This common phenomenon is due to postprandial somnolence , or the normal state of drowsiness following a meal. Studies have identified that there are several factors that contribute to it. When your tendency to fall asleep after eating has become a habit, simple changes in your lifestyle can help you be less tired. Some strategies to consider and put into practice include the following:. If these simple changes do not help you keep from falling asleep after eating, then it would be wise to consult with your physician to help you determine if there are any underlying medical problems.
He or she can order tests to rule out previously undiagnosed conditions such as diabetes, hypoglycemia, anemia, depression, sleep disorders, and food sensitivities or allergies. Using your food journal as a tool, she or he might also suggest an elimination diet so that fatigue-causing trigger foods can be identified.
At Jacksonville Sleep Center, our Board-Certified Sleep Physician can help you develop a plan to get you on the path to good health and good sleep.
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Some past research into this hypothesis concluded that blood flow to the brain does not change after a person eats a meal. This could lead to sleepiness. Looking to improve your sleep? Eating a big meal may be one trigger. So too are meals loaded with salt or protein. But why? He says one long-held idea is that sleep somehow aids digestion. One of his not-yet-published studies—again, on fruit flies—found that sleep changes the way the insects absorbed certain macronutrients, including protein.
Ja is quick to point out that his work may not translate to humans. But some of his findings—like the idea that certain foods are more likely than others to cause fatigue—dovetail with some recent research on people. Meanwhile, a study found that a high-fat, high-carb meal led to both sleepiness and an uptick in some inflammatory markers, especially among obese adults.
His research in flies, he says, helps explain why a lot of the food-coma research on humans is so inconclusive. This tactic may be especially effective at lunchtime. But the fact is, experts are still teasing out all the ins and outs of food comas.
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