Is food meant to give you energy or not?
Foods rich in protein and carbohydrates have the tendency to make a person feel sleepy compared to other foods.
It is said that food is supposed to give you energy, but then there are times when you feel tired or sleepy just after eating.
If you are experiencing this, here are three possible reasons this happens;
1) The kind of food you ate
The kind of food you eat plays a role in whether you feel sleepy afterwards. According to research, foods rich in protein and carbohydrates have the tendency to make a person feel sleepy compared to other foods.
This is because some of these foods help your body produce more serotonin – a chemical that regulates sleep. Protein-rich foods contain tryptophan that helps the body produce serotonin and carbohydrates also help the body absorb tryptophan, which in turn causes tiredness or sleepiness after eating.
2) The amount of food you ate
The amount of food you eat also plays a role in making you feel sleepy. It is more likely that a person may feel sleepy after a large meal compared to a light meal. Depending on the meal, blood sugar might increase and a dip in energy may follow.
3) The amount of sleep you’re getting
If you don’t get adequate sleep at night, there is a high tendency that you will feel tired during the day and even after eating, you tend to feel sleepy.
In addition to the above, some researchers say feeling sleepy after a meal is a natural response and definitely not a cause for concern.
But then, if this is affecting your daily activities, here are some things you can do to help;
- Avoid heavy meals
- Get enough sleep at night
- Do some light exercise after eating
- Or…just take a short nap during the day.
If any of the above does not help, it might be beneficial to pay a visit to the doctor.
