What is a panic attack hangover? Plus, 12 tips to help you cope
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, MBA
It's possible to feel "hungover" after a panic attack, with symptoms like brain fog and fatigue. Explore why this happens and learn 12 tips to help you recover and reset.
You’re finally on the other side of the panic attack. The chest tightness has eased, the shaking has stopped, and your breathing feels more steady. But instead of relief, there’s a strange exhaustion settling in, like you just ran a marathon you don’t remember signing up for. This is often called a panic attack hangover.
The hours (or even days) after a panic episode can feel foggy and disorienting. You might experience headaches, sore muscles, difficulty concentrating, or an overwhelming need to crash. These symptoms can feel alarming if no one ever mentioned they might show up, but they’re actually a normal part of the body’s recovery process.
Understanding what’s happening can ease some of the worry, and having a few gentle tools on hand can make the aftermath feel a little less isolating. Here’s what to know about panic attack hangovers, along with research-backed tips to support yourself through them.
What is a panic attack hangover?
A panic attack hangover is the period of lingering after-effects that follow a panic attack. Even though the rush of fear and physical symptoms has eased, your body can still feel off-balance for hours or even days afterward. Many people describe it as feeling strangely similar to an alcohol hangover: foggy, heavy, and emotionally sensitive.
The experience can be unsettling, especially if you didn’t expect panic to have an “aftermath.” But panic attack hangovers are both common and temporary. They’re simply your body’s way of recovering from an intense stress response.
7 symptoms of a panic attack hangover
While panic attack hangovers can happen at any time, the effects aren’t the same for everyone. Still, there are some common symptoms people notice after a panic attack, some more frequently than others.
Fatigue or exhaustion: You might feel like your body’s battery has been completely drained.
Brain fog: You could find it hard to focus, remember things, or think clearly.
Muscle tension or soreness: Your jaw, shoulders, or chest might feel tight, achy, or tender from holding too much stress.
Emotional sensitivity: You may notice yourself crying more easily or feeling unusually fragile in everyday situations.
Headaches: You might experience pressure or pain often triggered by stress, shallow breathing, or unconscious clenching.
Digestive issues: You could have nausea, stomach discomfort, or sudden changes in your appetite that don’t seem to track.
Sleepiness or difficulty sleeping: You may find yourself crashing hard into deep rest or lying awake because you’re unable to settle down.
These symptoms usually fade within a day, although they can last longer depending on the amount of sleep you get, your stress levels, and your overall health. If they’re frequent or overwhelming, though, it may be a sign to get additional support.
Why people may feel hungover after a panic attack
The reason panic leaves a hangover comes down to how your body handles stress. A panic attack sends your nervous system into full alert: your heart races, your breath quickens, and your muscles tighten. This is an ancient survival mechanism that’s been designed to keep you safe in an emergency.
The problem? Even when the threat isn’t real, your body still goes through the motions without an outlet to use up that surge of energy.
Once the attack ends, your system shifts into recovery mode. That crash can leave you feeling shaky, sore, and depleted… much like finishing an intense workout. On top of that, the emotional weight of the experience—fear, vulnerability, or the worry it might happen again—can keep your brain buzzing even while your body’s trying to rest.
This combination of physical exhaustion and emotional strain creates the foggy, heavy state that many people call a panic attack hangover.
Related read: Panic attack vs. anxiety attack? Here's the difference
How to cope with panic attack hangovers: 12 tips to aid recovery and feel better faster
Panic attack hangovers can hit you hard, and you may not have the energy to do much after. These ideas are simple, low-lift, and designed for the days when everything feels like just too much.
Pick what’s doable today and ignore the rest: your nervous system will get the memo.
1. Give yourself permission to pause (even if just for 10 minutes)
Your body just ran an internal marathon, and it’s important to be kind to it. If you can, postpone non-urgent tasks and try to give yourself a small recovery window.
Set a 10–15 minute timer, lie down or sit with support behind your back, and let your eyes rest. If you’re at work, try a short break, plus two minutes of slow breathing in a quiet corner. A pause can often help you recover faster.
Related read: Stressed and short on time? Here's how to try micro-meditation
2. Hydrate and eat something easy on your stomach
Staying hydrated and keeping your blood sugar steady can help you feel more balanced as your body recovers from a panic attack. Dehydration and dips in blood sugar can make fatigue, headaches, and brain fog worse.
Drink water or an electrolyte beverage and have a simple snack, like fruit with nut butter, yogurt, or toast. This helps give your system some fuel to reset.
3. Try a breath reset
Slow, gentle breathing tells your nervous system that you’re safe. Try this for 2–3 minutes: Inhale through your nose for four counts, and then exhale through pursed lips for six or eight.
Longer exhales can help your nervous system shift from fight or flight into rest and digest mode. But only do this if you feel comfortable. Don’t try to force anything.
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4. Release leftover tension with micro-movement
Panic can cause you to tighten your muscles, especially in the jaw, chest, shoulders, and hands. Short, light movements help clear it all without overexertion.
You don’t have to do anything too intense. Simple shoulder rolls, gentle neck circles, a slow doorframe chest stretch, or a five-minute walk around the block or office floor can all help. If you’re seated, simply unclench your jaw, open and close your hands 10 times, or shake out your arms. The point is to loosen everything up.
💙 Need a little extra support? Try the Softening Anxiety Daily Move session with Mel Mah on the Calm app.
5. Use temperature to reset
Quick temperature shifts, like splashing cool water on your face or holding something cold, can help ground you and interrupt the leftover jitters after a panic attack.
This is because it’s actually a form of grounding that allows your nervous system to anchor itself back to the present moment.
Related read: 18 grounding techniques to help relieve anxiety
6. Simplify decisions and lower the bar
Decision fatigue amplifies the brain fog that comes after a panic attack, so try to cut down on the number of choices you’re making.
Trim your to-do list to one or two essentials, and choose “good enough” over perfect. Reheat leftovers instead of cooking, tell your coworkers you’re running a little behind, and move all noncritical tasks to the next day. It sounds simple, but having that space will help more than you know.
7. Create a calming sensory bubble
Reduce stimulation to ease the post-panic attack stress. Dim overhead lights, switch to warm lamps, lower the volume on any music or background noise, and silence non-urgent notifications on your phone and laptop for an hour.
If noise is unavoidable, try earplugs or a brown-noise playlist. If you enjoy aromatherapy a familiar scent (like lavender, vanilla, or eucalyptus) can also be grounding.
8. Try a post-panic debrief to close the loop
Writing a few lines about your feelings and symptoms post panic attack can help your brain process what happened and move forward. Research shows that journaling supports emotional regulation, which is why so many people find it useful for panic recovery, too — even if it’s just a quick note or voice memo.
Consider reflecting on what triggered your attack, what symptoms you noticed, what helped calm you down, and what you could do differently the next time. This can help give you more effective coping tools for future attacks.
9. Lean on connection
Reaching out, even with a simple text, helps calm the nervous system. Social support is one of the strongest buffers for stress recovery.
Send a text to someone you trust simply asking for a check-in. If talking feels like too much, having someone just sit with you can also be helpful.
10. Reduce caffeine and alcohol for the rest of the day
After a panic attack, your system is more sensitive. Consider skipping or reducing how much caffeine you drink, as it can re-spark jitters. And avoid alcohol, as it’s been known to disrupt sleep and mood. Swap in decaf, herbal tea, or a half-caf and make sure to focus on nutrition and hydration to help support recovery.
11. Protect your next night’s sleep
Fatigue after a panic attack is real, and quality sleep helps reset your stress response. Keep bedtime predictable with a wind-down routine you enjoy, darken the room, and cool it slightly.
If you desperately need a nap, cap it at 20–30 minutes, and avoid late-evening naps in order to protect nighttime sleep. If your mind spins when it’s time to go to bed, try a quiet meditation or body scan. This can help quiet the mind long enough to help you drift off faster.
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12. Have a simple plan for “if it happens again”
Even just knowing what you’ll do next time can take the edge off that heavy, shaky feeling that lingers after a panic attack. One simple idea? Make a three-step plan that you keep on your phone or in your wallet.
It could say something like:
Sit or step away if you can.
Spend two minutes on long exhales or humming.
Splash cold water on your face or run cool water over your wrists.
It also helps to add one contact you trust to call or text.
While you may not be able to prevent every spiral, it always helps to have something in your back pocket (literally) that helps you feel less alone and more ready.
Panic attack hangover FAQs
Can you get a panic attack from a hangover?
Yes, a hangover can sometimes trigger panic attacks. This is because alcohol disrupts sleep, dehydrates your body, and causes blood sugar swings — and all of these effects can make your nervous system more sensitive the next day.
Alcohol also interferes with the neurotransmitters that regulate your mood, which can amplify feelings of unease or dread. If you’re already prone to anxiety, that extra stress can tip into panic.
Every person who drinks won’t necessarily have a panic attack, but if you notice a pattern between hangovers and panic, it may help to cut back, hydrate more intentionally, or avoid drinking on nights before demanding days.
How long does a panic attack hangover last?
For most people, the hungover feeling eases within a few hours, but it’s not unusual for fatigue or brain fog to stretch into the next day. The duration of a panic attack hangover depends on several factors: how intense the panic attack was, how long it lasted, how well you slept, and what kind of support you gave your body afterward.
Try to find the recovery plan that works best for you: getting enough water, food, gentle movement, and rest can speed up the reset. However, if you find that your hangover lasts longer than 24 hours or happens every time you panic, it may be a sign that your nervous system is under strain. In this case, getting some professional support can help.
How do I get rid of brain fog and fatigue after a panic attack?
Brain fog and fatigue are your nervous system’s way of asking for recovery time, so supporting your body can make the fog lift faster. Start with water or an electrolyte drink, followed by a small, balanced meal or snack. Light movement like walking or stretching also helps by boosting circulation and clearing leftover stress hormones, while short breaks from screens give your brain a reset.
Some people find that changing environments—stepping outside for fresh air, moving to a quieter space, or dimming harsh lighting—makes a noticeable difference in clarity. Rest is important, too, but you don’t want to overdo it. A short nap capped at 20–30 minutes usually helps more than staying in bed for hours.
Why do I feel so tired after a panic attack?
The exhaustion you feel after a panic attack is the crash that comes after an adrenaline surge. Basically, when you panic, your body burns through enormous amounts of energy in a short time. Your heart rate rises, your muscles tense, and your brain goes into overdrive to scan for danger.
Even though there isn’t an actual threat, your body doesn’t know that, so it uses up its resources as if there is. Once the panic attack passes, your hormones shift and your body needs to come down from the emotional intensity. While it’s easy to look at this exhaustion as weakness, it’s really just your body’s way of recovering from an all-systems-on alert. That’s why gentleness is key for recovery.
How can I prevent a panic attack hangover in the future?
You can’t always prevent panic attacks, but you can definitely soften the after-effects. The most helpful strategies are proactive, or preventing one before it comes on. Think, getting consistent sleep, eating balanced meals to keep blood sugar steady, staying hydrated, and limiting alcohol or excessive caffeine.
Some people find it useful to have a short aftercare routine ready, too, such as hydrating, stretching, or texting a friend once the panic subsides. This helps to prevent the hangover from stretching out longer than necessary.
Over time, therapy and skills training can also reduce both the frequency of panic attacks and the severity of hangovers. You’ll essentially learn how to give your nervous system a softer landing.
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