Every afternoon, we all notice a drop in our energy levels, which makes you feel sleepy, groggy and lacking motivation.
I think we’re all guilty for reaching for caffeine, whenever we need a boost – be it a coffee or a Diet Coke. However, caffeine can end up leaving you feeling worse, and even more sleepy. Here are some tips you can try, to boost your energy levels when the afternoon slump hits.
What Triggers The Afternoon Slump
Your body’s circadian rhythm creates energy highs and lows, with the afternoon being a common circadian dip. It usually happens between 1pm and 4pm, lowering your alertness, even if you slept well.
Sleep “debt” raises your homeostatic sleep drive, so accumulated sleep need ends up amplifying the natural afternoon fating.
Having small nightly sleep shortfalls will all add up, increasing “adenosine buildup”, making your mental fatigue worse by the middle of the afternoon.
What you eat, and when you eat it also matters. Having high-glycemic meals causes a rapid blood sugar spike, followed by an energy crash. Digestion redirects blood flow, and deepens the brain fog you naturally feel after lunch.
Your hormones and body temperature shifts throughout the day. Cortisol naturally falls, after its morning peak, and slight drops in core temperature will leave you feeling drowsy.
Build A Lunch That Keeps Energy Steady
Choose a balance of protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats, to avoid rapid blood sugar swings. This will slow down your digestion, to keep you full, for longer, preventing a mid-afternoon crash.
Start with a protein base, like grilled chicken, tune, tofu, or Greek yogurt with chia seeds. Proteins will stabilize your blood sugar, and support focus, plus having them with fiber-rich vegetables, extends that effect.
If you include healthy fats like avocado, olive oils, nuts or seeds, they’ll help slow stomach emptying, to maintain your energy levels.
Try and avoid sugary snacks or heavily processed lunches, as they will give you a quick energy boost right after eating, but will give you a crash in the middle of the afternoon.
Light Exposure To Wake Up Your Brain
Step outside for 10 to 20 minutes, after lunch, to give your brain a clear signal that it is daytime, and to reduce the mid-afternoon dip in alertness.
Bright light increases your alertness, by stimulating pathways tied to arousal and mood. Blue light suppresses your melatonin levels, and can make you feel more alert.
Using blue light in the afternoons, will help you feel more awake, but try and avoid brighter screens in the late evenings, as they can make it harder to switch off, when you actually want to sleep.
Smart Snacking Without Sugar Crashes
Choose snacks that combine proteins, healthy fats and fiber, to avoid blood sugar crashes. Like a small handful of walnuts with blueberries, hummus with cucumber slices or Greek yogurt with chia and cinnamon.
Try and stick to medium portions, as larger portions or meals will leave you feeling heavy, or even sleepier after eating.
Having short naps reduces fatigue, without giving you the deep-sleep grogginess. Although, make sure you don’t have longer than 20 minutes, so you can avoid sleep inertia, and feeling more tired on a daily basis.