Middle of the day crashes...HELP

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Katiebug89
Katiebug89 Posts: 18 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Every day at precisely 3pm, my mind goes totally blank except for the very vibrant pictures floating around of my pillow and a comfy blanket. It's not a sudden crash like what you would experience from caffeine (of which I have successfully weaned myself from) but after lunch, I have almost no energy. I eat 1200 calories over five meals every day in what i feel to be a pretty balanced diet. (you can add me or look at my diary to see for youself) But everyday, I find it difficult to accomplish anything after lunch. Any suggestions would be great!!! In addition, I've been trying to get more sleep, but on average the most I get on any given weekday night is between 6-7 hours. I NNEEEEDDD ENERGY!!! HELPP MEE, PLEASE!!

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  • 00trayn
    00trayn Posts: 1,849 Member
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    I've honestly had that problem since I was a baby! I guess I never grew out of needing an afternoon nap. I have a desk job so it's even harder to stay awake in the mid-afternoon! I've been drinking a cup of coffee around 2pm and that helps a lot. I'll also have a light snack, keep my blood sugar up. Or go for a little stroll around the floor of my office building or go to the bathroom. Anything to get moving reallllly helps. I do notice an improvement when I get 7 1/2 hours of sleep compared to 7 or less. Perhaps try to get to bed a bit earlier. You don't need 9 hrs, but I've realized that extra half hour or so does really help.
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
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    I also like to have a fruit or a small smoothie drink/juice about 2-230, and get up and go for a little walk aroud my floor. It seems to help.
  • krisdw
    krisdw Posts: 25 Member
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    Personally, I ALWAYS get tired shortly after I eat something made of mostly carbs (like a sandwich or whatever). I noticed when I don't eat bread or something carb heavy, I don't get tired.
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    Oh, this isn't as easy as it sounds. Fatigue can have a lot of reasons behind it. It could be insufficient energy, or it could be insufficient nutrient types, or a hormonal issue, or it could be vascular, or even pulmonary. Heck it could even be psychosomatic.

    I guess the best thing you can do is rule out all the obvious reasons, like not eating enough calories, not eating the right calories, having blood work done to confirm you don't have any hormone deficiencies, confirm that you're sleeping enough. After you rule those reasons out, then you'd probably have to speak with someone (maybe a sleep specialist I'd think).

    That would be what I'd do.
  • Kristy1214
    Kristy1214 Posts: 198
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    I'm with you. I do my best not to munch mindlessly, but I'm the same way about that time of the day, I get up, and cut up an apple into really thin slices and eat it as slow as I can... seems to help me... but I could SO take a nap after lunch!
  • TaraMaria
    TaraMaria Posts: 1,975
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    I've been dealing with these crashes for a few years now. My body mixes it up and sometimes I get them at 3PM for a couple of months, 5PM and oddly at 9PM. The 9PM ones were the worst because I would think Oh! I can just fall asleep now..No. Fall asleep for two hours and then I'm up till 3AM. AHH!

    Right now I'm at the 3:30PM stage, right when I have to pick up my toddler from preschool. Its brutal. We literally pull up to my house and I look up at my house which is at the top of a hill and I think...really? REALLY? I look at my three year old and say "Okay Grady, pull me up!" Sometimes I'm lucky and he will take a nap and I least get to lay on the couch. Not nap because I'm always on alert on mommy mode until daddy gets home.

    ANYHOW. I would love to hear what other people have to say. Because sometimes my exhaustion is actually scary its so overwhelming. I feel nearly comatose! It comes on slowly over the course of about 20 minutes. But once its there, it feels impossible to shake. I never drink caffeine. Don't eat sugar. Its just my body.

    But how do I shake the funk!? Every afternoon last week I wanted to try working out in an attempt to shake it but there was no way. So today, first thing out of bed, I worked out. It was not my normal routine and it was so hard. But I'm curious to see if working out first thing in the morning helps detour that coma feeling in the afternoon...Do you work out? If so when? I can let you know how today goes! It might take a couple of days to see how this goes...but I had to try something!

    You aren't alone!
  • Katiebug89
    Katiebug89 Posts: 18 Member
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    Yah, my funk is pretty much what you are describing. It's almost a zombie like feeling where twenty minutes later you realize that you haven't moved a muscle. Cuhreepy. And yes, I've been waking up at 6am and walking 3.5miles every morning. At first my body had so much extra energy, and I felt really productive throught the day, but I missed a couple morning workouts this week and had them at the end of the day instead and now I'm just exhausted. I think I'm going to try and go the AM route instead and maybe have a protein afternoon snack verse carbs.... I'm new to this 5 meal a day eating habit and I'm just worried that I'm missing out on some key nutritional component or that the balance of what I am eating is wrong for my body. Hmmm. Let me know how your AM exercising goes!
  • mckval
    mckval Posts: 64 Member
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    It is a problem (or, used to be) for me as well. I've started taking these:
    Source of Life® Red Lightning™ is the amazing whole food energy supplement that energizes, revitalizes, and delivers red food antioxidant protection against free radical damage! Antioxidant-rich foods are identified by their vibrant colors. Red foods in particular pack a mega-powerful natural punch of free radical scavenging antioxidants Source of Life Red Lightning is the first whole food energy supplement to ever tap into the specialized antioxidant defense that only red foods can offer. With 30 whole food concentrates and extracts, including pomegranate, mangosteen, açai, goji berries and noni, Source of Life Red Lightning delivers an incredible total ORAC value of 4000 per serving. Source of Life Red Lightning captures lightning in a bottle, harnessing nature's awesome power to deliver pure, invigorating energy and unparalleled antioxidant activity!
    http://www.vitacost.com/Natures-Plus-Source-of-Life-Red-Lightning

    I take one red one and one green one each afternoon shortly after lunch, and I seldom (not never, mind you) get the afternoon sleepies.
  • TaraMaria
    TaraMaria Posts: 1,975
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    Sitting here...on the couch...crash came early...workout didn't help...AHHHHHHHH!

    Going to the Red Lightning website right now...lol
  • DayAtATime
    DayAtATime Posts: 72
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    So totally relate to the 3pm crash. In fact, I am already beginning to go down and it is 2:45. I have been this way my entire life....or at least it seems that way. It seems normal to me. I have a desk job and need to get up and walk around and do some simple exercises. If I give into it, I could literally fall asleep at my desk. I sometimes medicate with coffee or even a Red Bull......not the healtiest alternative. Anyway, I do find that getting up and moving around is the best answer to this problem. I also notice that if I eat a lighter lunch that I have less sleepiness later. However, I had a light lunch today (salad and apple) and I am still tired. If anyone has the cure, I would love to know it.

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