Are you barely awake and dead tired after your lunch hour? It’s called the mid-afternoon slump and you are not the only one experiencing it. Here’s how to dodge it…
“Graveyard shift”
The session after lunch, dubbed the “graveyard shift”, has long been dreaded by public speakers at seminars because this is the time that the eager and attentive audience of the early morning sessions usually subside into barely concealed lethargy, fatigue and sleepiness – the mid-afternoon slump!
Mid-afternoon slump
These energy slumps are closely connected to our bodies’ natural rhythms and internal biological or circadian clocks. Melatonin, a hormone secreted by the brain, helps maintain these rhythms. When it is dark, more melatonin is produced to put you to sleep and, when it is light, production of melatonin drops. However, for some unexplained reason most people experience a period of sleepiness approximately 12 hours after getting up in the morning, usually between two and four in the afternoon.
Dodge the mid-afternoon slump
Here are a few suggestions to help you overcome the mid-afternoon slump.
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- Getting enough sleep at night is vital to staying awake and energised throughout the day. Vitamin D and melatonin supplements may help people with sleep problems, but discuss dosage with your doctor.
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- Eating breakfast is one of the most effective ways to sustain energy throughout the morning. Opt for good old bacon and eggs or oatmeal porridge with a dash of cinnamon or berries. A healthy, energising, green smoothie with 70% green vegetables (lettuce, celery, spinach) and 30% fruit (apple, pear, banana) and lemon juice is ideal for those on the run.
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- Think of snacks as energy-boosting mini-meals. Plan ahead and make sure you have healthy snacks such as yogurt, cheese, nuts, fruit and vegetables ready when a snack-attack happens.
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- Don’t miss tea/coffee-breaks. Not only is it important to stretch your legs and give your eyes a rest, but it is also important to socialise with colleagues. A cup of coffee may give you a short burst of energy while a café latte will provide protein and calcium. Herbal teas are filled with antioxidants and adding a cinnamon stick will up your concentration and mood.
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- Watch what you eat at lunch time. Although the mid-afternoon slump seems to be part of the body’s natural circadian rhythm, the food you eat may either help put you to sleep or give you a new boost of energy. A big meal of processed, fried food and refined carbohydrates and a sugar-laden dessert may send you on a short-lived, high energy, high blood sugar trip but will swiftly be followed by a blood sugar crash and the typical mid-afternoon slump. A smaller, nutritious, high protein, low glycaemic index lunch (such as a tuna salad or green salad with low-fat cheese, a hardboiled egg and grilled chicken or sliced turkey) is a much better option.
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- Get out of the office and into the fresh air and sunshine. Not only will you be resetting your circadian clock to produce less melatonin but you will also be soaking up some valuable vitamin D.
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- If you absolutely crave sweets, organic dark chocolate is a good choice, or try chewing sugar-free, peppermint gum to stimulate the production of saliva, which also helps to clear out cavity causing bacteria in the mouth.
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- Avoid dehydration and its sleepy side-effects by constantly sipping water throughout the day. Hot or cold water with lemon enhances energy and coconut water is filled with electrolytes.
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- Physical activity, even at your desk, will increase your energy and alertness. Just standing up and stretching your muscles or doing a few head and shoulder rolls will do the trick. A short, brisk walk outside is an ideal way to beat the afternoon slump.
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- Bring nature with its energising scents into your workplace. Plants and flowers stimulate both the senses and the mind and enhance energy and concentration.
Try it and see!
Sources
Borreli, L. 2013. Natural ways to prevent the mid-afternoon slump — caffeine-free. Retrieved from: http://www.medicaldaily.com/natural-ways-prevent-mid-afternoon-slump-caffeine-free-247412
Bulletproof your sleep with vitamin D. Retrieved from: http://www.bulletproofexec.com/bulletproof-your-sleep-with-vitamin-d/
Goodstein, R. Green your office. Retrieved from: http://www.nature.org/greenliving/gogreen/everydayenvironmentalist/green-your-office.xml
Melatonin. 2013. Retrieved from: http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/melatonin?norating=true&comment=Excellent%20and%20informative%20article#submission
Overcoming your midafternoon energy slump. Retrieved from: http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=1&ContentID=503
13 ways to beat the afternoon slump at wor. Retrieved from: http://www.rd.com/13-things/13-ways-to-beat-the-afternoon-slump-at-work/