Experts share types of alcohol that cause the most hangxiety as UK braced for work Christmas parties
It's Christmas!
Alright, Christmas is still three weeks away, but December itself is basically a whole month dedicated to Christmas.
As you read this now retail employees across the country are being forced to listen to the same festive songs over and over in conditions the Geneva Convention would probably frown upon.
Meanwhile, offices are starting to put up posters about the inevitable work Christmas party, an event which can probably be deemed successful if you don't wake up to an email from the HR department telling you to come in for a meeting.
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Even if you do manage to avoid getting into trouble, you might still wake up the next day with 'hangxiety', a punishing mixture of a hangover and anxiety that'll put you right off your stride at what is meant to be the most wonderful time of the year.
Fortunately, there are experts who know what kinds of alcohol are likely to make you feel even worse when you wake up tomorrow.
Mental health expert Lisa Gunn explained to HuffPost that while drinking can help relieve your anxiety in the short term there's a 'rebound effect' which will kick in later on and leave you feeling less than glorious.
She said that alcohol messes with the neurotransmitters in your brain and fouls up the chemical messages going around it, which impacts your mood.
Worst type of alcohol for hangxiety
Gunn said that quaffing spirits can really boost your blood alcohol levels which 'can lead to more pronounced rebound anxiety', so you might want to stay away from sugary cocktails with strong spirits in them.
However, red wine might be the worst beverage of all on a heavy night on the Christmas claret, as it could leave your body dealing with tyramine and histamine, which can compound your hangover with anxiety and thus burden you with 'hangxiety'.
On the other hand, low alcohol content beer might be a better option to reach for both if you want to avoid getting stupidly drunk at the Christmas party and wake up the next day without hangxiety.
Now you know what to drink it might help to know what behaviours to avoid during the work Christmas do.
There are plenty of legal reasons why you might get sacked for being an utter pillock at the Christmas party, as a legal expert explained that usual work policies will apply during the fun times and your employer will be liable for the stuff you do.
Be careful not to commit acts of gross misconduct during the Christmas party, which includes harassment, insubordination and property damage.
Definitely don't fight anyone, that's a decent life rule in general but it's worth making it clear that a drunken brawl during the Christmas party is a really bad idea.
The availability of alcohol isn't going to be an effective defence either, as legal experts warned that even if the boss puts on a free bar it's not going to be accepted as an explanation for drunken behaviour.
Joe Harker