Why do you want to sleep after eating and what to do with it - Lifehacker

The link between satiety and the desire to take a nap is called postprandial sleepiness by physiologists.Why do people feel tired after eating? or a food coma. This condition is considered a completely natural response to food intake (most often).

Someone tends to sleep more, and someone practically does not feel tired after eating. It all depends on what foods to eat, how much and when.

Why do you want to sleep after eating

Falling asleep is a complex process that is regulated by a number of different bioactive substances that enter the bloodstream. About hormone melatonin everyone knows, but besides it there are other "sleep" hormones and compounds. Food can change their levels and make us feel tired, sleepy after eating. Here are the factors it depends on.

Have you eaten certain foods

Snacking on foods that are high in protein and carbohydrates is almost guaranteed to make you nod off. Scientists linkPostprandial drowsiness this is due to the fact that protein food contains a lot of tryptophan - an amino acid that helps the body to produce hormone

serotonin. And carbohydrates contribute to its better absorption, that is, they also increase the level of serotonin.

This hormone plays an important role in regulating mood - the more there is, the more satisfied we feel with life. And it also regulates sleep cycles by being a precursor to melatonin.

It's simple: you drank a glass of warm milk, which is a source of proteins and carbohydrates, - the level of melatonin increased, you wanted to sleep.

In addition to milk, tryptophan in decent doses contains:

• chicken eggs;
• cheeses;
• seeds;
• poultry meat such as chicken or turkey;
• nuts;
• sunflower seeds, pumpkin, sesame seeds;
• spinach;
• saltwater fish such as salmon;
• soy products.

You will be abundantly supplied with carbohydrates:

• pasta;
• rice;
• corn in any form - boiled or popcorn;
• white bread and crackers;
• cakes, pastries, cookies;
• sugary drinks.

You ate a lot

Overeating or even just having a hearty lunch is a sure way to an afternoon nap. The reason is the jump in blood glucose levels after eating.

High glucose levels suppressActivation of central orexin / hypocretin neurons by dietary amino acids the activity of orexin, a neuropeptide that controls the energy balance in the body, and in particular allows us to feel invigorated throughout the day.

You ate at a specific time or state

How you feel after eating can be influenced by circadian rhythms, that is, the internal biological clock by which the body lives.

According to this watch (more precisely, their interpretation given by the American National Sleep Foundation), maximum relaxation and associated sleepiness overtakeFood and sleep people twice a day: at about 2 am and at about 2 pm.

If you eat lunch at about 2:00 pm, your natural sleepiness is superimposed on the effects of the glucose and tryptophan you got from your food. And that's all: siesta in one form or another (at least nibble at the work table) turns into an irresistible need.

Other factors can exacerbate daytime fatigue. For example, if you didn't get enough sleep at night, after eating, you will be tempted to sleep more.

What to do so that you don't want to sleep after dinner

Let's dispel the popular myth right away: no, a cup of coffee or a can of energy drink will not help to cope with drowsinessFood and sleep. Caffeine is a stimulant that temporarily blocks the effects of sleep hormones and other compounds in the body. But the invigorating effect is short. When it disappears, you will be covered with glucose obtained from the same sweet coffee or energy and the associated desire to take a nap.

Here's what to doWhy Do I Feel Tired After Eating?to prevent daytime sleepiness:

1. Eat less often. Fractional nutrition will protect against surges in glucose.
2. Avoid eating foods high in carbohydrates and tryptophan at lunchtime.
3. Keep track of how much liquid drink. Lack of moisture in the body also manifests itself as fatigue. An adult healthy person who is not engaged in active physical labor needsWater Requirements, Impinging Factors, and Recommended Intakes at least 2.7 liters of fluid daily.
4. Take short walks throughout the day. Physical activity and associated ventilation will help you feel more alert.
5. Drink your coffee in moderation. Pouring in horse doses of caffeine is pointless: after a short burst of energy, you will want to sleep even more. OptimalFood and sleep the strategy is to drink a little coffee throughout the day. And it is better to give up the invigorating drink in the evening so as not to disturb your night's sleep.
6. Get enough sleep at night. Optimal duration night sleep - 7-9 hours.

And watch your well-being. If you do everything to avoid food coma - get enough sleep at night, eat fractional meals, avoid “sleepy” foods, and after eating you still feel sleepy, talk to your therapist about it.

Regular postprandial sleepiness may be a symptomWhy do people feel tired after eating? some diseases. Among them:

• anemia;
• food allergy to a specific product;
• sugar diabetes;
• celiac disease (this is the name of gluten intolerance);
• multiple sclerosisPostprandial Somnolence In Multiple Sclerosis.