Tired? Sluggish? Stressed? These could be hangover symptoms

Ever wake up feeling like you could do with another night’s sleep? And does that sluggish, tired feeling then hound you all day, making it hard to concentrate at the office and impossible to focus on your loved ones?

If you’re feeling this way, it’s all too easy to put it down to a tough month at work, the kids running you ragged or not eating healthily. But have you ever considered that the real culprit may be that extra glass of wine you’re drinking most nights of the week and that these could be hangover symptoms? Welcome to the world of what we call the permanent or ‘hummer’ hangover aka permanently suffering from hangover symptoms.

Are your symptoms a hangover in disguise?

If you regularly drink more than the government's daily unit guidelines (of 3-4 units of alcohol for men and 2-3 units of alcohol for women), your increased tolerance to alcohol might mean you no longer experience the more obvious hangover symptoms like a banging head and sickness. In the absence of these tell tale signs you could you be missing the other ways alcohol is affecting you, or even attributing them to the hustle and bustle of your busy lifestyle.

The permanence of this malaise may make you dismiss it as “just the way you feel.” You may be surprised and relieved to hear, therefore, that your vigour and zest is retrievable and that you can banish the symptoms of a permanent hangover with just a couple of simple changes.  

Hangover symptom 1: Sleep deprivation

The hummer hangover is that nagging buzz behind the eyes that leaves you feeling grouchy and stressed. It’s the unseen force that can turn simple team meetings into emotional obstacle courses or make you row with your partner over the tiniest thing.

One of the leading causes of this feeling is alcohol, which can seriously disrupt your sleep, leaving you jaded and making it hard to focus.

“Although many people may feel alcohol helps them get off to sleep, it is also a major culprit for disrupting your night as it can interfere with the body’s chemical processes needed for sound sleep,” says Jessica Alexander, spokesperson for the Sleep Council.

“Waking up deprived of the vital sleep your body needs will leave you feeling drained and, if experienced night after night, can seriously affect your health and wellbeing.”

In one revealing survey almost half of respondents said they felt tired the morning after drinking more than the recommended daily limits. However, many people didn’t make the link between symptoms they felt and the alcohol they consumed.

Find out more about this symptom: Alcohol's effects on sleep

Hangover symptom 2: Excess stress

Unknowingly, you may find yourself caught in a vicious circle where the alcohol you drink to unwind at home after a bad day in the office could actually be contributing to your stress levels at work. While you might think that those drinks in the evening relax you they could actually be increasing your stress levels.

“If you’re drinking within the guidelines, an occasional drink may help you relax,” says Martin Hagger PhD, Reader in Social and Health Psychology at the University of Nottingham.

“But if you’re regularly drinking over the guidelines there’s evidence that you’ll be less able to deal with stress. This is especially true if your body is still dealing with last night’s alcohol when you’re at work.”

Hagger also says that alcohol can interfere with routine cognitive tasks, like remembering that birthday card or sorting out your presentation.

“This is because alcohol affects the way signals are received by the brain, making it hard to concentrate on routine tasks,” he says.

And since alcohol is a depressant, you might find your motivation gets sapped along with your work abilities.

Find out more about this symptom: Alcohol's effects on stress

Hangover symptom 3: Changing relationships

As well as affecting your work life, the fug of a permanent hangover can impact on your relationships with your friends, partner and children.

Psychotherapist Paula Hall says that good relationships are all about communication. However, when you’re dealing with the average permanent hangover, you’re not likely to be speaking, or thinking clearly.

“Alcohol and the after-effects definitely make you feel more irritable,” she says.

“It cuts down your inhibitions too, so you’re more likely to snap with your partner and say something you shouldn’t.”

If you do have a row, a permanent hangover will mean you’re less likely to be able to make it up with your partner between the sheets later.

“Regularly drinking alcohol makes women take longer to get aroused and men less likely to achieve an erection,” she adds. 

Find out more about this symptom: Alcohol's effects on relationships

Simple hangover busting solutions

Of course, regularly drinking beyond the guidelines can increase your risk of suffering from serious conditions such as cancer and heart disease. But cutting down straight away can do wonders in the short term, as you feel the fog lift and the spring return to your step.

Start with a simple experiment: treat yourself to an alcohol-free day. Make a note of how you felt at the time, how you slept and whether you felt any better the following day. The chances are you’ll feel fresher – 100% on top of work and far happier in your relationships

Then, if you want to drink, you can avoid these permanent hangover symptoms by sticking within the daily guidelines. To help you on your way, we’ve got some great practical tips on our site.

If you feel drinking too much alcohol is already a regular ritual, try this tip from relationship coach Jenni Trent Hughes:

“If you have a stressful day, and are dying to have a drink later at home, then try to put the focus on something different from alcohol,” she says.

“Come home and then take a walk, or have a soak in a nice hot bath – then decide if you really do want that drink.”

Page last updated by

Unknown, 10 May 2012.

Page checked on

24 Mar 2011