The sensation of sleepiness or drowsiness after eating is widespread and usually occurs after enjoying a good lunch. Surely it has happened to you, above all, to put an end to those family meals of Sunday so copious. In these cases, the drowsiness seems unable to beat, and most likely you end up fighting against sleep in a chair or on the couch. In this article, we will present why we feel sleepy after eating?
The feeling does not only happen after the heavy lunches of the weekend. It can also occur after midweek meals, which can be quite annoying if you have to meet a split day at work and you need to be with the five senses wide awake To combat this feeling of drowsiness. It is essential that you know the reasons it appears. In this way, you will know what to do to avoid it. Keep reading: How to develop a positive attitude?
Why feel sleepy after eating?
As we have already pointed out, there are several reasons why you may have an excessive sleep after eating. One of the most common is the same for which you can suffer slight dizziness at the end of lunch. It is that most of the blood in our body travel to the digestive system to perform the process of digestion, which will be more substantial if we take a copious meal with lots of fats and carbohydrates.
According to the study “Effects of diet on sleep” conducted by the Institute of Human Nutrition of Columbia University. It is essential for the organs that make up the digestive system have sufficient blood supply.
To this factor, another factor can be added that although many experts do not consider that it affects sensibly, it can do it to some people. We refer to the variation of pH that occurs during the digestive process by the release of gastric acid during it. If we take a large amount of food, the release of acid gastric juices will be more significant to be able to digest it properly, so to balance that acid pH, the body will also have to release sodium bicarbonate. These alterations in the pH can generate us and increase the feeling of drowsiness.
Excessive sleep after eating due to hormonal alterations
Another factor that also causes the appearance of sleep after eating are changes at the hormonal level. These are stronger if we take a meal rich in carbohydrates and sugars. Why? Because its consumption generates an increase in the production and release of insulin by the pancreas. This fact is closely related to the rise in the generation of certain hormones at the brain level, such as melatonin and serotonin, when there is an increase in the activity of essential amino acid, tryptophan. The release of these two hormones causes us to feel this increased sleep because they are responsible for the process of regulating it.
There are also other hormones whose presence can make us tired after lunch. One of the most common is leptin. This hormone is closely related to the feeling of hunger since it is responsible for sending the signal that we are already satisfied and do not need more food, but it is also closely associated with the regulation of sleep and the cycle between it and wakefulness. Therefore, when it is released, sleepiness may also appear.
Foods that make you sleepy after eating
As we have already explained, several causes generate sleep after eating. In addition to having more rest due to a slower and heavier digestive process, there are also certain foods that, due to their content of tryptophan. The essential amino acid that we mentioned previously, or to significantly increase the release of insulin, will create a more excellent sensation of sleep:
- Dairy: Yogurt, milk, or cheese contain a remarkable amount of tryptophan. This will cause the release of melatonin and serotonin and the arrival of sleep. Therefore, most times the consumption of a glass of milk is recommended to sleep.
- Nuts: Like dairy products, nuts are rich in tryptophan, so they will also cause drowsiness, especially in the case of nuts.
- Oats: Its content in tryptophan and vitamins of group B will also make you sleepy.
- White rice: This food is one of the highest elevators of the glycemic peak in blood as demonstrated by a study by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition which causes a large amount of insulin to be released with the results we already know.
How to avoid sleep after eating?
Likely, you do not mind having a rest after eating during the weekends, but if you have to continue working at the end of lunchtime, it is normal that you do not want to have to fight against sleep and that you prefer to be precise.
Fewer amounts of simple carbohydrates and sugars: As we have explained before, if you take a large number of carbohydrates, the release of insulin will increase significantly, which will cause a higher production of melatonin and serotonin and, therefore, the drowsiness. To avoid this, try to take a smaller amount of sugars during meals and raise other nutrients such as proteins or vitamins, including more vegetables, meat or fish, so that your lunches are more balanced at a nutritional level.
Do not forget the mid-morning: At least make a full breakfast. In this way, you will avoid arriving at lunchtime with a great feeling of hunger. You will not eat a large amount of food, distributing your intakes better, and not having to perform heavy digestions that cause that sensation of sleep. Therefore, we advise you to resort to a piece of fruit or a sandwich at noon.
Do not stand still after eating: If you have to keep working at the end of lunch, when you finish, avoid staying seated. We do not advise you to exercise because you have to do the digestion correctly and you need your blood to go to the area of the digestive system.