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What Causes Drowsiness After Lunch?

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Posted on Sat, 17 Dec 2016
Question: Hi

I have one question that after i do my lunch whether i am in office or at home i used to feel sleepy , however when i see my colleagues they dont have such kind of problem feeling sleepines after having lunch.Is this normal or do i have some kind of deficiency and what should i do as after having lunch i cannot concentrate on work when i feel sleepy.

Regards
XXXXX
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Nagamani N.G (18 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Normal phenomenon.

Detailed Answer:
Hello, XXXXX,

yes it is normal to feel drowsy after lucnh. Unless associated with any other illness.

Be aware that feeling sleepy after lunch is related to digestion. The main reason why you get sleepy after lunch is because food that you eat for lunch diverts your blood away from your brain to help with the digestion process. Your body also releases a bit of melatonin after lunch, which is a hormone that helps you fall asleep at night


Consider how much sleep you have been getting. A post lunch slump may be worse if you haven't had enough sleep the night before. Adults need about 7-8 hours of sleep per night to function at their best, so try to go to bed in time to get enough sleep each night. If you are suffering from insomnia

Ask yourself if your eating habits may be contributing to your afternoon drowsiness. While a post-lunch slump is normal, inadequate or poor nutrition may make your afternoon drowsiness worse.

Track the habits that make you sleepy in a food diary. Write down when you feel drowsy, what you ate, whether you had exercised or not, how well you slept the night before, and any other factors that might be involved. Do this over a week, and at the end of the week, analyze the data you have recorded. Look for patterns so that you can learn to avoid any habits that cause drowsiness problems for you.

On rare occasions, being tired after a meal or simply sleepy all the time could be a sign of another health problem. Diabetes, anemia, underactive thyroid, celiac disease, food intolerance, and sleep apnea can make post-meal drowsiness worse. 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 may help you identify what’s causing the slump.

Any query do follow up.

All the best.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. REMY KOSHY
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Dr. Nagamani N.G

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2010

Answered : 1116 Questions

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What Causes Drowsiness After Lunch?

Brief Answer: Normal phenomenon. Detailed Answer: Hello, XXXXX, yes it is normal to feel drowsy after lucnh. Unless associated with any other illness. Be aware that feeling sleepy after lunch is related to digestion. The main reason why you get sleepy after lunch is because food that you eat for lunch diverts your blood away from your brain to help with the digestion process. Your body also releases a bit of melatonin after lunch, which is a hormone that helps you fall asleep at night Consider how much sleep you have been getting. A post lunch slump may be worse if you haven't had enough sleep the night before. Adults need about 7-8 hours of sleep per night to function at their best, so try to go to bed in time to get enough sleep each night. If you are suffering from insomnia Ask yourself if your eating habits may be contributing to your afternoon drowsiness. While a post-lunch slump is normal, inadequate or poor nutrition may make your afternoon drowsiness worse. Track the habits that make you sleepy in a food diary. Write down when you feel drowsy, what you ate, whether you had exercised or not, how well you slept the night before, and any other factors that might be involved. Do this over a week, and at the end of the week, analyze the data you have recorded. Look for patterns so that you can learn to avoid any habits that cause drowsiness problems for you. On rare occasions, being tired after a meal or simply sleepy all the time could be a sign of another health problem. Diabetes, anemia, underactive thyroid, celiac disease, food intolerance, and sleep apnea can make post-meal drowsiness worse. 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 may help you identify what’s causing the slump. Any query do follow up. All the best.