Have you ever experienced the sudden depletion of your energy right around 2pm? It's not because you're lazy or anemic. There's actually a physical cause for your afternoon drainage.
The reason you feel a little sleepy around two or three in the afternoon is due to a dip in our body’s core temperature. It’s similar to what you experience before you go to bed at night.
However, you can reset your inner clock to keep your momentum going to conquer the rest of your day. Let's face it, you've got things to do! Try these five minute fixes to mitigate the slump:
Turn on the lights. Exposure to light creates instant alertness. Your brain is wired to wake up when the sun rises, and artificial light has similar effects. Get a table lamp for your office desk or sit by a window. Right after lunch, I turn my lamp on to avoid fading.
Drink lots of water throughout the day. I know, I know. Every article we read seems to always point back to very thing our mama's have been telling us for years. Well, it applies here too. Dehydration intensifies fatigue. Tea also works.
Listen to upbeat music. When your eyelids start getting heavy, an upbeat tempo will keep you motivated. Ciara's "Level Up" and Jamaican dance music make me dance in my seat a little so it's hard for me to fall asleep. Perhaps, play your workout playlist..
Switch tasks. Approach your workday like a buffet. When you’re all filled up on spreadsheets, try preparing for meetings or returning phone calls for a while.
Take a walk. This is the most effective fix! If it's nice outside, take a short walk around the perimeter of the building. If it's cold or rainy, take a lap up and down the stairs once or twice.
Facial refresh. A little cold water on your face is refreshing and will jolt you out of sleepiness. If you’re concerned about your makeup, place your wrists under a running faucet.
Don't overdo it for lunch. As a foodie, I definitely have to watch this one. If you happen to have lunch at a great restaurant with an old friend or just didn't eat enough for breakfast, you're almost guaranteed to overeat. This will cause the dreaded food coma! Take it easy. If you go out for lunch, just eat half and save the rest for tomorrow. A semi hearty salad works too.
Make your afternoons more productive by boosting your energy levels these pick-me-ups that take less than 5 minutes to perform. Then, you’ll be able to focus on your work instead of fighting fatigue.
Cheers to getting back to taking over the world!