In this post we will be looking at Meaning Postprandial Sleepiness, Causes of Postprandial Sleepiness, why do people feel tired after eating and Ways to Prevent Sleepiness After Eating.
INTRODUCTION
Most people have felt their eyelids get heavy shortly after a large meal. Whether it be a holiday feast or a weekend brunch, you may wonder what exactly causes sleepiness after eating. Fortunately, post-meal tiredness, also called postprandial somnolence, may not be a cause for concern if it does not interfere with a person’s work, school, or social life. However, in some cases, a post-lunch dip in energy can have consequences for workplace productivity and raise the risk of accidents. Including car crashes. In addition, excessive sleepiness is sometimes caused by an underlying health problem or sleep disorder. Whether drowsiness sets in after a meal can depend on multiple factors including when, how much, and what a person eats. Learning more about postprandial sleepiness can make it easier to understand why people get tired after a meal, foo Many people feel sleepy after eating. This can be a natural result of digestion patterns and sleep cycles. Factors that may play a role include the type and amount of food a person eats.ds that may cause drowsiness, and ways to reduce sleepiness after eating.
What is Postprandial Sleepiness?
Postprandial sleepiness, also called postprandial somnolence, refers to a feeling of sleepiness after consuming food. It is sometimes known as the post-lunch dip or referred to more informally as a “food coma.” Feeling sleepy after eating, or postprandial somnolence, is a common issue. It can be due to what, when, and how much you eat, as well as a natural dip in the alerting signal of the circadian rhythm—your body’s internal clock.
Causes of Postprandial Sleepiness
Researchers are not exactly sure why it is common for people to get sleepy after eating.
Studies suggest that multiple factors may influence energy levels after a meal, including fluctuations in certain cellular proteins, hormones, blood flow, brain chemicals, inflammation, and the body’s internal clock. The composition of a meal can affects whether a person feels sleepy after eating. A larger meal may be more likely to cause sleepiness, and certain foods and nutrients can have an impact as well. Research has found that meals that are high in fat, carbohydrates, or calories may increase sleepiness. Other factors that may play a role in postprandial somnolence include a person’s meal timing, work schedule, overall health, exposure to daylight, and body composition. Post-meal drowsiness may also be a symptom of excessive daytime sleepiness, which can occur as a result of poor sleep at night from insomnia or another sleep issue. With so many overlapping factors, it is challenging to identify any single cause of postprandial sleepiness. Instead, there are many potential reasons why drowsiness sets in after eating, and those reasons can change based on the person and their meal.
Why Do People Feel Tired After Eating
We’ve all felt it — that drowsy feeling that sneaks in after a meal. You’re full and relaxed and struggling to keep your eyes open. Why are meals so often followed by a sudden urge to take a nap, and should you be concerned about it? In general, a little bit of sleepiness after eating is completely normal and nothing to worry about. There are several factors that contribute to this post-meal phenomenon, and there are a few things you might be able to do to minimize those drowsy effects.
Your digestion cycle: Food is broken down into fuel (glucose) by our digestive system. Macronutrients such as protein then provide calories (energy) to our bodies. More than just changing food into energy, our digestive cycle triggers all kinds of responses within our body. Hormones such as cholecystokinin (CCK), glucagon, and amylin are released to increase a feeling of fullness (satiety), blood sugar rises, and insulin is produced to allow this sugar to go from the blood and into the cells, where it’s used for energy. Interestingly, there are also hormones that can lead to drowsiness if increased levels are found in the brain. One such hormone is serotonin. The other hormone that induces sleep, melatonin, isn’t released in response to eating. However, food can influence melatonin production.
Your diet: Though all foods are digested in much the same manner, not all foods affect your body in the same way. Some foods can make you sleepier than others. Foods with tryptophan:The amino acid tryptophan is found in turkey and other high-protein foods such as:
- spinach
- soy
- eggs
- cheese
- tofu
- fish
Tryptophan is used by the body to create serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate sleep. It’s possible that increased production of serotonin is responsible for that post-meal haze.
Other foods: Cherries affect melatonin levels, carbohydrates cause a spike and subsequent fall in blood sugar, and the minerals in bananas relax your muscles. Any one of these factors could leave you sleepy and many foods can impact energy levels in different ways.
Your sleeping habits: It’s no surprise that not getting enough quality sleep can affect how you feel after a meal, too. If you’re relaxed and full, your body may feel more like resting, especially if you didn’t get enough sleep the night before.
Your physical activity: Beyond helping you sleep better at night, exercise can keep you alert during the day, minimizing the risk of a post-meal slump. Multiple studies have found that regular exercise helps increase energy and reduce fatigue. In other words, being sedentary doesn’t create some sort of energy reserve that you can tap into at will. Instead, being active helps ensure that you have the energy to push through your days.
Other health conditions: On rare occasions, being tired after a meal or simply sleepy all the time could be a sign of another health problem. Conditions that can make post-meal drowsiness worse include:
- diabetes
- food intolerance or food allergy
- sleep apnea
- anemia
- underactive thyroid
- celiac disease
If you’re frequently tired and have one of these conditions, talk to your doctor about possible solutions. If you’re unaware of an underlying medical condition but have other symptoms in addition to post-meal sleepiness, your doctor can help you identify what’s causing the slump.
Food intolerance or food allergies: An intolerance of or an allergy to certain foods can be another cause of post-meal tiredness. Food intolerances and allergies can impact digestion or other bodily functions. Other acute or chronic symptoms may also be present, including gastrointestinal upset, skin conditions, and headache or migraine.
Ways to Prevent Sleepiness After Eating.
Regularly feeling tired after eating is something to discuss with your doctor. However, if the possibility of a more serious underlying condition has been ruled out or the fatigue only sets in occasionally, there are simple steps you can take to help maintain optimal energy levels. Dietary and lifestyle habits that may help boost or sustain energy levels and counteract drowsiness include:
- reducing the amount of food eaten at a single meal
- getting enough quality sleep
- exercising regularly
- limiting or avoiding alcohol
- modulating caffeine consumption
- eating foods that are good for your gut, blood sugar, insulin levels, and brain including complex, high-fiber carbohydrates and healthy fats
- consuming appropriate electrolytes
- drinking water to stay properly hydrated
A balanced diet that includes foods such as vegetables, whole grains, and fatty fish promotes sustained energy. Try to incorporate more nuts, seeds, and olive oil into your meals. Avoiding too much sugar and eating smaller, more frequent meals can also help.
Which Foods Can Make You Sleepy?
More research is necessary to understand how different nutrients and foods affect instances of daytime sleepiness. Additionally, many studies about diet and sleep focus on nighttime sleep, which is distinct from a daytime energy dip. Nevertheless, some types of foods may be more likely to trigger sleepiness.
- High-fat foods may be rich and heavy: Fat-laden foods can be difficult to digest, leading to increased likelihood of post-meal tiredness.
- High-carbohydrate meals can increase drowsiness: In addition to fat, some research has found that meals with large amounts of carbohydrates increase the perceived amount of postprandial fatigue.
- Tryptophan triggers the brain’s sleep process: Tryptophan is an amino acid known to promote sleep within the brain. Turkey contains high levels of tryptophan, so it is famously blamed for sleepiness after Thanksgiving dinner. Other foods with tryptophan include milk, bananas, oats, and chocolate. While tryptophan alone may not always cause sleepiness, its effects are enhanced when eaten with carbohydrates.
- Tart cherries promote sleep: small studies have found tart cherries to be associated with improved nighttime sleep. Certain kinds of sour cherries contain tryptophan and melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep, as well as other active ingredients that may promote sleep.
- Nuts are rich in melatonin: Walnuts, pistachios, and other nuts have some of the highest melatonin levels of plant foods. Given the effects of melatonin on sleep, eating a significant number of nuts may induce a feeling of drowsiness.
While these foods may promote postprandial sleepiness, not everyone will experience fatigue after eating them since various factors influence how the body reacts to a meal.
