What is the reason behind feeling sleepy after eating during afternoon

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It is common to feel sleepy or drowsy after eating lunch in the early afternoon. It is possible to have had a good night’s sleep and still feel sleepy immediately following your meal. It is tempting to blame a big lunch but there is more to it than that.

One of the most common reasons is our internal biological clock: the circadian rhythm. This regulates our sleep-wake cycle and causes a temporary lull in our energy levels in the early afternoon, somewhere between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. It is therefore not necessarily an indication of whether you have had a full stomach when you are tired after lunch.

What you eat can also be a factor. If you’ve just eaten a large meal, especially if it’s full of carbohydrate, sugar or fat, you may feel flat. When you eat the body starts to work on digesting your food and changes occur in blood sugar and insulin levels. These changes can cause you to feel tired.

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Where’s the motivation? Not getting enough sleep can intensify the mid-afternoon slump. Your body really likes to go to sleep and wake up at the right time and so staying out late, waking up early or sleep deprivation can be a real blow to your ability to stay motivated after lunch.

There are some small steps that you can do to eliminate the sleepiness. Stay as alert as possible by having a healthy lunch, drinking plenty of water, and going for a walk after your meal. Make sure that you are getting enough sleep at night. If possible, a quick power nap may also eliminate the sleepiness.

So next time you’re feeling drowsy after lunch, let’s look closer before you blame the food. It could be that a natural internal body clock, your sleep cycle, your body hydration level, and your recent meal all are in sync to signal that it’s time to take it easy.

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