Feeling sleepy and ready to quit in the mid-afternoon is oftentimes caused by cortisol. Your cortisol, or stress hormone, is highest in the morning, and throughout the day gently declines. Alongside cortisol is blood pressure, which peaks around midday and then falls in the afternoon to evening. This cycle is called the 24-hour circadian rhythm.
Combined with post-lunch blood sugar spikes, the circadian rhythm can make you feel sleepy, tired, and ready for a nap around 2-3 PM. Obviously, we can’t just throw in the towel during that time and go home from work early, so how do we combat this tired feeling?
Here are some of our favorite ways to make it through the day until you’re free to go home and relax.
Get Moving
Sometimes all you need is a walk after lunch or a quick set of jumping jacks before you sit back down at your desk. It may sound silly but getting your body up and moving even just for a minute or two can really help you get through the day. Exercise raises your cortisol levels in a healthy way and also has a positive effect on your cognitive ability.
This is why many people opt for lunchtime workouts to break up their day and come back in the afternoon refreshed and focused. If you have the time, check out noontime classes around your workspace and try it out to feel the difference!
Pick A Smart Snack
It’s true that what we put in our bodies is what fuels us. So if we are trying to avoid a midday crash, eating a healthy and nutritious lunch is the way to go. Say ‘no’ to processed foods and simple carbs. Instead, choose something that is protein-packed and contains healthy fats.
If your lunch is light, you may need a pick-me-up snack in the afternoon. Again, choose something with protein and healthy fats. Celery and almond butter is a great snack that tastes like a treat. If you’re craving something more savory, a hard-boiled egg, a handful of mixed nuts, or a turkey and cheese roll-up could save your day.
Add Active H2 Into Your Day
Even with all the healthy habits we put into place, adding a supplement into our daily regimen can boost the effectiveness of what we are already doing. Active H2 can help your body navigate its way through the mid-afternoon slump by energizing you on a cellular level.
By dissolving 1 tablet into water 1-3 times daily, not only will your energy levels be supported, but so will your immune system, metabolic health, cardiovascular health, aging process, and ability to recover. Active H2 can be a total life-changer if incorporated consistently into a healthy lifestyle routine.
Take Breaks
When you’re at work, it’s easy to just keep working without breaks. However, studies show that taking breaks throughout that day can help with many aspects of the workday including reevaluating goals, refocusing, increasing productivity, reducing sleepiness, improving creativity, and reducing stress.
There are a number of techniques used to reap the benefits of breaks. One of the most popular is called the Pomodoro Technique.
Here are the original 6 steps of this technique:
- Pick a task to be done.
- Set your timer for 25 minutes.
- Work on the task.
- End work when the timer ends and take a 5-10 minute break.
- If you have finished fewer than 3 Pomodoros, go back to Step 2 and repeat until you go through 3 full Pomodoros.
- After 3 Pomodoros are completed, do the 4th Pomodoro and afterward take a 20-30 minute break. Once the long break is finished, return to Step 2.
