The wave of fatigue and lethargy which you might experience after your mid-day meal can be an impediment to your energy, productivity, and wellbeing. Easily modifiable health choices can reduce this, but first let’s look at the causes for this unwelcome intrusion into our daily lives.
What Causes the Post-Lunch “Coma”?
You have probably experienced a wave of tiredness and sluggishness after a large meal from time to time. Some people are more prone to this than others. A bout of postprandial somnolence, frequently colloquially called a “food coma,” can be caused by a few different physiological factors. Fortunately, smart health choices can reduce the likelihood of postprandial somnolence.
A natural causal factor of the “food coma” is the accumulation of adenosine in the latter half of the day. Adenosine is a digestive molecule in the brain which encourages sleepiness. However, the factors related to nutrition are more significant. A post-meal wave of tiredness is usually the result of eating a large meal, which taxes the digestive system to an increased degree for hours afterward. Meals high in fats and carbohydrates are especially pertinent. Certain natural chemicals in foods can also cause this, including tryptophan and melatonin.
Your health and lifestyle choices can reduce the “food coma.” Recommended steps include staying hydrated, eating balanced meals, and even regular exercise. Taking a walk after lunch is also helpful. And, avoid alcohol.
Natural Remedies for “Food Coma”
Nutritional factors play a direct role in the incidence of “food coma.” Therefore, strategic supplementation plays a role in mitigating it. Here are four vitamins and natural products with inherent effects that are most likely to reduce fatigue after a mid-day meal.
B-vitamin complex: B vitamins can help reduce the physiological conditions for tiredness after you eat, and they do so in a few ways. Vitamins B6, B12, folic acid (B9) and others all help the digestion of carbohydrates into glucose, which helps to provide waking energy. This also reduces fatigue, as well as food cravings. They also reduce mood swings related to hypoglycemia. The B vitamins and their effects on digestion make them the first-choice vitamins for supporting digestion post-meal to and reduce feelings of sluggishness.
Digestive enzymes are naturally produced by the body in order to break down macronutrient molecules (proteins, fats, and carbohydrates). There are many of them. Amylase is an enzyme which breaks down complex and starchy carbohydrates. Moreso, proteases are enzymes which break down proteins after meals, and they are especially adept at reducing post-meal fatigue. Proteases and other enzymes are found in other natural sources as well. Naturally-derived digestive enzymes including amylase, proteases (such as papain) are found in supplement form, usually combined into a single complex supplement.
Probiotic bacteria are beneficial, impactful bacteria. A probiotic supplement can support the health of the gut, and the body, in many ways. For the sake of the topic at hand, these can reduce sluggishness and provide general benefit to digestion. They ease bloating and support nutrient absorption, which have the combined effect of reducing a propensity for post-meal sluggishness. A probiotic supplement containing Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus strains of bacteria is ideal for these purposes.
Milk thistle is an herbal supplement with multiple benefits. It can benefit digestion and reduce sluggishness after eating in a specific way. Milk thistle contains silymarin, a chemical which actively works to reduce inflammation and support natural detox pathways by supporting liver function. This helps to enhance the elimination of waste, which helps the body recover from a meal that is large and/or dense.
The post-lunch coma is avoidable; simple health decisions are the way. These nutritional supplements can play a role in mitigating it, if you need them. Consider how B vitamins, digestive enzymes, probiotic bacteria, and herbal milk thistle could help. Talk to your healthcare provider before trying any supplement for the first time.