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Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. As you return to your work after eating lunch, you may wonder: Why am I so sleepy in the afternoons? You may wonder if it has something to do with what you ate for lunch or if something else is the culprit. Well, it may relate to a natural dip in the alerting signal of the circadian rhythm. This article explains some theories about post-lunch sleepiness and offers some ideas for staying alert in the afternoon.
It is natural to feel a little sleepy after eating lunch. However, since sleepiness occurs right after people eat, some mistakenly think that it relates to digestion. In particular, there is a misconception about how blood flow from the brain to the stomach during digestion might cause sleepiness.
Although this sounds plausible, it doesn't make that much sense. If this were the case, you'd expect to feel just as sleepy after eating a large breakfast or after dinner. However, the truth is that this sleepiness is unrelated to the process of digestion.
There are certain elements within food that can cause sleepiness. However, usually the amounts are small and have little effect on a person's ability to stay alert. Some things in food that are known sleep inducers include:. Post-lunch sleepiness often has more to do with the natural timing of an increased tendency towards sleep than the food you consume. Two phenomena contribute to this. They include:. According to the National Academy of Sciences , the recommended dietary allowance RDA of tryptophan per day for an adult is 5 milligrams mg per 1 kilogram kg of body weight.
For an adult weighing pounds 68 kg , that translates to about mg or 0. Cherries affect melatonin levels, carbohydrates cause a spike and subsequent fall in blood sugar, and the minerals in bananas relax your muscles.
Any one of these factors could leave you sleepy and many foods can impact energy levels in different ways. Beyond helping you sleep better at night, exercise can keep you alert during the day, minimizing the risk of a post-meal slump.
Multiple studies have found that regular exercise helps increase energy and reduce fatigue. Instead, being active helps ensure that you have the energy to push through your days. On rare occasions, being tired after a meal or simply sleepy all the time could be a sign of another health problem. Conditions that can make post-meal drowsiness worse include:. If someone with prediabetes or Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes feels tired after eating, it could be a symptom of hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia.
Hyperglycemia high blood sugar may occur when too many sugars are consumed. Other symptoms associated with hyperglycemia may include increased urination and thirst. Hypoglycemia low blood sugar may occur due to consuming simple carbohydrates that are quickly digestible. These carbohydrates can make blood sugar levels spike and then crash in a short amount of time. Hypoglycemia can also occur in someone with diabetes who has taken more insulin or other diabetes-specific medication than needed based on the foods they consumed.
Sleepiness can be one primary symptom of hypoglycemia, along with:. Both hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia are serious medical conditions, especially for people with diabetes. They should be treated immediately as directed by your doctor. An intolerance of or an allergy to certain foods can be another cause of post-meal tiredness.
Food intolerances and allergies can impact digestion or other bodily functions. Other acute or chronic symptoms may also be present, including gastrointestinal upset, skin conditions, and headache or migraine. It can be a simple and helpful way to start identifying whether there are particular foods and ingredients, or other triggers, that may be having an impact on your energy levels.
A food diary, even if you only keep one for a few weeks, should include a record of everything you eat and drink. You should detail when you consume a food or beverage as well as how much. Also take notes on how you feel. Pay attention to your:. Write down any and all other symptoms.
You may be able to draw some connections between your diet and how you feel, either on your own or with the help of a healthcare professional. Different diagnostic tests are available to help them find the root cause of your fatigue, including:. They may also suggest an elimination diet. Your healthcare provider can determine whether or not testing is necessary for a diagnosis and, if so, what tests are most appropriate.
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