The clock is ticking three in the afternoon, you're still at work at your desk, you have some errands to do, you've finished a few minutes before your lunchtime burger and fries, but now you're feeling unwell. Looking around, some of your colleagues are actively working on their tasks, while others, just like you, are staring at the computer screen, tired and drenched, so lethargic and lazy, and so irresistible to sleep that they find it so difficult to just keep their eyes open. Most of us have experienced this feeling before, on a busy work day, on a vacation, or a social event with the family that involves eating a lot of food. But why do we feel this way? Where does all this lethargy and the fatal desire to sleep after eating come from?
Feeling lethargic and wanting to sleep after eating is a very common phenomenon that many people share, to the extent that it may be the reason for the habit of closing shops and shops in India, Bangladesh and some South Asian countries at 3 pm, in order to catch a nap after eating a heavy lunch. Rich in sugars and carbohydrates. It is interesting to note that this phenomenon is not limited to humans only, but spreads widely among animals as well. Yes, researchers at the University of Virginia's Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology have found strong evidence that postprandial drowsiness is so common in animals that they call it "food coma." [1]
Despite the many assumptions that try to explain this phenomenon, the most attractive of them is what was suggested by the previous study itself, which indicates that humans and animals have built-in wakefulness signals in their minds that make them awake and alert when feeling hungry, to help them locate food and then get it. However, once you eat large amounts of this food, your wakefulness signals dissipate and are replaced by feelings of lethargy and fatigue. Of course, this assumption is still just an assumption that is not based on strong evidence. So far, there is no single reason for this, but there are several reasons that combine together to produce this phenomenon, from diet and digestion, to sleep habits and physical activity. [2]
It can be said that our diet has the lion's share in the occurrence of food coma, everything related to diet and digestion, no matter how small, has a great impact on the occurrence of this feeling, whether it is related to the nature, type or even quantity of food. Although the process of digestion applies in the same way to all foods, no matter how different, foods are not the same, and they do not affect the body in the same way. Certain foods work magic when it comes to sleep, to the point that they can make you fall asleep like a baby. In the beginning, let's simplify it a little, we all know that our bodies need energy to be able to perform our daily functions and tasks, no matter how simple, the only source of this energy is the food we eat.
When you eat food, the digestive system breaks it down with its macronutrients such as: protein, carbohydrates, and fats, and eventually converts it into glucose, which is the fuel and the main source of energy for most organisms, not just humans.
There are many assumptions that the blood circulation focuses its flow on the intestines and stomach to carry out the digestion process, especially after eating a large meal, which in turn causes a noticeable decrease in the blood flow, nutrients and oxygen flowing to the brain, which enhances the feeling of lack of energy and cravings for drowsiness.
Both the quality and quantity of food directly affect the occurrence of food coma
But this assumption was refuted by a research study conducted at Stanford University's Department of Radiation, published in 2004, which showed that this assumption completely contradicts one of the well-known neurophysiological principles which states that the flow of blood flow to the brain is unaffected during a wide range of physiological functions . And she confirmed that there was no appreciable change in blood flow in the original carotid artery - which runs at the side of the neck to supply blood to the head and brain - during postprandial situations. [3] For example, during exercise, a large amount of blood flow is diverted to the muscles, but at the same time the blood flow to the brain is maintained as it is, and the same applies to the digestive process.
The same previous study confirms another alternative, more serious hypothesis adopted by many researchers and research studies, according to which the digestion process leads to the emergence of a set of responses inside the body, most notably the release of many hormones that play an essential role in the occurrence of drowsiness after eating. [4] During the digestion process, the blood sugar level rises, and accordingly the pancreas increases insulin production to play its role in regulating blood sugar levels and allowing it to leave the blood and into the cells, which creates a direct relationship between the type and quantity of food and the level of insulin in the blood. [5]
The quality and quantity of food directly affects the occurrence of food coma, in two different ways that lead to an increase in tryptophan acid, which is responsible for the formation of the neurotransmitter known as serotonin. But before we explain the two methods we are talking about, what is tryptophan? And what does serotonin actually do? Simply put, tryptophan is an essential amino acid that the body does not produce, but it needs it to carry out some important biological processes, and therefore the only way to get it is through foods rich in it, which are many. The main role of Tryptophan is in the synthesis of an important neurotransmitter known as serotonin, which is responsible for regulating mood and sexual desire as well as promoting sleepiness and other functions.
We return again to the relationship between food quality and quantity and food coma. In the first case, when you eat meals rich in carbohydrates and proteins that contain a high content of tryptophan acid (the quality of the food), the rate of serotonin synthesis increases, which causes a feeling of drowsiness. In the second case, the higher the carbohydrate-rich meal - even if these carbohydrates lack tryptophan - the greater the concentration of insulin, which lowers the levels of amino acids that compete with tryptophan, which opens the way for an increase in the concentration of tryptophan, and thus increases the synthesis of serotonin responsible for feeling sleepy. [6]
Certified Nutritionist Jumma O'Hanlon agrees, "Carbohydrate-rich foods, such as bread, pasta and rice, boost the production of a neurotransmitter known as serotonin, which can improve our mood but make us feel rested and sleepy." ". [7] But the paradox here is that many foods, whether they are rich in protein or carbohydrates, contain large proportions of tryptophan, including meat, poultry, eggs, milk, cheese and soy products, in addition to rice, pasta and wheat products such as bread, sweets and others. [8]
To determine the relationship between dietary patterns and levels of sleepiness during shifts, researchers at the University of São Paulo in Brazil conducted a prospective study on a small group of 52 truck drivers. The study included the application of a structured questionnaire that collected participants' data, including lifestyle and nutrition, and then assessed food consumption over a 24-hour period with an assessment of the level of sleepiness. The results of the study, published last November, revealed that people who ate meals rich in vegetables and healthy fats, such as olive oil and dairy products, were less likely to sleep after lunch than those who ate fast foods rich in processed meat and soft drinks. [9]
Although the study was conducted on a relatively small sample, its findings, which states that a healthy diet reduces the chances of feeling sleepy after eating during the day, stand in line with the results of many previous studies and agree with the prevailing view that the amount of The quality of the food we eat plays a pivotal role in the occurrence of food coma. There are many habits and behaviors that can be followed to completely get rid of lethargy, laziness and the desire to sleep after eating, especially lunch, most notably:
Since childhood, we hear about the importance of breakfast, which we should not neglect in any way, no matter the circumstances. But regardless of all that, here we are not going to limit the benefits of breakfast to our health and our minds, but we are going to know the essential role that simple behavior such as eating breakfast plays in reducing lethargy and the desire to sleep after lunch. This is because a balanced breakfast provides you with the energy you need throughout the day until lunch, and therefore if you do not eat your breakfast, you will inevitably feel lethargic before lunch, and when this time comes, you will eat large quantities of foods rich in carbohydrates and sugars to compensate for the low blood sugar level throughout the day This eventually leads to lethargy and the desire to sleep after eating.
In their lunch choices, many people turn to fast food, which is rich in carbohydrates, fats, processed foods and sugars, because it is an easier, more available option and of course, a better tasting option. But relying on this type of foods has a serious threat to health in general, which we will not address here. Moreover, eating these foods automatically translates into lethargy, laziness and an uncontrollable desire to sleep. Thus, to get rid of this feeling, make sure that your lunch is balanced and healthy by eating vegetables and green salad, healthy fats such as: nuts and olive oil, good proteins such as: fish, white meat and legumes, and foods rich in fiber such as whole grains such as: oats and brown rice instead From fast-absorbing carbohydrates such as: baked goods and pastries.
It is not surprising that irregular sleep cycles can directly affect lethargy and the desire to sleep during daylight hours, especially after eating. It is natural that not getting enough sleep at night leads to lack of focus, lethargy and the desire to sleep during the day, and vice versa, getting enough hours of sleep automatically translates into rest and activity and a decrease in the desire to sleep during the day. Physical activity also plays a pivotal role in reducing food coma. In addition to promoting better sleep at night, exercise, no matter how light, increases energy and activity and reduces fatigue during daylight hours, which reduces the possibility of lethargy and the desire to sleep after eating. Especially lunch.
Finally, the desire to sleepy after eating lunch or dinner is a normal common occurrence for many, and it does not cause concern when it occurs in its normal levels from time to time when eating a fatty meal rich in carbohydrates or amino acids that play an indirect role in promoting the desire for sleep. But in the event that this feeling is a chronic feeling that is not related to the quantity and quality of food, and its effect is not less when following a healthy lifestyle, you should consult a doctor.