How to beat the post-lunch slump

Why you get sleepy after eating

Feeling drowsy after a meal is extremely common, and most of the time it is simply part of normal digestion. Straight after eating, the body directs a lot of its effort towards digesting, you relax and a heaviness sets in. Your daily rhythm plays a part too. Early afternoon is a time when alertness dips slightly even if you skip lunch, so when a meal lands on top of that the slump feels bigger. Rather than looking for a single trick, it is more realistic to look at portion size, what is on the plate, sleep and what you do after eating.

Eating less comes first

Portion size has the clearest effect. Eat until you are stuffed and digestion has more work to do, so the heaviness lasts longer. Simply putting down your fork just before you feel full can change your afternoon noticeably. Eating slowly helps too. Fullness only registers a little while after you start, so eating fast makes it easy to overshoot. Rather than starving all morning and then eating a lot at once, shorten the gap with breakfast or a mid-morning snack.

What you eat matters too

Many people feel heavier after filling up only on refined carbohydrates such as white rice, noodles, bread and sweet drinks. Eating vegetables and protein alongside the same amount slows digestion and keeps you full for longer. Very oily food takes a long time to digest and can stretch out both the bloated feeling and the drowsiness.

• Take a little less rice or noodles than usual and more side dishes
• Start with vegetables and always include a protein dish
• Cut back on sweet drinks with meals
• Avoid fried and stir-fried dishes several days in a row

Ten minutes after lunch changes the afternoon

Many people find they feel less sluggish if they walk gently for 10 to 15 minutes after eating instead of going straight back to a screen. There is no need to get out of breath; a lap around the building or a slow walk up and down the stairs is enough. Daylight also helps wake you up. On the other hand, lying down right after a meal can bring on heartburn or reflux, so it is best avoided. If you cannot get outside, even standing up to stretch and rolling your shoulders makes a difference.

Last night's sleep sets this afternoon

Look back at the days when the slump is especially bad and you will often find you went to bed late or woke often. When you are short on sleep, your body grabs any chance to rest, and lunch is simply the trigger. No amount of diet tweaking makes up for missing sleep. Going to bed and getting up at similar times every day, and not scrolling in bed for long, have the biggest effect on how you feel in the afternoon.

Coffee and short naps

Coffee after lunch is a common way to chase off drowsiness, but drinking it late in the afternoon can disturb your night's sleep and feed a cycle of being even sleepier the next day. If you are sensitive to caffeine, stick to the early afternoon. If you can nap, closing your eyes for under 20 minutes is an option. Sleep too long and you slip into deep sleep, wake up groggier and affect your night as well.

• Coffee only until early afternoon, keeping your daily total in mind
• Naps under 20 minutes, with an alarm
• If you are worried about drowsy driving, rest first or postpone the drive

Common mistakes

Skipping lunch altogether is a common mistake. Concentration drops in the afternoon and it often leads to overeating in the evening. Fighting drowsiness with sweet snacks or energy drinks only gives a brief feeling of alertness and fixes nothing. There is no need to blame yourself or treat the slump as a willpower problem. Changing one thing at a time, whether portion, plate, sleep or movement after eating, is the quickest way to find what works for you.

Signs you should see a doctor

If you get unbearably sleepy after meals, are very thirsty, urinate often or are losing weight without trying, it could be a blood sugar problem, so get checked. If you sleep enough but are always drowsy during the day, or have been told you snore heavily and stop breathing in your sleep, your sleep is worth having examined. The same goes for a racing heart or cold sweats after eating. This article is general lifestyle information and is not a diagnosis. If symptoms persist, talk to a professional.