After eating a delicious lunch, many of us tend to fall into a mild afternoon numbness - which is why in Spain there is that famous phenomenon called siesta. If you want to avoid feeling sleepy after lunch, you need to learn to choose your dishes carefully and take care of your body constantly. To be able to face the afternoon with the right amount of energy, you will have to choose healthy foods, guarantee yourself an adequate number of hours of sleep and move a little after lunch. Read on and immediately start putting into practice the many tips provided below.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Understanding the Causes of Afternoon Sleepiness
Step 1. Understand that the numbness that follows meals is related to digestion
The main reason you feel sleepy after lunch is that blood is diverted from the brain to the digestive system to help the process. In addition to this, after lunch the brain releases a small dose of melatonin, a hormone that promotes night sleep.
Step 2. Evaluate your sleep hours
The normal feeling of sleepiness due to the digestive process can be aggravated by insufficient sleep. An adult needs about 7-8 hours of sleep a night, just so his body can function at its best. Therefore, try to go to sleep in time to ensure the number of hours of sleep you need and, if you suffer from insomnia, consult your doctor to determine the cause.
Step 3. Evaluate your eating habits to find out if they contribute to the feeling of afternoon sleepiness
Feeling a slight physical decline after meals is normal, but poor or inadequate nutrition can aggravate the natural feeling of numbness. To help avoid that unwelcome sleepiness, think about the following questions:
- Do I have breakfast every day?
- Is my breakfast able to provide me with the nutrients and energy I need to face the day (or am I limited to a simple coffee)?
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Do I tend to make healthy food choices at lunchtime?
If the answer to any of these questions is no, it means that you need to review your eating habits in order to reduce post-lunch sleepiness
Step 4. Start recording your habits and feelings in a food diary
Keep track of times when you feel sleepy and describe what you ate, whether you exercised and how you slept the previous night, and add any details you find relevant. Keep taking note of your symptoms and behaviors: after a week you will be able to analyze the collected data. Look for any recurring patterns to recognize which choices to avoid.
Method 2 of 3: Change Your Eating Habits to Avoid Afternoon Sleepiness
Step 1. Have a healthy and complete breakfast
Never skip breakfast - the first meal of the day determines your energy levels for the rest of the day. Make healthy choices that allow you to face the morning with vigor: bread and whole grains, fruit and yogurt are among the most recommended foods. A full, hearty breakfast keeps your physical and mental energy levels high throughout the day, and removes the temptation to eat unhealthy foods at lunchtime. Among the most suitable food combinations can include:
- Cereals with skim milk and a fresh fruit;
- Two slices of toasted wholemeal bread with two tablespoons of peanut butter and a banana;
- A slice of wholemeal bread topped with a scrambled egg and a slice of low-fat cheese, accompanied by a glass of orange juice.
Step 2. Prefer healthy food at lunchtime, avoiding fast food and excess fat
Most fast food places offer junk food, loaded with fat, sugar, salt, preservatives and flavor enhancers. Their proposals are very tasty on the palate and, apparently, very energetic, but they are completely devoid of nutrients and incredibly caloric, representing a bad fuel for the body.
If you are forced to have lunch at a fast food restaurant, choose foods that have been baked or grilled rather than fried, and don't be tempted by chips
Step 3. Prefer whole grains and avoid refined flours and sugars
As delicious as they may be, foods such as scones, cakes, muffins and croissants, as well as refined pasta and rice, induce the much-needed post-lunch physical breakdown and, rather than sustain it, deprive the body of energy. In order to be able to remain perfectly alert, Dr. Gabe Mirkin recommends avoiding sweets, pasta and baked goods, as their sugar and flour content make them sleepy. If you want to feel fit after lunch, fresh food and unrefined and unprocessed foods are a guarantee of success.
Step 4. Opt for a lunch of complex carbohydrates and protein-rich ingredients
Replace common processed foods and starchy side dishes with balanced and healthy ingredients. Choose a lunch consisting mostly of vegetables and accompany them with whole grains and lean proteins. Thanks to the following foods, your meals will guarantee you a full energy:
- Sprouts, green beans, lettuce, mustard leaves, radicchio, Chinese cabbage, seaweed, savoy cabbage, mushrooms, radishes, celery, avocado, cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, squash, zucchini, bamboo shoots, onions, tomatoes, artichokes, carrots, water chestnuts etc.;
- Whole wheat bread, rice, pasta and crackers, bulgur, quinoa etc.;
- Chickpeas, eggs, chicken and turkey breast, tuna, tofu etc.
Step 5. Reduce portions
Digesting a large meal takes a lot of effort, so it causes a greater sense of numbness. Instead of eating a lot at lunch, eat numerous small meals throughout the day. Make up for a small lunch with a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack to properly meet your daily calorie needs. When planning several small meals to replace one big lunch, never go for more than 3 hours without eating.
Step 6. Choose healthy snacks
In the middle of the afternoon it is important to choose foods that, instead of requiring an energetic effort, are able to release energy. Resist the temptation to fill yourself with a chocolate snack, but instead choose a fruit, a handful of almonds, or a few crackers accompanied by low-fat cheese.
Method 3 of 3: Additional Methods for Combating Afternoon Sleepiness
Step 1. Avoid wine and beer at lunchtime
Even when the intense daily stress seems to arouse the need for a drink, remember that alcohol causes sleepiness - which is why it should be avoided at lunchtime. Alcohol has sedative properties and even a single glass of wine or beer will make you feel tired for the rest of the day.
Step 2. Refrain from taking caffeine after lunch
Although it is known for its innate stimulating properties, in the long term caffeine is the victim of a decreasing yield: in fact, to guarantee the same effects it requires an increase in doses. A gradual increase in caffeine intake is unhealthy because it can easily lead to excess and outright addiction.
Replace your regular coffee after lunch with a decaf one, and don't find the energy needed to face the afternoon in energy drinks or drinks that contain caffeine. Drinking water is an excellent choice and allows you to keep your body properly hydrated throughout the day. Furthermore, respecting the 8 glasses of water daily rule will allow you to get up several times to reach the nearest water dispenser
Step 3. After lunch, get some exercise
Immediately after the end of a meal it is advisable to get up and do a light physical activity. Depending on your schedule and where you are, you could walk a couple of blocks, do some simple stretching exercises, use the stairs instead of the elevator, or do a couple of jumping jacks in the anteroom. Performing light physical activity after meals keeps blood flow moving and prevents the feeling of fatigue.
Step 4. Consult your doctor
If the sleepiness following lunch seems excessive to you, consider seeing your doctor for a check-up. Fatigue can be a symptom of many diseases, including insulin resistance, iron or other nutrient deficiency, diabetes and hypoglycemia. In these cases, only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe the right treatment.
Advice
- Talk to your kids and find out how they feel after lunch. If the teachers or themselves notice a drop in energy, consider establishing new rules for preferred foods. In the period of childhood and adolescence it is of fundamental importance to eat properly. Prepare your children's lunch yourself or assist them in making the best choices, in the canteen or at the bar.
- Eating in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere is very important. If possible, step away from your desk or get out of the office and get some fresh air. In addition to nourishing your stomach, make an effort to nourish your spirit as well, during the afternoon hours you will be able to prove yourself more productive and full of enthusiasm.
- While ensuring an initial increase in energy, it is not advisable to entrust your physical well-being to energy drinks. In addition to containing a lot of caffeine, they are rich in sugars, two harmful substances if taken in excessive doses.
- Try to eat slowly: a hurried lunch stimulates the body's rapid release of unnecessary chemicals and leads to a feeling of fatigue.
- Compatibly with your work schedule, consider planning a 15-minute restorative nap after lunch; it will help you feel fit for the rest of the day, increasing your productivity level.
- Even if you only have ten minutes for lunch, be sure to choose nutritious ingredients. If you are in a restaurant, choose the lighter dishes.
Warnings
- Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia syndrome can make the post-lunch nap a real necessity. Discuss with your doctor, and if the treatments and methods described do not help, consider discussing your needs with your employer. Being able to take a nap at work to feel refreshed can be a practical solution to the problem, far more effective than trying to combat sleepiness in vain.
- Before making any radical changes to your diet or exercise routine, consult your doctor.
