After eating, it's fairly typical to feel weary, and it seems to happen more frequently in the afternoon. Is it typical? Yes. However, feeling exhausted all the time after eating could indicate a serious health problem. The good news is that there are easy techniques to prevent that persistent drowsiness after eating.
So, if you've been wondering why you often feel tired after eating, you'll learn the major causes of this as well as practical solutions to stop it from happening again.
Why do I feel tired after eating?
You may feel tired after a meal for several reasons. But if it consistently occurs and starts to interfere with your daily life, it can be worrying. The main causes of feeling tired just after eating are listed below.
1. You Consume Large Meals
If you've ever felt like you were about to fall asleep
after lunch, it was probably because you ate too much. It takes a lot of energy
to digest the food you eat, and that is the simple explanation for this
phenomenon. As a result, the likelihood of feeling sleepy after eating
increases with meal size.
2. It is a Normal Component of the Digestion Process.
A full meal takes about two hours in our gut to
digest. You frequently feel sleepy after eating as a result. This is
particularly true after lunch because we typically return to work or finish our
tasks shortly after. In addition, the quality of the food you eat affects how
much energy you'll have after a meal.
3. You consume an excessive amount of processed food.
Foods like junk food that are high in saturated fat, simple carbohydrates, and artificial flavors don't provide good nourishment; instead, they fill your body with a lot of calories. In addition to the lengthy digestive process, eating a lot of fat and carbohydrates makes your blood sugar unstable and causes constant spikes. This is what results in the afternoon's constant energy crashes.
4. You consume foods high in protein and carbohydrates.
Warning: This sentence contains a spoiler. You need to eat enough protein and carbohydrates each day. Do not believe that you need to eat less protein or fewer carbohydrates. In fact, these will help you stay healthy in general and stop cravings throughout the day.However, it is important to note that some foods may make you feel sleepy after eating.
Tryptophan levels are higher in foods high in protein,
such as salmon, chicken, dairy products, soy, eggs, and seeds. Additionally, it
can be found in processed pastries, white bread and crackers, pasta, rice, and
other high-carbohydrate foods. An amino acid called tryptophan aids in the
body's production of serotonin, the hormone that promotes calm. According to
some researchers, people experience fatigue after eating because their bodies
produce more serotonin.
5. You may be experiencing blood sugar spikes.
Rising and falling blood sugar levels are completely
normal; however, unhealthful sugar spikes may result in the dreaded energy
crash.This occurs as a result of an unexpectedly high blood sugar level that
compels your body to store it, leaving you with an extremely low sugar level
that will make you crave more sweet foods. You definitely don't want to get
caught up in this vicious loop.
6. You Forego Meals
You could feel exhausted after eating if you don't eat
enough throughout the day or miss meals entirely. Sometimes, until we skip a
meal, we don’t realize how low our energy levels are.
According to studies, going without food during normal hours is why you feel tired, have low energy, and have the impulse to overeat at your next meal. You feel sleepy as a result of your huge meal.
7. Caffeine and other stimulants are consumed by you.
Starting the day with your preferred cup of coffee is
not bad. One of those items that might keep us awake during the day is coffee.
However, drinking too much coffee can have the reverse effect and make you
drowsy.
Why do you feel exhausted after eating food or taking caffeine? Simple: The energy-boosting effects of caffeine will eventually fade if consumed in excess. This specifically occurs during your upcoming afternoon or post-lunch coffee break.
8. You lack exercise.
Although it might not seem to be directly related to
being sleepy, it is. Your body lacks the energy it needs to function
efficiently and keep you alert when you aren't physically active. You should
always include workouts in your weekly calendar for this reason, as well. Being
inactive will make you feel more worn out and irritable.
9. You have irregular sleeping patterns.
You might not be sleeping at all, which is another explanation for why you can feel exhausted after eating. If you stop to think about it, our bodies require adequate sleep to function properly and maintain our energy levels. Because of this, getting insufficient sleep the night before will result in increased food cravings and midday sleepiness.
10. You Consumed Alcohol
Even though alcohol itself is not one of the main causes of fatigue following a meal, you might want to consider your drinking habits. This means that drinking the night before or having alcohol with meals can make you feel tired. Alcohol is a sedative and might diminish your vitality, say Harvard scientists.
Other health problems
There may be other underlying health issues related to
feeling tired after eating. Excessive tiredness after eating could be a symptom
of the following health problems:
- Diabetes
- Anemia
- Food sensitivities or allergies
- Thyroid Problems
- Sleep Apnea
- Celiac Disease
How to Avoid Feeling Tired After Eating
Feeling exhausted after every meal can be annoying,
and occasionally it can even significantly affect your way of life. The
following advice will help you prevent feeling exhausted after eating.
- Stay Hydrated
- Eat more whole foods and cut back on refined sugars.
- Consume Enough Food at Each Meal to Maintain Satisfaction
- Avoid starving or skipping meals.
- Exercise Regularly
- Get Enough Good Sleep
- Drink caffeine in moderation.
- Have a balanced diet.
- Moderate your alcohol intake.
Final Thoughts
Even though feeling exhausted after eating is common,
you can still change some aspects of your lifestyle to help. If you notice that
you are more exhausted than usual after eating, focus on consuming a healthy
diet, getting enough exercise each day, getting enough sleep, and do regular
healthcare check-ups.




