Slough Off Your Mid-Afternoon Lethargy With These Simple Tips

Do you feel drowsy post-lunch and feel like falling back on a couch? Well, this is a common phenomenon most of us go through, so there is nothing to shy about.

Slough Off Your Mid-Afternoon Lethargy With These Simple Tips

But yes, of course, if you are sitting at your desk and dozing off or feeling restless and unable to concentrate on your work, then you need to focus on it.

Don’t panic but. Simple exercises and habits can make a huge difference. 

An afternoon slump is a feeling of low usually between 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. or more precisely post-lunch. Some can even feel it in the late mornings. It is a natural thing to feel like it as it is a part of our normal circadian cycles. The cortisol hormone that is responsible for keeping us awake and alert usually starts fading as the day proceeds.

As an outcome, we become fuzzy and less attentive. Certain food habits can help like keeping away sugary items and concentrating only on healthy diets with the plentiful intake of water are said to help ward off this slump. Even listening to music or therapies like aromatherapy also helps. But the simplest thing that one can do is start moving.

Well, just a few steps here and there can prove beneficial. Movements in the body help the body in releasing the epinephrine and norepinephrine hormones that keep us from drowsiness. Proper metabolism of food is required for the brain to remain active and working.

Making our bodies move a bit help in digestion and stabilizes the blood sugar levels that in turn keep us energetic. Simply walking for 5 minutes or making efforts of minimum movements is sure to help.  

Fitness trainers also recommend standing for at least 15 minutes for the body to reap its benefits. However, researchers from the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, suggest standing for more than half an hour.

Whatever time you choose to utilize, standing can boost your energy and drive you away from the afternoon slump. Hence, a standing workstation is a preferable option from a health point of view. Just sitting at your desk causes a lot of harm than just making you feel sleepy. So make it a habit of standing as much as you can.

Moving your body by way of simple exercises is another way of keeping your eyes and mind wide open and keep going. One always need not hit the gym and do vigorous cardio exercises or pushes. Just helping your muscles stretch a little can give your mid-day slump a push.

Neck rolls, arm circles, spinal twists, and foot pumps are simple ways of heating up your muscles and making them flexible while you are sitting at your desk. If one can afford some lunges, then nothing like it. Making the muscles move in as many possible and simple ways, can boost energy anytime and keep us healthy.

So move your body and follow the light! Yes, sunlight is needed by all for their healthy growth. It elevates your mood and keeps away tensions and anxieties away. The hormone serotonin, essential for a positive and energetic mind, is boosted by sunlight and helps us to remain more focused throughout the day.

Nature has healing powers. It is a good idea to take short walks in the greenery outside your office premises (if you’re lucky enough) or at your gardens and sniff the freshness of the sun and the greens. 

Our busy schedules and tight workplaces do not render us the benefits of taking a dip in nature. Hectic hours at work can sometimes snatch away the valuable sleeping hours that are needed by anybody to stay good. This often makes us feel fatigued in the mid-afternoons and often impacts our days throughout. So, next time, don’t hesitate to spend some time amidst nature, move your body and stay awake.