(Image source from: Freepik.com)
Like many people, I often feel sleepy and tired after lunch. Even in the office, there may be a lot of people around you yawning or taking a nap after lunch. Sometimes we find it difficult to suppress the feeling that all the energy is being drained from our body and we are falling asleep. But have you ever wondered why you feel sleepy after lunch, says Preeti Pandey, nutritionist at Apollo Subspecialty Hospital, Lucknow, something many of us often share insight into. Pandey says it's not normal to feel sleepy, lethargic or weak after lunch. This condition is called food poisoning. He also added that there is no clear reason for this symptom and people often dismiss it as postprandial sleepiness. However, there may be important reasons that cannot be ignored. The reasons for afternoon sleepiness are:
1. Reduced blood flow to the brain: According to nutritionists, you should have a light meal in the afternoon. A healthy diet requires more energy for digestion and your digestive system requires more blood to digest food. After lunch, blood flow to the brain decreases. This is why you feel sluggish and sleepy after lunch.
2. Blood sugar levels drop quickly. This nutritionist further said: Our body needs energy to function and we can get energy from timely meals like breakfast, lunch and dinner. Nutrients in the food we eat are the main source of energy for our body. Immediately after eating, the digestive process leads to a significant drop in blood sugar levels. This phenomenon causes drowsiness and sleepiness.
Experts say that people who skip breakfast and immediately eat lunch are more susceptible to this disease. Such people usually have the habit of eating a heavy lunch to make up for the forgotten breakfast. This habit leads to increased sleepiness. To maintain health, it is recommended to eat whole grains, oatmeal, brown bread, eggs, omelets and fruits for breakfast. It is also very important to drink the right amount of water to maintain energy and stay hydrated. This helps get rid of the feeling of tiredness after eating.
