{"id":66415,"date":"2022-12-17T00:40:54","date_gmt":"2022-12-17T05:40:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/world.edu\/?p=66415"},"modified":"2022-12-17T00:40:54","modified_gmt":"2022-12-17T05:40:54","slug":"bad-hangovers-why-genetics-personality-and-coping-mechanisms-can-make-a-difference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/world.edu\/bad-hangovers-why-genetics-personality-and-coping-mechanisms-can-make-a-difference\/","title":{"rendered":"Bad hangovers? Why genetics, personality and coping mechanisms can make a difference"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

After a good night out you may not be surprised when you wake up feeling rough the next morning. But what may surprise you is if your friends aren\u2019t feeling the same way. Some may feel worse, some better and some (if they\u2019re lucky) may not feel any of the negative consequences at all.<\/p>\n

This is the variability of a hangover. In research, hangovers are measured on an 11-point scale (zero being no effects and ten being extremely hungover). In my own research, participants have reported hangovers on this scale anywhere between one (very mild) to eight (severe) \u2013 while other research has estimated around 5% of people may be\u00a0hangover resistant<\/a>.<\/p>\n

So why the difference? There\u2019s more to it than simply how much we drink. Researchers are now starting to explore the many biological and psychological mechanisms that could influence our experience during hangovers.<\/p>\n

Biological mechanisms<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Some research suggests that people with a variation of the gene\u00a0ALDH2<\/a>\u00a0report experiencing more severe hangovers.<\/p>\n

When we consume alcohol, it\u2019s broken down by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase into acetaldehyde \u2013 a protein important for the\u00a0emergence of hangover<\/a>\u00a0symptoms. However, the ALDH2 gene variant limits the breakdown of acetaldehyde, leading to a greater buildup of the protein \u2013 thus greater hangover symptoms.<\/p>\n

Age and sex<\/a>\u00a0can also influence the way in which a hangover is experienced. A recent online survey of 761 Dutch alcohol consumers has found that hangover severity declines with age, even when accommodating for the amount of alcohol consumed. Interestingly, the authors also reported differences in hangover severity between men and women. These sex differences were greater in younger drinkers, with young (18 to 25-year-old) men tending to report more severe hangovers compared to young female drinkers. However, it\u2019s not currently known why these differences exist.<\/p>\n

Psychological factors<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Certain psychological traits may be linked to how a hangover is experienced \u2013 including anxiety, depression, stress levels and even personality.<\/p>\n

Previously, research suggested that neuroticism, a broad personality trait which tends to cause people to see the world in a negative way, can predict the severity of a\u00a0hangover<\/a>. However, recently this idea has been disputed with another study finding no link between\u00a0hangover and personality<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This is somewhat surprising, given that extroversion (a personality trait usually characterised by being sociable and outgoing) is\u00a0positively associated with binge drinking<\/a>\u00a0behaviours in college students \u2013 though it doesn\u2019t appear to be linked to worse hangovers. This is despite evidence that more frequent heavy drinking is linked to\u00a0more severe hangover experiences<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Anxiety, depression and stress<\/a>\u00a0are all also linked with more severe hangovers. Each of these moods are associated with a \u201cnegative bias\u201d -\u2013 a tendency to interpret the world more negatively.\u00a0Our findings<\/a>\u00a0show hangovers also tend to make people interpret the world more negatively. As a result, hangovers may exacerbate this negative bias, leading some people to feel worse than others.<\/p>\n

Coping mechanisms<\/strong><\/h4>\n

It\u2019s possible that the way we cope with adverse situations could underlie the variation in hangover experiences.<\/p>\n

Pain catastrophising refers to the extent to which a person emphasises the negative experience of pain. Research shows that people with high scores of pain catastrophising\u00a0report more severe hangovers<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 suggesting that they\u2019re focusing on their negative symptoms and possibly amplifying them. Other studies have also shown that people who tend to cope with their problems by ignoring or denying them tend to experience\u00a0worse hangovers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Emotion regulation is another key psychological mechanism that helps us to deal with difficult situations by effectively managing and responding to emotional experiences. Interestingly, although people who are hungover report feeling it\u2019s more difficult to\u00a0regulate their emotions<\/a>, this may not actually be the case \u2013 with research showing participants are just as able to control their emotional response compared to those who weren\u2019t hungover. This could mean that people choose easier (but less effective) regulatory strategies during a hangover \u2013 such as avoiding feelings of guilt or shame. But this is yet to be determined.<\/p>\n

What can we do?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Although researchers may have identified a few\u00a0natural compounds<\/a>\u00a0which may alleviate overall hangover symptoms, further research is still needed to determine whether these should be recommended for treatment. In the meantime, the best strategy for\u00a0alleviating your hangover<\/a>\u00a0is going to be up to you to determine.<\/p>\n

But one study suggests a strategy commonly used by students to cope with the misery of a hangover \u2013 by \u201csuffering\u201d together and\u00a0bonding on their experiences<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 may be helpful in helping relieve at least some of the negative emotional effects of a hangover. Taking care of your own personal wellbeing more generally and finding better strategies to reduce stress levels and adopt better coping mechanisms may also help you deal with the negative consequences of a hangover.<\/p>\n

Though of course, if you really want to avoid a hangover, you could always choose non-alcoholic alternatives.<\/p>\n

Author Bio:<\/strong> Craig Gunn is a Lecturer in Psychological Science at the University of Bristol<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

After a good night out you may not be surprised when you wake up feeling rough the next morning. But what may surprise you is if your friends aren\u2019t feeling the same way. Some may feel worse, some better and some (if they\u2019re lucky) may not feel any of the negative consequences at all. This […]\n… learn more→<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[95],"tags":[434202],"coauthors":[11733],"class_list":["post-66415","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-lifestyle","tag-bad-hangovers"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nBad hangovers? 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