You’ve been buzzing away like a busy bee, and now it’s lunchtime. You’ve sat down to eat your lunch that you carefully selected from your long list of deliciousness which you starting compiling as soon as you woke up, & then, as soon as you get back to the office and get ready to get back into things, it happens… 3PM-itis hits and you are ready to go home and truth be told, a nanny nap will not go astray.
This is a thing people – this sleepy and sluggish feeling that takes over you in the afternoon urging you to walk over to that vending machine (or the free cookie jar at work), and feel intense fatigue is an actual thing.
We’ve listed some of the reasons why this happens and how we can take on the 3PM monster that makes our last 2 hours of work an absolute dread.
You’re Dehydrated
Believe it or not, even mild dehydration can make you feel tired and sluggish. Someone even threw in the word “moody” at me today (but let’s just ignore that for now). Always keep a glass of water nearby and make it a habit to sip on it every half an hour. Dislike drinking water? There’s no many fun ideas on the internet about how you can spice up your water intake. Try it out and before you know it you will be the Queen of Hydration, with the side benefits of glowing skin and super-white whites in your eyes.
Skipping Breakfast & Indulging In That Massive Lunch Because You Are Starving
I am going to be honest here. I have never been a big fan of breakfast. I have been known to hit the snooze button at least 6 times before I am ready to roll out of bed (2020 New Year Goals). But, every time I have had breakfast it has set me up for the rest of the day, and stopped me craving that carbohydrate-rich greasy lunch later.
Simple carbs like white rice and bread, pasta, or chips can cause a rapid spike in blood sugar. Blood sugar then drops suddenly causing you to feel tired and moody, with no energy.
The bottom line, eat a protein rich breakfast and if you are like me and are not a breakfast kind of person, have a protein shake (shameless plug here but it is really a good way to have a protein-rich source early in the morning and it sets you up for the rest of the day). Try to replace simple carbs with complex carbs such as brown rice, whole grain pasta, or whole-wheat crackers, and if you are going to snack, opt for energy boosting options such as raw nuts, or yoghurt.
Your Body’s Natural Response To Circadian Rhythms That Normally Makes Us Sleepy Between 2 to 4AM & 1 To 3PM
Your body’s temperature normally drops during these times, and it triggers the release of melatonin, the “I am sleepy” hormone that causes your post-lunch sleepiness. How can we beat this? Get up and move, go get some sunshine or pop in your headphones and listen to some music. We are social by nature, so even chatting to your favourite work-buddy will do the trick.