Overcoming Your Midafternoon Energy Slump
You may charge into the day full of energy. But by midafternoon a wave of sleepiness
hits you. You find it hard to keep your eyes open, or you find yourself yawning. Many
people have these late-in-the-day energy lags, but you can take steps to prevent them.
Here are some tips for healthy ways to keep your energy flowing throughout the day.
Don’t miss breakfast
The best way to keep your energy level at peak performance is to start the day with
breakfast. Skipping any meal affects your ability to focus. This makes it harder to
solve problems. Missed meals also mean you miss out on nutrients. Often, people who
skip meals end up overeating later.
Pick high-energy carbs
For a quick burst of fuel, choose foods high in complex carbohydrates. These are healthful
sources of energy that digest the quickest. Go for whole-grain breads and cereals,
fresh fruits, vegetables and vegetable sticks, pasta, beans, or brown rice. Even spring
rolls or burritos can do the trick. To hold hunger at bay for longer, choose protein
foods that take longer to digest. These include nuts, peanut butter, and cheese.
Snack wisely
Instead of looking at snacks as extras, treat them as mini-meals that add to your
overall nutrition for the day. Healthy snacks help provide fuel to keep your body
going. Try fruits and vegetables to boost your intake of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Choose plain nonfat yogurt or café lattes made with skim milk to get protein and calcium.
When you snack, keep variety, moderation, and balance in mind.
Choose low-fat
Fat takes a long time to digest and makes the body feel sluggish. Most junk food is
high in fat and sugar. Instead of buying chips or cookies from a vending machine at
work, plan ahead and bring healthy foods for snacks.
Don’t overdo sugar
Eating sugar causes your blood sugar to rise rapidly. This can result in an energy
boost. But when sugar is introduced into the bloodstream, the body also makes insulin.
This lowers blood sugar levels. Sometimes the body over-adjusts itself, causing the
blood sugar level to drop quickly. This explains the drop in energy some people have
about 30 minutes after eating a sugary snack. Sugar in moderation, especially from
fruit or 100% fruit juice, will give you energy without a lag.
Sleep well
Getting even 1 hour less of sleep can result in slower mental functioning the next
day. Your reactions will be slowed and your memory may suffer. The average adult needs—but
doesn't get—about 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night, according to the National Sleep Foundation.
On average, a person over age 65 needs about 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night.
Tank up on fluids
Your body needs a certain amount of water to function. When you don’t have enough
water, everything slows down and becomes less efficient. Water is best. But other
liquids, like milk, juice, or the water in solid foods, will also work.
Get a caffeine boost
Caffeine is a stimulant, so it will give you a short-term energy boost. According
to the FDA, as long as you keep your caffeine intake to about 400 mg per day—about
the equivalent of 4 cups of coffee —caffeine typically isn’t harmful to most healthy
adults. But each person is different in how sensitive they are to caffeine and how
fast they break it down. Remember, having too much caffeine can affect you for as
long as 12 to 24 hours. Side effects can include:
Develop an active life
Exercise increases your endurance and makes your cardiovascular system more efficient.
This gives you more energy for doing simple daily tasks. Exercise also helps you sleep
better, improves your mood, eases stress, helps with weight control, strengthens bones
and muscles, and lowers your risk for a host of diseases. Check with your healthcare
provider before starting an exercise program.
Break for fitness
A good way to fight off tiredness during that midafternoon energy lag is to do some
stretches. Or take a quick walk around the block. This will get the blood flowing.
It also forces your senses to become sharper and more focused.