Here's How To Overcome Sleepiness After Lunch

Sleepy illustration at work (Pexels / Andrea Piacquadio)

JAKARTA - The afternoon after mealtime is a time for prone to sleepiness. The causes can be various kinds, such as anemia, diabetes, sleep apnea, allergies, intolerance to certain wombs, and hypothyroidism. In addition to these causes, it can also be due to heavy eating or large portions.

For the last cause, drowsiness is the body's response to changes in biochemical levels after eating. You can overcome this normal cause in the way below.

More movement after eating

If after eating you take a sitting position in a comfortable chair plus in an air-conditioned room, sleepiness will strike. You need to move around for 15 to 30 minutes before getting into a ready to work position again.

Moving a little helps improve blood flow and increase the distribution of nutrients and oxygen throughout the body.

Stop eating before you are full

It's important to consider the portion and type of food to eat at lunch. Lunch is recommended to contain carbohydrates for energy. However, too large portions of carbohydrates, oily foods, and fiber make the digestive process use up energy.

Drowsiness after eating is also related to blood sugar levels. Especially if you are eating white rice lunch which has a high glycemic index. The glycemic index is a standard measure of how quickly food increases blood sugar levels.

Increased blood sugar levels trigger the body to produce insulin. While insulin rises to cause the hormones melatonin and serotonin. This is why you are sleepy after eating a plate of white rice.

Instead, you need to choose foods that contain complex carbohydrates with a low glycemic index, such as brown rice. Coupled with vegetables high in mineral vitamins and side dishes containing protein. Most importantly, stop eating before your stomach is full.

Avoid skipping breakfast

The habit of not having breakfast triggers the consumption of more food at lunch. This means that you need to divide the portion of the balance between breakfast and lunch so that digestion work is not heavy during the day. The weight of the digestion process also triggers drowsiness. Metabolism will focus more on the digestive process so that the body will feel weak and want to lean on to sleep.

Drink water

Water helps the digestive system work effectively, especially during sensitive hours such as during the day. To control drowsiness, you need to drink water half an hour before meals and after meals.

Sleeping after eating is not recommended, because it has an impact on acid reflux and insomnia. Then you need to set the habits above so you don't get sleepy after lunch.