Why do I want to eat so much the day after drinking?

December 21, 2025 •

4 min read

According to a study published in Nature Communications, alcohol can activate the same brain signals that are triggered during starvation, potentially explaining why your appetite increases after a night of drinking. This phenomenon is driven by a complex interplay of physiological factors, from disrupted hormones to changes in your metabolism.

Quick Summary

This article explores the biological reasons behind intense food cravings following alcohol consumption. It delves into the specific hormonal and metabolic disruptions that lead to excessive hunger and poor food choices during a hangover.

Key Points

Hormonal Disruption: Alcohol suppresses the satiety hormone leptin and can inhibit GLP-1, a gut hormone that regulates appetite, causing you to feel hungrier.
Brain's Starvation Signal: Drinking can activate specific neurons in the hypothalamus that mimic the signals sent during starvation, leading to intense hunger.
Low Blood Sugar: The liver prioritizes metabolizing alcohol, which can lead to a drop in blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia), triggering cravings for high-sugar and high-carb foods.
Dehydration vs. Hunger: Alcohol is a diuretic, causing dehydration. Your body can confuse thirst signals with hunger, prompting you to eat instead of drink water.
The Greasy Food Myth: The idea that greasy food helps a hangover is false. High-fat foods are harder to digest and can make you feel worse, while healthy carbs and protein are better choices.
Plan for Success: Eating a balanced meal before drinking and preparing healthy snacks in advance are effective strategies to prevent and manage intense cravings.

The Science Behind Post-Drinking Hunger

Alcohol's effect on your body is far more complex than just a temporary buzz. The day after drinking, as your body works to metabolize and remove the alcohol, a cascade of biological changes occurs, directly influencing your appetite and leading to those insatiable cravings. This is not simply a matter of weak willpower, but a predictable physiological response to the stress alcohol places on your system. Understanding these mechanisms is the first step toward managing your food choices and feeling better during recovery.

Hormonal Havoc: The Appetite Hormones at Play

One of the primary drivers of excessive hunger after drinking is the disruption of key hunger-regulating hormones. Normally, the body's endocrine system maintains a delicate balance of these chemical messengers to control appetite and satiety.

Leptin: This hormone is responsible for signaling to the brain that you are full. Research has found that alcohol can inhibit the secretion of leptin, effectively silencing the signal to stop eating and increasing your hunger.
GLP-1: Glucagon-like peptide-1 is another hormone that helps suppress appetite and regulate blood sugar. Alcohol can interfere with its proper function, further contributing to your increased appetite.
Ghrelin: Known as the 'hunger hormone', ghrelin stimulates appetite. While some studies show alcohol may decrease ghrelin in the short term, the overall disruption to the hormonal system still promotes eating.

The Starvation Mode Trigger

Beyond just tweaking hormone levels, alcohol can trick your brain into thinking it is starving. As researchers discovered, alcohol consumption can activate certain neurons in the hypothalamus, the brain's control center for appetite. These specific neurons, called AGRP neurons, are the same ones triggered when the body is in starvation mode. This essentially sends a 'false alarm' to your brain, causing you to experience an extreme hunger sensation, regardless of the calories you consumed from the alcohol itself.

Blood Sugar Swings and Dehydration

Alcohol consumption, particularly binge drinking, can cause significant fluctuations in your blood sugar levels. The liver, which normally releases stored glucose (glycogen) to keep blood sugar stable, becomes preoccupied with metabolizing the toxic alcohol. This can lead to a drop in blood sugar (hypoglycemia), which your body interprets as a signal to consume food, especially high-carb and high-sugar options, for a quick energy boost.

Dehydration is another major contributor to the 'drunchies' (drunk munchies) and next-day hunger. Alcohol is a diuretic, causing increased urination and fluid loss. Your body may sometimes confuse thirst with hunger, leading you to reach for snacks instead of water. Dehydration also throws off your electrolyte balance, which can lead to cravings for salty, fatty foods to compensate.

Managing Post-Drinking Cravings

Understanding the biological basis for your cravings is crucial, but implementing strategies to manage them is the key to minimizing negative effects. The myth that greasy food 'soaks up' alcohol is false and can actually make you feel worse as your body struggles to process both.

Comparison: Healthy vs. Unhealthy Hangover Foods


Feature	Healthy Hangover Food	Unhealthy Hangover Food
Energy Source	Provides sustainable energy through complex carbs, protein, and fiber.	Offers a quick, temporary spike with simple carbs and excess fat.
Nutrient Content	Replenishes lost vitamins (especially B and C) and minerals (potassium, magnesium).	High in empty calories, lacking essential nutrients.
Hydration	Often has high water content (fruits, soups) or encourages fluid intake (broth).	High in sodium, can exacerbate dehydration.
Digestive Impact	Easily digestible, soothing for an irritated stomach (e.g., toast, bananas).	Irritates the stomach lining and slows digestion.
Satiety	Provides long-lasting fullness due to fiber and protein.	Leads to a rapid crash and more cravings shortly after.

Practical Strategies to Combat Hunger

To effectively manage your intense cravings, integrate these tactics into your recovery routine:

Prioritize hydration: Drink plenty of water throughout the night and especially the next morning. Electrolyte-rich drinks like coconut water can help rebalance your system.
Eat before you drink: Never drink on an empty stomach. A meal rich in protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats will slow alcohol absorption and provide a buffer for your blood sugar.
Prepare a healthy snack: Before you go out, set yourself up for success by having a healthy snack like Greek yogurt, a fruit and nut mix, or whole-grain crackers ready for when you get home.
Choose the right carbs: While your body may crave simple sugars, opting for complex carbohydrates like whole-grain toast or oatmeal will provide a steadier blood sugar level without the crash.
Listen to your body, mindfully: When cravings hit, pause and ask if you are truly hungry or just thirsty. Sip some water and wait 15 minutes before deciding if you need to eat.

The Broader Impact on Health

Beyond just a single instance of overeating, the cycle of heavy drinking and subsequent binge-eating can have cumulative negative effects. Regularly disrupting your metabolism and consuming nutrient-poor, high-calorie foods can contribute to long-term weight gain and increase your risk of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes. The inflammation caused by alcohol and unhealthy food choices also places stress on the body, impacting overall health and contributing to the feeling of malaise associated with a hangover. While a single night's indulgence is unlikely to cause serious harm, establishing better post-drinking habits can support your health and wellness goals in the long run.

Conclusion

The intense hunger experienced the day after drinking is a genuine physiological response, not just a matter of poor self-control. It stems from the combined effects of disrupted appetite hormones, an activated "starvation mode" in the brain, low blood sugar, and dehydration. By understanding these mechanisms, you can move past the myth of greasy-food-as-remedy and adopt healthier strategies. Fueling your body with nutrient-rich foods, staying hydrated, and pre-planning your meals can help you manage cravings effectively and support a quicker, healthier recovery. Taking proactive steps can transform your next-day experience from a battle with insatiable hunger to a smoother path toward feeling like yourself again.

Visit the NIAAA for more information on the effects of alcohol on your body and health.

Frequently Asked Questions

Your body craves junk food, which is typically high in sugar, fat, and salt, due to a combination of factors. The alcohol has likely caused a drop in your blood sugar, prompting your body to seek out quick energy sources like sugar and simple carbohydrates. Your electrolyte balance may also be off due to dehydration, leading to cravings for salty foods. Additionally, lowered inhibitions from drinking can make you more susceptible to giving in to these less-healthy urges.

No, this is a common myth. Eating greasy or high-fat food does not absorb or 'soak up' alcohol. In fact, consuming high-fat foods can make you feel worse during a hangover because your body has to work harder to break down both the alcohol and the heavy food. The best approach is to eat nutritious foods that support your liver in processing alcohol and provide your body with the nutrients it needs to recover.

The duration of hangover cravings can vary by individual and depends on factors like how much you drank. The hormonal and metabolic disruptions that drive hunger typically subside as your body processes the alcohol. Symptoms, including cravings, can last anywhere from 8 to 24 hours, easing as your body clears the toxic byproducts.

It is most effective to eat a balanced, nutritious meal before you start drinking. Eating on a full stomach slows the rate of alcohol absorption, which helps stabilize your blood sugar and reduces the intensity of cravings later. A meal with a mix of protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats is ideal.

The best hangover foods are those that replenish nutrients, rehydrate, and provide sustained energy. Options like whole-grain toast with avocado, a banana, broth-based soup, or scrambled eggs can help stabilize blood sugar and settle your stomach. These are better choices than processed, sugary, or greasy items.

Yes, your body can sometimes mistake thirst signals for hunger. When dehydrated, you may feel an urge to eat when what your body truly needs is water. This is why staying hydrated is a key strategy for managing post-drinking cravings.

Yes, drinking in moderation or avoiding heavy alcohol consumption is the most effective way to prevent intense next-day hunger. Less alcohol means less disruption to your hormones, blood sugar, and metabolic processes, significantly reducing the intensity of cravings and other hangover symptoms.