Are You Suffering From An Introvert Hangover? Here's What To Do

How to cope with dealing with an introvert hangover.

If you're an introvert you probably know that spending a lot of time in social situations can be really overwhelming for you. After socialising and spending time in big groups, introverts might find that they're suffering from what's known as an introvert hangover (yep, it's a real thing!) which leads them to needing to spend time alone.

If you're dealing with an introvert hangover it might seem hard to get back out there socially, so here's everything you need to know about how to cope with one.

What's an introvert?

An introvert is a major personality type and the opposite of an extrovert. Introverts tend to enjoy spending time on their own and prefer to take the backseat and not be the centre of attention when in a group of people.

While introverts can enjoy socialising with friends they tend to keep their social circles small and prefer more intimate events rather than huge parties and can often come across as quiet, shy or more reserved.

Extroverts on the other hand are outgoing, more confident being the centre of attention and thrive by keeping themselves busy, going to huge social events and meeting and introducing themselves to new people.

Introverted people don't necessarily dislike social situations but often prefer to be around people they know and trust rather than a room full of strangers and normally need to spend time alone to recharge after spending time with others.

What's an introvert hangover?

After spending a lot of time socialising or around other people, introverts might find that they're suffering with an "introvert hangover". This is when after having a lot of social interactions an introvert starts to feel a bit overstimulated and emotionally exhausted.

Much like a real hangover which can make you feel sleepy and sluggish an introvert hangover will make you feel like you need to spend time alone to recharge and rest. However, introvert hangovers aren't necessarily a bad thing at all. For many people who are experiencing an introvert hangover this is a time to take time for themselves and do something they enjoy in their own company. This could be as simple as reading a book, watching your favourite movie, making your favourite meal or going on a long walk.

Introvert hangovers can also make you feel pretty sleepy too and this can help you to detox and relax. Introvert hangovers are actually just a time for yourself away from other people and once you've taken the time to rest, recharge and do things you enjoy you'll probably feel more ready to spend time with your friends again and agree to going to social situations.

How to know if you're having an introvert hangover

Like a regular hangover, the signs of an introvert hangover can be easy to spot. Many introverts often feel a bit overwhelmed after saying yes to multiple plans in a short period of time which can lead to anxiety when thinking about actually attending.

If you have been spending time with your friends more frequently than usual, or you've attended a big event that you were quite nervous about, once the events are over you probably feel quite relieved. In fact, there's really nothing like coming home after a big night out, getting into comfy clothes, getting cosy in bed and breathing a sigh of relief that it's over and you can relax.

If you find that you're feeling overwhelmed, you don't feel up for hanging out with your friends, or you feel like you've already said yes to to many things recently or you have too many commitments coming up and you feel like cancelling them there's a good chance that you might be suffering from an introvert hangover. Likewise, if it's the morning after a social event and you feel sleepy, anxious, or emotionally drained it's probably because the event has totally burnt you out.

How to recover from an introvert hangover

If you're experiencing an introvert hangover it can feel pretty endless and draining. The important thing about introvert hangovers is to give yourself time and not to treat it like a negative thing.

First of all, don't push yourself to be productive or do anything you don't want to do straight away. There's nothing wrong with spending a day in bed catching up on sleep if you feel exhausted after spending time with other people, and giving your body the right time it needs to recharge and relax.

However, once you've caught up on sleep, this doesn't necessarily mean you're going to feel like you're ready to go out and socialise again. Once you're feeling more refreshed, an introvert hangover is essentially a period of time which is all about you and doing things that you love and enjoy, in your own time and company. Again, an introvert hangover doesn't have to be super productive so don't worry about writing goals and trying to achieve things in your time off, but spending a few consecutive days in bed doing nothing is probably going to make you feel worse in the long run.

Try and spend this time period doing small things that you enjoy and will boost your mood, for example, a visit to your favourite coffee shop, binge-watching a new Netflix series, playing video games, going to an exercise class, a shopping trip or a long walk.

There is no set period as to how long an introvert hangover should last, or when you'll feel ready to get back to socialising, so if you feel like you need to spend a few weeks taking time for yourself that's completely normal. However, others may only need a weekend to themselves and will feel ready to put themselves back out there and meet up with friends again the next week.

How do I explain an introvert hangover to my friends?

If you're friends with people who are more extroverted, they may not understand your need to take time for yourself or your reasoning for declining social invitations. If your friends are wondering why you're not spending time with them or don't want to attend small social functions you can set boundaries in place. For example, try saying that you're feeling tired and want to spend some time resting but agree to see them and make plans with them for a future weekend. This way your friends are happy they'll be spending time with you, and you have a certain period of time to yourself to recharge.

Try not to ignore messages from your friends, even if you are feeling overwhelmed. There's no pressure to reply instantly, but completely blocking out your friends can lead you to feel quite lonely and isolated which is never a good thing. Look at an introvert hangover as me time, time for you to spend alone doing things you enjoy, not time to completely cut yourself off from the world as this can only lead to low mood and declining mental health.

Remember to never feel bad for putting yourself first, or for declining a social event for your own mental wellbeing. Your friends should understand that you just need a time out, and will wait for you to feel ready to tackle socialising again, on your own schedule.

Find out how to make friends as an introvert in our guide.