Why hunger makes you 'hangry'

Ever wonder why when your hungry you get a little 'hangry'? Scientists reveal you feel weak and uneasy when you are hungry because your blood sugar levels drop, according to a report by the Daily Mail. However, hunger can also make people feel grumpy and irritated.

Researchers at the University of North Carolina (UNC) took a close look at why we feel the world is out to get us when we are in this state. Close to 400 people were surveyed online for the study. "The purpose of our research is to better understand the psychological mechanisms of hunger-induced emotional states - in this case, how someone becomes hangry," lead study author Jennifer MacCormack, a doctoral student at the University of North Carolina (UNC), told the Daily Mail.

They found hunger not only triggers physical 'pains', but mental ones as well. "We find that feeling hangry happens when you feel unpleasantness due to hunger but interpret those feelings as strong emotions about other people or the situation you're in," assistant Dr Kristen Lindquist, the study's co-author, told the Daily Mail.

Through the study, researchers have found that there is a difference between hungry and hangry people. It all depends on how self-aware you are. "A well-known commercial once said, 'You're not you when you're hungry,' but our data hint that by simply taking a step back from the present situation and recognizing how you're feeling, you can still be you even when hungry," said MacCormack in the report.