Hey there!
Many of us may have felt an undeniable urge to sleep after a hearty meal and conveniently,
it usually happens right after eating lunch.
But why?
How do we avoid it?
The feeling of being tired after a meal is called as postprandial somnolence.
Here are some of the causes.
The Time Of Your Meal
Yes, the time of day that you eat is crucial to how you feel afterward.
According to many experts, we feel a natural dip in our energy twice a day, once at 2AM
and again at 2PM.
So, if you are having your lunch at around 12:30 to 1PM,you may feel sleepy by the time
it hits 2.
This is because your energy lowers at that time.
Additionally, after a meal, your body is more concentrated on digesting that meal than any
other process.
When you think about it, going to sleep may not be a bad idea, as it would allow your
body to digest food better.
Unfortunately, most of us have work and we don't want to be caught dozing off.
There is a solution…
Try and get at least 7 hours of sleep at night, this way even if you feel a bit tired at around
2 in the afternoon, you won't feel sleepy.
Since you’ve gotten a good sleep your body has already completed its sleep cycle.
As far as being tired is concerned, you can always drink some lemon juice or water to
replenish your energy.
This leads us to our second point.
What You Eat
A wise man once said, "We are what we eat."
Well, in a way it is true.
The type of food you eat affects your body.
If you are eating foods that help produce serotonin then you might feel a little sleepy
after having lunch.
Serotonin is a chemical that can help in regulating your mood as well as your sleep cycle.
So, what kind of food causes the body to produce more serotonin?
The answer is simple, any type of food that is rich in carbohydrates and proteins.
Foods with lots of protein contain amino acids, one of which is tryptophan.
This is in stuff like turkey...which is why you might feel sleepy after eating it.
Tryptophan helps the body to produce more serotonin and the carbohydrates help your
body absorb more tryptophan.
Tryptophan is mostly found in eggs, meat, fish, spinach and dairy products.
All of which are very important sources of protein for humans.
Similarly, carbs is mostly found in foods like pasta, rice, bread and cakes.
Simply put, there is no way you can escape these two.
Hey all they want to do is help your body rest while it absorbs the necessary minerals
it needs to function properly.
Although it might be a problem if you are going for a meeting or a presentation right
after you eat.
Don't worry, there is a way…
Instead of having full meals three times a day, divide them into five or six balanced
meals.
This way you won't be consuming enough tryptophan or carbohydrates to affect your mood or your
sleep cycle.
It would enable you to be more productive and stay healthy.
Don't skip meals, as you may end up causing more harm to your digestive system than you
realize.
Oh and always have a proper breakfast.
It is the most important meal of the day, after all.
With that said, let’s talk about our next point.
Quantity of Food
You may notice that the urge to sleep increases when you have consumed more food during your
lunch break.
Just like we explained earlier, when you eat a lot of food that may contain tryptophan
and carbohydrates, you will feel the need to sleep more often.
The amount of sleep you got the night before also plays a major role.
Additionally, if you already have high levels of blood sugar then you would likely feel
more sleepy, as larger meals in the afternoon are known to raise the blood sugar levels
and dip the energy flow of your body.
So if it’s approaching 2 in the afternoon, you’re feeling drowsy and you didn't have
a good sleep at night, it’s probably because you had a lunch filled with protein and carbohydrates.
You’ve just cooked up the perfect recipe for a nap.
What do you do now?
First of all, never compromise with your sleeping hours.
When you don't have enough sleep at night, you will feel sleepy during the day.
That urge will only increase after you have had lunch.
The second point would be to go for a short walk after lunch.
Walk for 100 metres and back if you can.
Since your body is now involved in physical activity, it would be able to digest the food
without casting the sleeping spell on you.
While you’re at it, you can also drink some juice and get back to work feeling fresh and
energetic.
Additionally, you can also take a short 15-20 minute power nap during the day.
It would help you feel better and more focused with your work.
Speaking of which, did you know in Japan, companies encourage workers to take power
naps after lunch to increase their productivity?
Sounds cool, right?
Of course, there are two other methods to avoid sleeping after lunch.
Avoid Alcohol
When you drink alcohol along with high-protein food and carbohydrates, you’re inviting
trouble.
The alcohol works as a catalyst for the serotonin and increases your urge to fall asleep.
Forget going to work after lunch, you will find it hard to leave the restaurant.
This is why you should always avoid alcohol while having lunch.
Apart from that, it’s inappropriate in many work cultures to be intoxicated in office.
So for your health and your career's sake, avoid drinking.
This brings us to our next point…
Bright Light Therapy
Usually, exposure to brightness may not be good for our eyes.
Although there is one time when you can expose your eyes to bright light, and that is right
after you have had a delicious lunch.
Researchers agree that people who were exposed to bright light right after having lunch felt
less tired.
Hmmm, sounds fascinating, doesn’t it?
If you try this then you won't have to go for a walk after lunch.
Sleeping is an essential part of our daily routine.
When you have to stay awake and be productive for 17 hours a day then you need to sleep
at least 7 hours at night.
This will lessen your chances of feeling tired during the day.
Have you ever felt sleepy after lunch?
Have you tried any of these tricks to avoid falling asleep?
Let us know in the comments, we would love to hear from you.