Almost every person can relate at least occasionally to The Afternoon Slump. It hits a couple hours after lunch and can go on and on until you give in and down some caffeine or sugar…or if you are lucky, actually take a nap.
This late afternoon crash is not inevitable if you take some simple steps earlier in the day whether you are a child or adult and whether you are a homemaker or work somewhere else.
Here are 7 suggestions to keep your engine roaring from lunch until dinner allowing you to be productive at work or school, or just be happy because you don’t feel sluggish and brain fogged. Do them all or try a few until you find what works for you.
1. Eat a breakfast that includes protein and some fat. Some ideas for this include scrambled eggs with cheddar shreds, protein powder added to whole grain cereal, flax seeds added to a real fruit and yogurt smoothie, or peanut butter on a whole grain waffle.
2. Get sunlight within two hours of waking up. Even during fall and winter, just stepping outside briefly to grab the newspaper or walk the dog can give you a mental boost that lasts into the day.
3. Avoid snacking on simple sugars before lunch. Especially steer clear of anything with high fructose corn syrup, which will send your blood sugar soaring and then plummeting 30 minutes later. Try fruit, nuts, veggie sticks, cheese, or yogurt instead.
4. Don’t eat a heavy lunch. Eat a balanced lunch that ideally includes fruits and veggies, but MUST include protein to keep you going. Eat until you are full but no more because an over-stuffed tummy brings on the grog.
5. After lunch do a spurt of physical activity. Holistic Nutrition Coach, Jill Grunewald suggests doing 30 jumping jacks. “Everyone knows that energy begets energy and that regular exercise alleviates depression and fatigue.” Activity can be less conspicuous; take a short walk outside or even a few laps around the office or trips up and down the stairs.
6. Listen to energizing music after lunch. If at all possible, pop on some tunes that rev you up and get you moving. It’s amazing how the right song can snap you back to life and allow you to focus on the task at hand. Many workplaces allow you to bring music with headphones. At home play a stereo. On the go? Bring an MP3 player. Choose upbeat or energizing music…the kind you would listen to at the gym.
7. Make sure you are sleeping enough at night. This sounds like common sense but for teens up late doing homework and mom and dad up having grown-up time, the hours easily slip into the night. Shoot for at least 8 hours and limit caffeine in the afternoon and alcohol right at bedtime because both can disrupt sleep patterns.
If the stars just don’t align one day and you find yourself nodding off in the afternoon, don’t perpetuate the caffeine-sugar cycle, which can throw you off for days. Get some oxygen outside if possible, breathe deeply for a few breaths, and try drinking some ice-cold water (or even splash some on your face!) At times it may help to get up and find a friend, classmate, or coworker and go chit-chat for a while and have a few laughs. Sometimes, with the right joke or juicy tidbit you’ll forget that you were even sleepy at all.
Know that the dreaded afternoon slump is not a mandatory misery and is almost always avoidable unless you have an underlying medical condition. Perk up and get the most out of your day—all of it.
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