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Your circadian rhythm and sleep drive interact throughout the day, creating spikes or dips in your energy. It also regulates your energy levels throughout the day. And it tells you when it’s time to sleep and time to wake up. It’s because of your body’s 24-hour sleep/wake cycle that you experience these highs and lows, including your afternoon energy slump. It’s nature’s way of letting you know when it’s time to rest. You’re biologically wired to go into “recharge mode” in the afternoon. These are all common reasons you may feel tired midday. Health issues, including sleep disorders.Lack of activity or movement during the day.Unbalanced meals that are high in sugar or carbohydrates.Why Do We Feel Tired in the Afternoon?Īre you quick to blame a high-carb lunch or caffeine crash for your midday slump? If so, you may be right, but that’s not the only reason. But before we list them, it helps to first understand why you may feel tired in the afternoons. There are lots of alternatives to perk you up in the afternoon without caffeine. So is there a good way to get over the afternoon slump without caffeine? There is! That extra caffeine boost in the afternoon comes at a cost.
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Even when you think your afternoon cup of coffee, tea, soda, or energy drink isn’t affecting your ability to fall asleep, it’s affecting how well you sleep. If you’re fighting off your midday slump with caffeine it can help initially, but it also kicks off an unhealthy cycle. During the afternoon slump you can’t focus, feel sluggish, and are ready to call it a day hours before it’s time to wrap it up. Everyone knows what it feels like to be productive in the morning at work with lots of energy- and then the afternoon slump hits after lunch.
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