Do you experience the post lunch dip that makes you feel sleepy after a lunch? Whatever you term it; drowsiness, sleepiness, tiredness, or fatigue, it just makes you stop work & crawl under your desk to get a sleep. This is a natural phenomenon common in people who wants to go to sleep about seven hours after they have awakened.
What happens in the body that it craves rest after lunch?
The circadian rhythm or the 24-hour cycle of the body comes to a resting time after lunch as its 7 -9 hours after being awakened. During afternoon hours this rhythm converges with another physiological cycle called homeostatic that measures the amount of time spent awake and pushes for a rest. Adding the effects of a high carbohydrate food an overpowering desire to sleep may arise.
Does everyone have this issue?
Though there are few people who discard this dip, about 15% to 20% of the populationare hidden nappers. These people prefer to nap in quiet & abandoned spaces like empty rooms, parked cars, etc. They do this because of the unsurpassable urge to sleep.
To overcome the "post lunch dip"
To avoid feeling tired after lunch you need to first make sure you are getting enough sleep. Seven - eight hours is ideal. Secondly, go for a lighter, more nutrient dense lunch that are balanced with fiber-rich carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, legumes or whole grains), protein and healthy fats.
More realistically, a 20-minute long "power nap" can have a rejuvenating effect and is known to increase productivity at work. Some may choose to have caffeinated drinks like coffee to overcome this dip. But responses to caffeine vary, and for some people it can disrupt nighttime sleep.
Another way to push through the dip is to exercise or to simply get up and move around the room. If you need to talk to a colleague at another desk, this could be the ideal time.
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