Ever wondered why you feel so tired and drowsy after a big meal? I know I have. There’s a number of theories out on this, but one of the popular ones is a  sudden shift of blood flow from the brain and muscles to the digestive system. Now if the feeling that you need to take a nap during your day is getting in the way of your productivity then there’s a few simple tips to avoid it.

1. Start by having smaller meals. This will help keep your blood sugar and ultimately energy levels more stable, provided of course you are making healthy choices.
2. Try eating more meals with a higher water content such as salads and soups. Apparently these are digested higher in the stomach where there is less nerve supply. If there is less nerve supply then you are less likely to feel tired and drowsy. Unlike if you eat a burger that tends to be processed lower in the stomach where there is a larger nerve supply. interesting stuff!

                          Photo credit: Pixabay

3. Now here’s something I didn’t know! It’s in your best interest to eat lunch earlier rather than later. According to some research approximately 11.45am-12pm is an optimal time. The average person experiences a dip in energy levels around 1-1.30pm due to circadium rhythms otherwise known as your body clock. Now you’re less likely to notice this dip if you eat at the earlier time. Imagine that – eating at the same time your body may naturally take a bit of a dip….double whammy!!

4. This recommendation is one that many people would be familiar with as it’s been endorsed for quite some time. Eating slower releasing carbohydrates – such as many fruits instead of fast releasing carbohydrates such as white rice will help keep your blood sugar levels and therefore energy more stable. Keep in mind that when eating meals and snacks that combine carbohydrates with other foods the release rate of the carbohydrates will change. It’s more of an issue to be aware of when you are eating carbohydrates such as water melon in isolation. Keep in mind water melon, which tends to have a high GI (glycaemic index) is a very alkaline food, so if you combine it with some yoghurt which is a good source of protein ,then you have yourself a good snack that won’t give you a spike in blood sugar levels.

So if tiredness after meals is an issue, start by taking a look at what you eat, when you eat and the quantity.

Given that so many of us are so dependent on our technology  these days I thought it might be interesting to look at how it may impact our exercise performance. A recent study of people using their mobile phones to talk or text during an exercise session showed some concerning results. The risk of injury increased significantly, due to a reduction in postural stability leading to balance issues and participants in the study were less likely to workout at an intensity that was conducive to gaining optimum results. It turns out that using a mobile phone for anything other than listening to music is a distraction which really should probably come as no surprise to anyone. However that puts to rest the idea that we can multitask effectively even when we exercise. So it looks like if we’re going to take our mobile phones with us on our workout we need to only use it for listening to music. Alternatively it can be used to track progress using a fitness App. This is something that can ideally be done post workout  The idea is to avoid glancing down at the screen as this affects balance.  So it looks like a pre programmed playlist of songs is the go. If the phone rings, it may be best to let it go to message bank to avoid having a session compromised unless of course it’s an emergency. Or else there’s always the option of leaving the mobile phone at home to enjoy some time out “unplugged” to give yourself the best chance of completing an effective workout.