Sleepy After Eating

After having a heavy lunch, when we resume our work in office, we tend to feel drowsy. It may intensify so much that we find it difficult to keep our eyes open. Some people think that there must be something wrong with their health. Although it is normal to feel sleepy after eating lunch, it affects the daily activities.

There are several reasons that can make you drowsy after eating. It is believed that the food you consume diverts the blood from your brain to the stomach for facilitating the digestion process. If this would be true then you would feel just as sleepy post breakfast or dinner. Therefore, this sleepiness may be associated with the following causes:

• High Carbs and Sugars: When you eat foods that are high in carbohydrates or sugar like pasta or bakery products, or consume alcohol, you tend to feel more sleepy. These foods increase the sugar levels in the blood. Then, the pancreas release large quantity of insulin.

This insulin forces an amino acid named tryptophan present in the blood into the brain. When the tryptophan reaches the brain, it gets converted into a neurotransmitter, serotonin, which is sleep-inducing hormone. This rise in serotonin levels in the brain results in sleepiness. In most cases, this is not the actual cause of sleepiness after lunch.

• Circadian Biological Clock: Your body has a biological clock that controls the timing of periods of sleepiness and wakefulness throughout the day. The circadian rhythm keeps on fluctuating during different times of the day.

Usually, a person feels more sleepy during the afternoon between 1:00-3:00 pm. If you are sleep deprived, you will feel more sleepy as the circadian rhythm falls in the afternoon.

• Sleep/Wake Homeostasis: If you are awake for a prolonged period of time, a system called sleep/wake homeostasis within your body informs you to go to sleep. As you stay awake, a chemical called adenosine accumulates in the brain.

This leads to an increased desire for sleep. The sleep drive induced by adenosine is higher in the afternoon compared to morning, and therefore you feel more sleepy after lunch.

There are some measures that can be taken in order to prevent the feeling of sleepiness after lunch. They are as follows:

• A quick, short nap will help you cope with sleepiness.

• Have a cup of coffee after lunch. However, make sure that you consume it in moderation, else it may disrupt your sleep at night and you may feel drowsy the next day.

• Avoid carbonated drinks, fats, sugars, and carbohydrates, and incorporate lean protein in your diet. This will make the sugar level in the blood steady and prevent the fluctuation of serotonin in the brain.
• Walk for at least 20 minutes, 4-5 hours prior bedtime. This will improve the quality of your sleep.

Although feeling extremely sleepy after eating is usually a harmless phenomena, it may be an indication of an underlying medical condition if it occurs persistently. If it is accompanied by other symptoms like diarrhea, bloating, and gas, then it could be a sign of food allergy or food intolerance.

Sometimes, it can be a sign of insulin problem as well. This can be identified with symptoms like dizziness, weakness, headache, etc. In both the conditions, you must consult your doctor.

Disclaimer: This story is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.