Sciencing in Food

‘Hangry’ or just angry?

We all have supposedly experienced the effects of being hangry. But is being hangry a real thing or is it just regular anger? Dr. Viren Swami, professor of social psychology at Anglia Ruskin University, conducted a study using an app to determine if being hangry is a real thing.

Survey

Dr. Swami recruited 121 adults, 64 of whom completed the study, to test out whether the feeling of being hangry is real. The participants had to download an app that prompted the participants to answer a survey 5 times a day at random times for 21 days. This app was meant to prompt the survey at random times to get the in-the-moment feelings from the participants.

Results

The results of the study show that hunger can eventually develop into a ‘hanger’. Dr. Swami noted that hunger does not automatically lead to anger, but hunger can lead to increased irritability and anger.

Possible Way to Reduce "Hangriness"

Now that you know that being hangry is in fact a real thing, what can you do to reduce or stop the effects? Besides eating, Dr. Swami said that being aware of being hangry can help regulate the anger felt when someone is hungry.

So in conclusion, being hangry is real and the emotions felt during it are completely normal. However, acknowledging your emotions is a great way to reduce the effects that being hangry can have on someone.

Aromatherapy: Fact or Fiction?

Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils to cure illnesses using various methods like applied to the skin, smelled, or dabbed on a pillow. Essential oils are oils that have been extracted from plants and the oils used in aromatherapy are typically fragrant. The belief is that essential oils contain the ‘essence’ of the plant which helps cure a person from their illness.

So Does Aromatherapy Actually Work?

In short, no. The National Institute of Health provides a thorough summary via the US National Library of Medicine of research conducted into the efficacy of essential oils. There is no conclusive evidence showing that aromatherapy is effective in curing any illnesses. While aromatherapy cannot cure illnesses, it can potentially help lower stress levels and increase mood levels. However, the use of scented candles will likely give a similar result with a likely lower cost. The use of essential oils has also been proven to help acne and treat alopecia.

So aromatherapy does not work for many illnesses as it might be advertised, but it does have other positive benefits that might make certain essential oils a worthy buy.