How to Fast When You Get Hangry and Overcome Irritability

December 29, 2025 •

4 min read

According to a study published in the journal Emotion, hunger can significantly amplify negative feelings like anger and irritability. This unpleasant physiological and psychological state, known as 'hanger,' is a common challenge for those learning how to fast when you get hangry.

Quick Summary

This guide provides science-backed techniques to prevent and manage 'hanger' during a fast. It covers hydration, mindset, exercise, and nutritional preparation to make fasting a smoother, more sustainable experience.

Key Points

Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water and calorie-free beverages like black coffee or tea, as thirst is often mistaken for hunger.
Mindset is Key: Recognize that hunger comes in waves and will pass. Distract yourself with engaging tasks or hobbies to overcome food cravings.
Nourish Smartly: During your eating window, consume meals rich in protein and fiber to increase satiety and stabilize blood sugar, reducing the likelihood of hanger.
Rest and Recover: Prioritize 7-8 hours of quality sleep, as sleep deprivation can significantly impact hunger hormones and heighten irritability.
Regulate Electrolytes: A pinch of sea salt in your water can help address electrolyte imbalances that can cause symptoms similar to hanger, like dizziness.
Manage Stress: The fight-or-flight hormones, like cortisol, are triggered by low blood sugar and are linked to anger. Practice stress-reduction techniques to mitigate this effect.

Understanding the Science of Hanger

Before diving into the strategies for success, it’s helpful to understand what happens in your body when hunger and anger collide. When you abstain from food, your blood glucose levels begin to drop. This triggers a stress response in your body, prompting the release of hormones like cortisol and adrenaline to raise your blood sugar. The surge of these stress hormones can contribute to the irritable, on-edge feeling associated with being hangry. Compounding this, a drop in blood glucose can impair higher brain functions, such as impulse control, making it harder to regulate your emotions. The body's need for fuel and the brain's reliance on glucose is why even simple tasks can feel frustrating when you're hungry.

Preparing for a Smoother Fast

Preventing hanger starts well before your fasting window begins. How and what you eat during your feeding window can significantly impact your experience. Planning nutritious, balanced meals will help keep you satiated and prevent the blood sugar rollercoaster that can trigger hanger.

Prioritize protein and fiber: Consuming meals rich in protein and fiber before a fast can help. Protein-rich foods like chicken, fish, legumes, and eggs can lower ghrelin levels (the hunger hormone), while fiber-rich foods like vegetables, nuts, and whole grains increase feelings of fullness.
Reduce simple carbs: High-carb, sugary foods can cause a rapid spike and subsequent crash in blood sugar, which intensifies hunger and mood swings. Limiting these foods is a proactive step toward a more stable fast.
Practice gradual adjustment: If you're new to fasting, start with shorter windows, such as the 16/8 method, and slowly increase the duration as your body adapts. Over time, your body will become more efficient at switching to fat-burning mode, which can reduce hunger signals.

Navigating the Fasting Window

Once your fast is underway, it’s about having a toolkit of techniques to manage the mental and physical sensations of hunger. The hunger pangs you feel, especially in the early stages, often come in waves and will pass if you can distract yourself.

Hydration vs. Hunger: A Simple Comparison


Strategy	Why it Helps	When to Use It
Drink Water	Thirst is often mistaken for hunger. Staying hydrated keeps your stomach full and can bring down ghrelin levels.	Any time hunger strikes. Keep a bottle handy and sip regularly throughout the day.
Electrolyte Intake	Low electrolytes, particularly magnesium and potassium, can cause dizziness and irritability that mimic hanger.	Add a pinch of high-quality sea salt (like Himalayan or Celtic) to a glass of water.
Black Coffee or Tea	These beverages contain appetite-suppressing compounds. They can also provide a small energy boost and a pleasant ritual.	During typical meal times when a hunger wave hits. Limit intake, especially late in the day, if sensitive to caffeine.

Shifting Your Mindset

Your mental approach is just as important as the physical strategies. Fasting is a mental game, and learning to reframe your thinking can make all the difference.

Distract yourself: Boredom often triggers food cravings. Keep your mind occupied with engaging activities like a challenging work task, a walk, or a hobby to take your focus off food.
Embrace the hunger wave: The sensation of hunger is not a threat but a passing wave. Acknowledge the feeling without giving in, and it will often subside within 15-20 minutes. This practice builds mental resilience.
Remember your 'why': Focus on the purpose of your fast, whether it's for health benefits, spiritual reasons, or self-discipline. Reminding yourself of your goals can boost motivation.

Lifestyle Factors for Success

Managing hanger isn’t just about what you do during the fast, but also your broader lifestyle habits.

Prioritize sleep: Inadequate sleep can throw your hunger hormones out of balance, increasing ghrelin and decreasing leptin, making you feel hungrier. Aim for 7-8 hours of quality sleep to better manage your appetite.
Manage stress: High stress levels increase cortisol, which can exacerbate the irritability of hanger. Practice stress-reducing activities like meditation, deep breathing, or light exercise.
Gentle exercise: While intense exercise during a fast is not for everyone, a moderate-intensity walk can help distract you from hunger and has been shown to reduce cravings. Listen to your body and don't overdo it.

Conclusion: Mastering Your Fast

Overcoming hanger while fasting is a matter of preparation, strategy, and mental fortitude. By understanding the underlying science, optimizing your nutrition during feeding windows, and developing effective coping mechanisms for your fasting periods, you can navigate hunger and irritability successfully. It may take practice, but with consistent effort, you can transform fasting from a frustrating ordeal into a liberating and empowering experience. You'll learn that hunger is not an emergency, and with the right approach, you can maintain your mood and focus while still achieving your fasting goals. The journey to a sustainable fasting practice is one of patience and self-awareness, allowing you to reclaim control over your relationship with food.

Additional resources

For a deeper dive into the health benefits and mechanics of fasting, Dr. Jason Fung’s book, The Complete Guide to Fasting, is widely regarded as an excellent resource. It offers comprehensive insights into the practice and can provide further motivation.

The Complete Guide to Fasting

Frequently Asked Questions

Hanger is the combination of hunger and anger, and it occurs during a fast primarily due to dropping blood glucose levels. This triggers a release of stress hormones, like cortisol and adrenaline, which can cause irritability and impaired impulse control.

Not necessarily. While hanger is uncomfortable, the feelings of intense hunger often come in temporary waves. You can ride out these waves by drinking water, distracting yourself, or remembering your fasting goals.

Besides water, calorie-free drinks like black coffee, green tea, or herbal tea can help suppress appetite. A small amount of vegetable or bone broth is also an option for some fasting protocols.

Poor sleep quality or duration can lead to hormonal imbalances that increase hunger and reduce feelings of fullness. Aiming for sufficient rest can help regulate these hormones and make fasting easier to manage.

Gentle exercise, such as a walk, can be a great distraction and has been shown to reduce cravings. However, listen to your body and avoid intense workouts, which can worsen feelings of fatigue and stress.

Consuming meals rich in protein and fiber before your fasting window can promote long-term satiety and help stabilize blood sugar. Examples include lean meats, legumes, and fibrous vegetables.

Yes, it is very common, especially during the initial stages of fasting, as your body is still adjusting to the new eating schedule. The intensity will likely decrease with practice as your body becomes more metabolically flexible.