How to Overcome the Afternoon Slump
The afternoon slump – we’ve all felt it. It’s one of those days between about 1 and 4 pm where we hit a wall. We struggle to focus, motivation dips, and we may feel excessively tired. You may ask yourself: “Why do I lose energy in the afternoon?” Or, maybe you notice this happens after lunch: “Why do I lose energy after eating?” While a dip in energy at this time is actually part of the natural circadian rhythm, feeling excessively tired is not.
Let’s explore some possible causes for why you may feel so tired in the afternoon, as well as potential solutions for overcoming the afternoon slump.
Possible Causes & Solutions for the Afternoon Slump
Cause: Insufficient Sleep
While this is probably the most obvious reason you feel so tired, it is often one that is overlooked. Many of us say we are tired on more days than not, but let’s be honest, how do our habits support our sleep? When talking about sleep, we want to be reminded of both quantity and quality. Is your phone screen 6 inches from your face (or closer if your eyesight is poor like mine) right up until you shut your eyes for the night? Is eating too late impacting your sleep quality? Digesting a large meal increases your heart rate and therefore can cause your resting heart rate to take longer to stabilize through the night.
Solution: Enhance sleep quality and quantity.
One of my favorite phrases is “nothing changes if nothing changes.” While this sounds just as obvious as insufficient sleep being the reason you feel so tired in the afternoon, it’s something that we humans find easy to dismiss. Reflect on your sleep habits and sleep hygiene – taking the time to modify just one or two behaviors has the potential to drastically impact your quality of sleep.
Some habits to consider include:
Turning off screens 30-60 minutes before bed
Maintaining a consistent bedtime
Eating dinner at least 1-2 hours before bed
Separating yourself from the hustle and bustle of the day (i.e. journaling, reading, meditation, prayer, etc.)
I really want to drive home this point about separating yourself from the hustle and bustle of the day. When you cook something on the stove, the burner is going to stay hot for a bit even after it’s been turned off. Your brain/body are the same! You can’t work or consume endless info via social media (even if you think you’re relaxing!) right up until the minute you shut your eyes without disrupting your sleep quality, just like you can’t touch the stovetop immediately after cooking without getting burned.
Cause: Blood Sugar Spike & Crash
Processed foods and foods high in sugar spike blood sugar as they are digested and absorbed. We know that what goes up, must come down. In other words, when there is a spike, there is inevitably a crash. Glycemic index is a means of measuring the impact of carbs on blood sugar. High glycemic foods cause a rapid rise and fall of blood sugar, while low glycemic foods cause a more gradual rise and fall. This is reflected in an energy rise and crash versus more sustained energy levels. High glycemic foods include processed foods (i.e. fast food, chips), refined sugar, soda and sports drinks, white bread, and white rice. Low glycemic foods include fruits, vegetables, legumes, most dairy products, nuts, and whole grains. If your typical lunch consists of mainly processed foods, you may just be “fueling” your afternoon slump.
Solution: Be intentional about food quality from a macronutrient and micronutrient level.
Macronutrients are nutrients that your body needs in large amounts – carbohydrates, protein, and fats. Micronutrients are needed in smaller amounts – vitamins and minerals. When explaining food quality, I often come back to the example of frozen pizza. A frozen pizza might have “good macros” and fit well into a person’s macronutrient goals for the day. However, it may simultaneously have “bad micros” such as high sodium or trans fats. (Yes, fats are a macronutrient, but old-school macro tracking often dismisses type of fat and just looks at fat overall). Macronutrients are important but cannot be viewed independently of food quality in the context of health.
A few specific ways to prioritize food quality to maintain energy levels include:
Eat snacks and meals including a protein, carb, and fat source. Protein and fats break down more slowly than carbs, so when combined, there is a more gradual blood sugar rise and fall.
Eat more frequent meals and snacks throughout the day to avoid significant blood sugar drops.
Opt for complex carb sources over simple carb sources, particularly at lunch. Without getting too nitty gritty, complex carbs are typically lower glycemic index foods whereas simple carbs are typically higher glycemic index foods. What does your lunch typically consist of? The answer may be more obvious if you consistently opt for fast or highly processed food. However, the answer is not always as obvious so try small swaps like brown rice or quinoa instead of white rice, or adding avocado or another healthy fat to your protein and carb.
*Quick side bar that there is nothing wrong with white rice! I personally eat white rice more often than brown rice. However, we do know that white rice (higher glycemic index) is digested into usable energy more quickly than brown rice (lower glycemic index). With that being said, if you are experiencing energy crashes after a large bowl of white rice, opt for brown next time and see if there’s an impact. White rice is likely the better option if you are eating a pre-workout meal (fast-digesting) but brown rice might be better if you have already worked out and are struggling with the afternoon slump (slow digesting).
Cause: Caffeine Crash
Just as we said above – what goes up, must come down. Unfortunately, caffeine is not immune to this pattern. Caffeine works by blocking the effects of the brain’s neurotransmitter adenosine, which promotes sleepiness. However, blocking the effects does not mean blocking the production and so when caffeine wears off, you may feel even more sleepy. In other words, is your effort to “get ahead” of the afternoon slump actually making it worse?
No shade toward caffeine – I love my morning coffee and typically look forward to another after lunch. Caffeine can absolutely be used for benefit, but the stimulant should be used intentionally.
Solution: Be mindful of total caffeine intake and avoid caffeine on an empty stomach.
A few things to note about caffeine consumption:
The recommended caffeine consumption for healthy adults is <400 mg per day. Additionally, it is recommended to keep caffeine consumption to no more than 200 mg at a time.
Pay attention to everything that contains caffeine. It adds up throughout the day!
Caffeine has a half life of about 6 hours. This means it can stay in your system for about 6 hours after consumption. Be mindful of giving yourself a 6+ hour window prior to winding down for the night so that you can prioritize sleep like we mentioned earlier.
Remember the importance of protein, carbs, and fats! Having a meal and not consuming caffeine on an empty stomach helps protect hormone health, which is essential for sustaining energy throughout the day. Coffee ≠ Breakfast.
Remember, a rise and fall of energy levels throughout the day is a natural part of your circadian rhythm. However, feeling like you absolutely cannot keep your eyes open is a different story. Try out some of these solutions to the afternoon slump and see if you notice any progress. Additionally, it may be wise to plan your daily tasks around your natural circadian rhythm when you have the opportunity. For example, if you have the flexibility of working toward higher brain power or creative tasks in the morning, maybe you can check the more mindless items off your to-do list in the afternoon.
Want more specific or personalized nutrition recommendations to overcome the afternoon slump? Let’s chat!
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