11 Things You Don't Realize You Do Because You're Hungry, According To Research
Your body has some big reactions when you're hangry.
Yuganov Konstantin via Canva There's arguably no worse feeling in the world than being hungry. Whether you skip breakfast because your rushing to work or you get so busy you don't have time for lunch, skipping a meal or two can turn even the kindest person into an unrecognizable monster if they aren't careful. But still, you can't always avoid hunger. Like it or not, there will be times when living with that awkward growl in your stomach is necessary. In those times, you may not even realize some of the things you do only because you're hungry.
From getting super irritated to feeling especially uncomfortable in ambiguous situations, there are plenty of ways your body responds differently than it otherwise would if you'd had enough to eat.
These are 11 things you don't realize you do because you're hungry, according to research
1. You lash out more
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The first thing you don't realize you do because you're hungry is that you might start to be irritated at every little thing. Now, everybody knows the word hangry and what it means; however, most people don't know the biological processes our brain goes through to get to that point.
As a result, most people chalk it up to 'being unstable' or unable to control their emotions. However, there are real and valid reasons as to why people can't control themselves when they haven't eaten all day. According to a study published in 2022, greater levels of hunger lead to greater feelings of anger and irritability.
Still, people can't help if they get irritable because they haven't eaten all day. Sometimes, work is so hectic that people have no choice but to skip breakfast. So, how can people control their emotions during these unfavorable moments? For starters, it's important to be ahead of the curve. If people find themselves always skipping breakfast because they're too busy in the morning, then it might be useful to meal prep the night before. If that isn't feasible, then carrying around healthy snacks that they can eat on the go is another way to ease those hangry moments and lessen their irritability.
Along with meditating or taking a deep breath, finding ways to make everyday life easier so they avoid these hangry moments is the best way to control the unfortunate side effect which is irritability.
2. You blame others for negative situations
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There's not much that's worse than feeling as if someone is pointing fingers. Knowing that they're not at fault for the situation can make anyone lose their mind and possibly cause them cut off a friendship because they feel misunderstood. Unfortunately, this is something people don't realize they do because they're hungry.
When people are running on little sleep and very little food, it can be inevitable that they will point fingers and falsely claim that somebody else is to blame for their bad mood. According to a study published in 2019, hunger has the potential to impact judgment and experience. Researchers explained that this could be a reason why, for instance, you dislike your spouse when you're hungry.
Knowing this, people should remember to take deep breaths and spend a few minutes in reflection mode before deciding to point fingers. As much as it might suck to have to step down and take a moment to cool off, you might find that the thing you were blaming others for is really just your stomach talking and isn't truly worth arguing over. The researchers also pointed out that labeling your emotions and putting feelings into words is another way to lessen that irritability.
3. You feel more negative about ambiguous situations
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When people think of being hungry, they think of a lot of things. Haywire emotions and wanting to eat a whole buffet might be the first thing on people's minds. However, did you know that feeling hungry can also impact the way you feel about negative or ambiguous situations?
Though this might sound bizarre, this is what a study published in 2019 found. According to the researchers, hungrier individuals were increasingly more likely to rate an ambiguous situation as more negative when it was presented in a negative context, which they said could be because these same hungry individuals had difficulty concentrating.
So, if you ever find yourself hungry, observe how you react in an ambiguous or unsure situation. Are you especially harsh and negative about things? Or do you react in the same uncomfortable way as everyone else reacts? If you're truly hungry, you might notice a change in your behavior that wouldn't have happened otherwise.
4. You become more impulsive
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You're probably a fairly reasonable person daily. You go to work, you pay your bills, and you tend not to bother anyone because you have better things to do with your life. But still, a thing you might not realize you do because you're hungry is become more impulsive.
Impulsivity happens to the best of us. A bad day at work or an annoying family member yapping in your ear can set even the sweetest person off. However, impulsivity in relation to hunger is a little bit different than going off on your mom or uncle. When people don't have a good eating schedule, this makes them more at risk of committing riskier actions, with some even committing acts of violence.
According to research published in Current Psychology, hunger predicts higher impulsivity, while another study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that children who experience hunger during childhood were increasingly more likely to commit acts of violence in adulthood.
How can you control your impulsivity when it feels off the handle? According to licensed psychologist Kiki Fehling Ph.D., identifying your trigger, figuring out ways to stop it in the future, finding ways to take a step back, figuring out ideal outcomes, practicing your coping methods in your head, and rewarding yourself afterward are all ways to stop impulsivity from ruining your life.
5. You overestimate the taste of food
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Have you ever been starving and eaten anything out of desperation to quench your hunger? If so, you might've noticed that the food you ate tasted ten times better than any other food you ever had before. However, this isn't just in your head as most people universally experience this when their hunger is going haywire.
According to a study published in Frontiers in Neural Circuits, hunger enhances people's taste buds until they're satiated while reducing the aversion toward aversive taste.
So, the next time you're not as hungry, try eating the same thing you ate that one day you were starving. You might find that the thing you thought was so delicious is average compared to what you typically eat, which is just another fun way your brain tricks you.
6. You withdraw socially
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The next thing you don't realize you do because you're hungry is your social withdrawal. People are in survival mode when they don't get enough food in their day-to-day lives. With their body shutting down and their emotions going haywire, is it any wonder why you might find yourself socially withdrawn when you haven't gotten enough food in your stomach?
Previous research has shown that people are increasingly more likely to be irritated and unstable when they're hungry. As a result, they might find themselves dodging social gatherings because emotionally and mentally they're unable to deal with being around people while their basic needs aren't met.
Despite this fact, socially withdrawing from others isn't always your best bet. Whether people like it or not, human beings need socialization to keep their overall health intact. This is why it's important to carry snacks in case of emergencies and also why it's important to simply be honest.
Letting your loved ones know, "Hey, I'm really sorry I'm not in the best of moods, I haven't eaten all day," is the greatest way to prevent misunderstandings from occurring.
7. You sleep more
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It's normal for people to feel sleepy after they've eaten a Thanksgiving sort of meal. However, did you know that a thing you don't realize you do because you're hungry also involves sleeping? Hungry people tend to be increasingly more tired.
According to a study published in Emotions, when someone is truly hungry, they're increasingly more likely to feel fatigued. Luckily, there are ways to mitigate that impact, as researchers cited that the two things that determine if hunger contributes to negative emotions are context and self-awareness. Still, even if someone is self-aware of their emotions, there are certain things they should never do if they're hungry.
For instance, driving to work or from home when they're super hungry. As much as you'd like to get home and eat your favorite foods, stopping by to get a snack might be the best thing you can do. Not only will it put you in a better mood, but it'll also make you safer as you drive on the road.
8. You complain more about aches
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When you are hungry, you're most likely clutching your stomach in pain, counting the hours until you can have your next meal. Wanting to make it through the day in one piece you might've wondered why something as simple as hunger can hurt so much, however, there's a reason for it.
A thing you don't realize you do because you're hungry is complain more about aches. Most people will feel bursts of pain erupt in their body when they're hungry and yet, have no idea why. At the moment, they might assume it's because they're having 'one of those days,' however, your pain tolerance actually decreases the more hungry you are.
One study published in 2023 tested this theory and used a cold pressor test to do so. Researchers took 25 healthy participants in both fasting and non-fasting stages and timed them to see how fast they would withdraw their hands. They observed that participants who were fasting were increasingly more likely to withdraw their hands faster compared to those who were not fasting.
So, if you find yourself whining and complaining about aches, you're not alone. Like it or not, it's your body's way of handling being hungry.
9. Your time perception is off
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When you're starving, it can feel impossible to concentrate. Feeling hungry and completely over the day, most of you ask yourself how much more time you have left until you can take your lunch break or leave for work. In your head, you might estimate that you have thirty minutes left or an hour. Unfortunately, for most of you, you might be completely off on your time perception.
This might sound strange, but hunger can completely throw off your time perception. According to a study in 2024, your internal clock, which is responsible for timing tasks, can be accelerated or slowed down depending on how distracted or focused someone is on food.
With this in mind, you might want to set reminders or actually check your clock before estimating the amount of time you have left. Though you might feel confident, depending on how hungry you are, your time perception might be completely off, throwing your whole schedule out of whack.
10. You eat more unhealthy foods
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Most of us have been there before. You haven't eaten all day because of the amount of unexpected curveballs life has thrown your way. Feeling tired, hangry, and wanting to stop the pain coming in, you pull out the first thing you see in your fridge. At the time, you might not realize you do this because you're hungry. However, research shows that hunger can make even the strongest of people commit to questionable decisions.
Hunger is no joke, and the actions you take when you're starving can range from sane to completely insane. But when it comes to your eating patterns, it's safe to say that hunger can completely throw things off. According to a study in 2024, there's a positive link between hunger and a preference for indulgent foods.
Even so, you shouldn't feel too bad if you prefer chicken nuggets or making home spaghetti that day. As long as you don't make it a habit, finding a quick meal because you're hungry is simply your body's way of expressing it's needs.
11. You make more mistakes
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Finally, the last thing you don't realize you do because you're hungry is to make more mistakes. Now sure, being hungry might impact your mood, but who knew it could impact the amount of mistakes you make, right? However, this appears to be the case.
According to a study published in 2021, students who had a poor-quality diet were increasingly more likely to struggle with learning and had worse behavior. This is why people need to eat more and why it's simultaneously important for you to eat a rich diet as opposed to eating frozen pizza every day. As convenient as it may be, in the long run, it can impair your ability to focus.
Even if you can't change your habits right away, it's still a wise decision to pick your battles wisely. While rushing to work might be appealing, grabbing a quick fruit or snack might be the difference between having a good work day or having a terrible one. So, if you have an important presentation coming up, it might be useful to get enough to eat before then.
Marielisa Reyes is a writer with a bachelor's degree in psychology who covers self-help, relationships, career, family, and astrology topics.