ll also fall quickly afterwards resulting in another round of hanger not longer after the first. Rather than reaching for these snacks, it’s important to reach for a healthy snack instead. Healthy snacks have a balance of natural sugars, healthy proteins, and fats that your body can process to provide you with long-term energy throughout the day.

If you want to keep Jim from Billing from going into another Hulk-like hanger induced rage, try having some healthy snacks on hand in the office. The best way to do that is through Simpalo Snack’s healthy snack subscription service! Our Variety Snack Boxes are jam-packed with an ever-changing lineup of snacks, ensuring that there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Sign up for your Variety Snack Box delivery today!