Know any cures for afternoon blahs?

J

John467

Dryer sheet wannabe
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When I quit the corporate slog 5 years ago, I hoped to find a cure for the afternoon blahs that hit me every day at work around 3, requiring a pack of peanut M&Ms (or 3!) and some coffee to make it to 5:00. Now 5 years into retirement, I hit the same wall most days. From 8am-2pm I'm a rock star of energy with enthusiasm and drive for almost anything - projects, exercise, free lance work on occasion, you name it. From 3ish to 6ish I'm useless, and then I sometimes get some energy back in the evenings.

I'm in my early 50s, I sleep well most nights, and I have about 40 lbs too much weight (220lbs on a 6'1" frame) lately, but I had this problem when I was thinner too. Has anybody else had this energy pattern and solved it? Maybe it's just human nature - the Spaniards take siestas maybe for a reason? A short nap revives me sometimes too, but not always.

I'd appreciate any tips!! (Yes, I have at least given up the daily M&Ms!)

Thanks!


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Most men with a 17 inch neck and over 200 lbs. snore. And most snorers need to go through a sleep study to see if they have sleep apnea.

I know a gentleman that'd go to sleep sitting at a red light. After a couple of wrecks, he was grounded from driving. He had severe sleep apnea--essentially choking in his sleep

I was found to have moderate sleep apnea, and it is a mofst common condition. I sleep on a CPAP machine at night, and my afternoon "downs" are seldom experienced. I can also sleep less and feel so much better upon waking up.

The greatest thing about going on CPAP is that users will live longer--not choking while sleeping. And the risk of having to undergo open heart surgery decreases dramatically. And users feel so much better.
 
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You sound like a 'morning person'. It's perfectly normal for people who get up early last me you to want a nap. Cave men did it, you can too!

What better thing to do in retirement but listen to what your body needs and do it!
 
What do you eat for lunch? I stopped having the afternoon drowsiness when I figured out I was intolerant and went off gluten. Not that I'm super energetic or anything, but I don't have crashes anymore.
 
Good points everyone. Naps work sometimes, unless I let them go to long . . .

The lunch idea is good too. I'm going to try a week at a time of eliminating various things - gluten, dairy, etc. I knew a high power exec who just ate an apple every day for lunch, ostensibly for weight control, but I never saw him hit the wall at 3pm


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John, Sounds like you need to lose the weight and stop eating M & M's. Poor diet can make you feel sluggish.
 
Add me to the nap list. I take one every day from about 3 or 3:30 to 5. Best sleep I get all day (and night).
 
You may want to try napping, but maybe best to shed some pounds for overall health.
 
Cut out foods with lots of sugar. That made a big difference for me. My energy level is much more consistent and is sustained for longer through the day. Soft drinks and candy were the big ones for me.


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I'm a nap person. It is easier than eating healthy. :) But actually eating less fat and carbs does does seem to make me less sleepy. I made a super healthy crock pot meal last week filled with all sorts of veggies, beans and a bit of meat and did have extra energy in the afternoons. I need to eat like that more often. But I don't think I will stop taking naps. I get recharged and get more done the days I have naps.

I used to really hit a wall every afternoon when the kids were younger when I often needed to be driving car pools, and found out I had iron deficiency anemia, which was correctable once I was diagnosed.
 
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I'm a morning person and my energy drops around 3 or 4 p.m. I know I need to gets things done before that time. I like napping as well but I think it's just my natural metabolism. I dreaded the hours between 3 and 6 at work. In my mind and body, I was done for the day. For me, anytime after 3 is downtime. If I get a burst of energy, great, if not I don't sweat it.

Always include some protein with your meals and snacks. Sugary foods give you a temp rush but bring you even further into low energy. I would also recommend getting your fasting blood sugars checked.
 
Sounds to me like too many carbohydrates in your lunch. When you come down from the sugar high 2 or 3 hours later, you get that feeling.

If your diet doesn't include a lot of carbs a few hours before your afternoon dip, then I don't know.
 
+1 on cutting out sugar and carbohybrates.

Try eating no sugar for just one week and reducing your carbohydrate intake by 50%. Increase protein intake. See what that does. Don't fight the dip with a sugar rush, you'll get a new dip.

For me it meant going from afternoon "collapse" (after eating e.g. spaghetti) to a bundle of energy all day.

Not that anything is wrong with napping. I had a few weeks a while back (and I'm just 35y) where I wanted to doze off during the day. It went away by itself.

And just for safety: have a diabetes checkup.
 
I'm the same way, early and late energy, but really tired in the (in my case) late afternoon. It doesn't appear to have anything to with diet, and I was the same way when I was working. A nap works great, although I have to set an alarm so I don't sleep too much. Too much nap makes me sluggish and grouchy. I think it's just my/your natural rhythm. Accommodate it and you'll feel fine.


You don't say anything about your night sleep habits. I'm usually awake until about 1-2 AM, and get up by 8. So a nap is the perfect way to fill in the missing hour or so of healthy sleep. It's usually my best sleep of the day, too. Don't worry about all those telling you that you have to stay awake all day and accomplish stuff, then sleep at night. It's just the oppressive majority trying to force us square pegs into their round holes. They did it with lefties and other groups of weirdos too. If you listened to them you'd still be working.
 
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While napping sounds like a (delightful) cop-out, I wonder if that's how we were meant to live before the Industrial Revolution messed up our internal clocks with the 9-5 routine.
 
Agree with taking a nap......but.....you need to look at habits.....especially sugar.

Find something you love to do....take a class.....take a walk at a shopping mall...switch your snack to a small salad....or rice cakes.....BREAK YOUR HABIT.....I have the afternoon blahs.....I read a book.....watch a taped TV show.....walk my dog.....go to the bank.....go buy veggies.....anything but I gave up candy and sweets. My small salad with fat free dressing is about 150 calories of healthy food. I took off about 50 lbs and feel great but I still like to crash in the afternoon.....doing healthy fun stuff. Good luck....but if you change, commit to life long changes......never have an M&M again.....that's the only way it works for the long term. Good Luck! YOU CAN DO IT! And, look at your all day long eating habits.....go for veggies, complex carbs, lean meat......no sugar.
 
I'd say get a blood test and check for glucose and testosterone.

Do a sleep study, as although you indicate sleeping OK, you may not be getting enough deep restful sleep

Cut back on caffein, and fast digesting carbs (sugar)

Start an exercise program, drop some fat and add lean muscle
 
I usually work out in late afternoon. It doesn't make sense that exercise can energize you but it wakes me up. That was true when I was employed, too.
 
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