5 reasons why you have those annoying energy slumps in the afternoon
Here are ideas on what you can do about it
Energy slumps during the day are a frequent and unwanted guest in our afternoons — and can wreak havoc on productivity.
We have all struggled with it at some point–some more than others. And although everyone feels tired from time to time, chronic fatigue can interfere with your quality of life.
And for some people, it may be indicative of more severe health problems.
You should pay close attention to persistent fatigue during the day.
The good news is that it be tackled with tweaks to your daily routines and habits.
Scouring the internet, you will find good, bad, and contradictory advice on the topic. Many are based only on anecdotal and subjective evidence. But I’ll share causes and strategies backed by science and my personal experience that hopefully will keep your energy up for that elite-level daytime productivity.
Not drinking enough water.
It’s 2 pm, and you feel a little groggy. So you head off to the office fridge or your home fridge –I don’t know where you work. You open it, and instead of going for that nice cool bottle of water, you pick the carb-rich leftover. Fifteen minutes later, you are done eating.
Congratulations, you have just succeeded in taking in calories you didn’t need –and you probably still feel a little, if not more, tired.
It’s very common for people to confuse thirst with hunger and end up not drinking enough water during the day.
Mild dehydration can resemble symptoms of hunger — headache, lightheadedness, low energy, and difficulty concentrating — which usually explains that groggy feeling we get in the afternoon despite having lunch.
Here’s what you can do
The human body cannot function efficiently without adequate water, which is important for maintaining energy levels. This study suggests that water consumption can positively or negatively influence cognitive abilities and mood states.
And although you may have heard about the recommended eight, 8-ounce glasses of water daily — our hydration needs depend on various factors, including your sex and weight.
So it would help if you let your thirst guide you –invest in a decent-sized water bottle and drink water often during the day.
Not getting enough sunlight
How important is Vitamin D?
Well, it’s one of the very few vitamins the human body can synthesize by itself under certain conditions. It supports several functions throughout the body — everything from building immunity to growing muscle mass.
Unlike most other vitamins, it is not solely acquired from food sources — your body makes vitamin D when your skin is exposed to the sun.
However, almost half of the world population is deficient in vitamin D. It doesn’t help that sun exposure can be elusive — and getting it depends on where you live and your work hours.
A lack of vitamin D can leave you feeling tired.
Researchers have found that low levels of vitamin D are linked to poor sleep quality, contributing to a lack of energy during the day.
In one study, participants who increased their vitamin D levels saw significant improvement in symptoms of fatigue.
Here’s what you can do
- Spend a few minutes daily in direct sunlight (if it’s practical where you live). This you can achieve from morning jogs or leisure strolls.
- You can also consume vitamin D in foods like fortified dairy products, egg yolks, and fatty fish, such as salmon.
- Note that it’s challenging to get enough through your diet alone –so supplementation is a route you may want to consider.
Poor quality sleep
Quality sleep is just as important for your health and energy levels as is the right foods and clean water. These adjectives are important for a reason. You wouldn’t just eat only processed carbs and alcohol all day or drink unfiltered or dirty water –the same goes for sleep.
Without sleep, the first thing to go is your mental alertness and other cognitive functions leading to several negative health outcomes. Eventually impairing your ability to perform simple tasks.
Sleep helps to conserve and restore energy. It is also important for recovery from previous wakefulness and performance in the subsequent wake period. This study shows that Sleep-deprived participants reported increased effort on cognitive vigilance tasks, complex cognitive tasks, and tasks involving physical work.
As important as sleep is, many people don’t get the quality required to stay energized during the day. One-third of U.S. adults report getting less than the recommended 8 hours of sleep a night.
Here’s what you can do
Sticking to a sleep schedule helps improve sleep quality and latency (the time it takes a person to fall asleep after turning the lights out). You can also enhance sleep duration by adjusting work hours or rearranging schedules for evening social engagements.
In addition, make an effort to have a quality sleep by working on your sleep hygiene. This includes:
- Don’t watch TV, use the computer, or phone close to bedtime.
- Avoid caffeinated drinks at night.
- Sleep in a quiet and comfortable room.
- Maintain a regular sleep and wake schedule.
- Avoid late-night meals.
Food is also crucial to better sleep. For instance, this study suggests that a high-calorie diet can disrupt circadian rhythms. Eat low-calorie, nutrient-dense foods at least 4 hours before bed, so the body has enough time to digest it for that restful night’s rest.
High carb diet
Fatigue caused by poor quality sleep can cause cravings for calorie-dense foods. According to this study, poor quality sleep can cause changes in appetite-regulating hormones and brain functioning, leading to a desire to increase energy levels with foods high in added (simple) sugars, sodium, and fat.
Consuming large amounts of carbs provides a quick source of energy by momentarily boosting blood sugar levels, leading to insulin spikes, a subsequent sugar crash, and a sudden drop in energy levels. Leading to a cycle of energy dips, snacking, and sugar crashes.
The usual culprits are processed foods like pasta, noodles, and pizza, but they can be more observable after consuming simple carbohydrates like sugars from desserts and sodas.
This can disrupt productivity and energy levels throughout the day.
Here’s what you can do
Dietary choices are central to our well-being, and there is growing evidence that food affects our mood.
In this study, a diet rich in refined sugars and highly processed grains resulted in increased symptoms of depression, fatigue, and total mood disturbance when compared to lower glycemic foods rich in whole grains and legumes.
A diet low in processed food and added sugar but high in nutrient-dense foods like vegetables, nuts, legumes, fruits, and protein sources such as turkey, mackerel, salmon, and eggs may help provide your body with peak nutrition and, at the same time reduce fatigue, neutralize the effects of sleep deprivation and support healthy sleep.
A good enough diet can even counteract the effects of sleep deprivation, as this study of 245 Stanford physicians and researchers suggests — so make an effort to eat the right foods.
Multitasking
We all do this — you are probably doing it right now.
Multitasking can be described as completing or attempting to complete two or more tasks simultaneously by switching from one task to the other and back again.
It is a terrible strategy to improve productivity –though it sounds like a good enough idea. However, it takes a toll on the brain and drains mental energy due to shifting attention back and forth.
Studies have shown that frequent multitasking can change the way the brain functions.
Switching between tasks forces the prefrontal cortex to use more energy, causing frontal lobe fatigue that impedes cognitive performance.
For more information on why you should NOT multitask, read my article on the topic.
Here is what you can do
First, you can’t do high-quality work when your attention is spread across several social media apps, emails, and a report. It’s mentally demanding and makes those tasks take even longer to complete.
If you are interested in staying focused and saving energy by not having to redo poor-quality work, consider:
- Removing distractions while working.
- Creating and sticking to a well-defined work ritual that prioritizes focus over multitasking.
- Using to-do lists in which listed items are completed one after the other.
In conclusion
Most people have days when they have sudden energy slumps and become unproductive.
However, adjustments to your routines, lifestyle, and diet can be made to make it more manageable and less frequent.
If you’re experiencing unexplained lethargy, you must schedule an appointment with your doctor to find the cause and get treatment.
Good luck, and stay productive.
