9 Tips For That Mid-Day Boost And Prevent Sleepiness

Last updated on 11 MAR 2019

Ever find yourself yawning excessively and feel like you needed to get a boost of energy just about an hour after lunch? Our internal circadian body clock dips and rises at a certain time of the day.

This occurs around 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. and the drive is more intense if we lack sleep and less if we get enough. However, with our busy lives and routine such as juggling home and work, we sometimes find it difficult to get a good night’s sleep.

Here are some tips on how to minimize sleepiness and give us our mid-day boost:

1. Make sure you eat breakfast

Eat breakfast that is high in protein, such as eggs, oatmeal or an avocado smoothie. This can stimulate your metabolism for over 24 hours. Toast, potatoes and pastry can be consumed but just don’t overdo it as this can do otherwise, as they are usually made of fine grains which can increase blood sugar levels that helps to make you feel sluggish.

2. Don’t Skip Lunch

Skipping meals does not do any help when it comes to providing you with midday boost so make sure that you have something. Avoid not having anything to eat within a four-hour interval.

Also, make sure that you are eating just enough as too much can make you feel bloated and give you an uncomfortable feeling leading to a decrease in your energy. Ensure that your food choices consist of healthy alternatives such as veggies or fruit. Otherwise, just skip sides such as chips or fries when eating out during lunch time.

3. Exercise

Getting up and stretching can improve blood flow, which increases energy as it provides nutrients and oxygen to your muscle tissues. You can do so by taking a nice walk or taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or just simply walk around your office building. If you walk about 10,000 step a day, this can boost your metabolism and promote positive energy.

4. Rehydrate

Keep yourself rehydrated especially with water. Study has found that being dehydrated can cause fatigue, keep you in low mood and you may find yourself unable to concentrate.

Start off with a big glass of water in the morning, since you are already dehydrated while you are asleep and remember to keep sipping liquids all throughout the day to keep you hydrated. This does not only boost your mood but it is beneficial for your gut health and overall wellness!

Try any of these vitamin water to help you drink more.

5. Eat Energy-boosting Snack

I am not talking about coffee or anything junk food because it will just raise your blood sugar levels. Consider dark chocolate because it is a great source of magnesium and iron giving your body more energy. Another option is banana as this does stabilize your blood sugar levels.

6. Power Nap

Power naps do make a huge difference when it comes to your productivity.

Drowsiness or sleepiness compromise work productivity, thus a 10-20 minute of power napping will refresh your energy and increase your productivity.

7. Vitamin D

Getting some sunlight for just about 10 minutes a day can provide you with the Vitamin D you need to lift up your serotonin levels. Serotonin helps you to become more energetic, puts you in a better mood and helps you to sleep better at night. So when you feel sleepy, stop what you’re doing, go outside to soak in some sunlight and re-energize.

8. Do Deep Breathing Exercises

The reason behind it is because when you don’t get enough oxygen to your body, the tendency is that you will feel slumped. Yawning is also a sign of lack of oxygen.

Deep breathing is something that you can do at the comfort of your office chair—sit back, inhale slowly for about 4 seconds, and then exhale slowly for another 4 seconds. Repeat the process five to ten times. You can do this exercise twice a day or whenever you feel that you need a boost.

9. Watch Videos of Cats

Some people would find it as a weird thing, but researcher from Indiana University, Jessica Gall Myrick, found that watching videos of cats promotes energy and positive emotions. If you don’t like cats, watching videos of dogs works too.

If you have pets at home, interacting with animals has been proven to increase our oxytocin hormone which prevents stress hormones, making us feel calmer and help us to concentrate better.

Source:
https://www.rd.com/slideshows/energy-after-lunch/
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/24/midday-energy-boost_n_3319654.html

About Sara Ding

Sara Ding is the founder of Juicing-for-Health.com. She is a certified Wellness Health Coach, Nutritional Consultant and a Detox Specialist. She helps busy men and women identify their health issues at the root cause, in order to eliminate the problems for optimum physical/mental health and wellbeing.

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