You may not know this, but before becoming a nutritionist I used to work in the corporate world.

Being a supply chain specialist I worked as a senior buyer, a planner, managed inventory and shipping and logistics as well.

It was a demanding job that kept me on my toes, with rarely any down time to relax or indulge those gossipy water cooler conversations.

So snoozing at work? No chance!

But, there were some days when I would often feel quite tired, sleepy and out of focus after lunch. So much so that I would have to go splash my face with cold water in an effort to stay focused.

At that time, I just thought that it was the stress of a demanding job that was tiring me out and making me sleepy.
It was true, but only partly.

Stress does cause exhaustion. I talked about it in one of blogs earlier, which you can read here, in case you missed it.

So what else may be the reason behind the afternoon crash and you wanting to snooze at work?

You can most likely blame your lunch for that!

Surprised? Let me explain…..

If your lunch is concentrated with sugars and starches (think white rice, bread, pasta, potatoes or other refined/ processed foods), then you will get a rapid rise in your blood sugar levels.

Since our bodies always want to be in a state of equilibrium/ balance; the brain commands pancreas to secret insulin so that it can clean up the excess blood sugar.

With that come the energy crash, feeling sleepy and becoming less focused.

Why? Because sugar is the preferred fuel for our brain and body.

Another reason behind the desire to snooze may be eating a heavy fatty meal, rich in fried or greasy food.

Such foods are quite heavy to digest.

The important thing to remember here is that digesting food is the most energy consuming function of the body.

So even digesting a regular meal is quite the feat. Now, if you eat heavy calorie dense meals, your body requires even more energy to process them.

Since the energy is now being diverted to digest your meal, you will have less energy for your work. Hence you are tired, sleepy and lack focus.

So the next time you start yawning at work and want to slump in your chair, revisit what you ate for lunch!

Eat light, balanced meals and nutrient dense meals instead of refined, processed and fatty foods. You’ll notice a difference instantly.

Food is fuel for the body- so make sure you fuel it with the right foods.

You do that for your car, so why not your body?

If you’d like to eat right and feel better, just click here to schedule your complimentary phone in discovery session with me.

You can also get my FREE cheat sheet to bust sugar carvings and balance blood sugar levels with 5 simple tips. Just click here to get your copy.

I always love to hear from you, so leave me a comment and tell me if you’ve ever felt sleepy at work. I’ll keep it a secret, I promise! 😉

In health!

Tanuja

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