Do You Feel Tired After A Meal?

Most of us have had that feeling before - when you eat a large, wholesome meal and find yourself feeling tired afterwards. This can be inconvenient, especially if you have to work, or are not able to sleep. This is the reason why a lot of European countries have their “siesta” time, where there is about an hour after lunchtime where all the companies and shops are closed. These societies claim that they are more productive after having had a nap.

So the question is, why are we always tired after a nap?

There are some nutritionists who will say that you are probably eating the wrong combinations of food. Apparently food that is too rich in unhealthy sugars and carbohydrates can tend to make you feel bloated and tired. The fact of it is that there are two parts of your body that require a lot of oxygen and blood to function. These are namely your brain and your intestines.

After you eat a large meal, all the blood in your body is then diverted to your digestive system to process the meal you have just ingested. This means that the blood levels in your brain are lowered whilst your food is being digested. Another reason is that a lot of foods are rich in tryptophan, which is nature’s own little sleeping drug.

So what you can you do to deter this feeling if you are not able to take a little siesta? Some say that drinking some water may help, although it is probably only the coolness of the water which gives a refreshing effect. It’s never a good idea to exercise right after a meal, so the best thing you can do is just wait the feeling out. Otherwise, you would be advised to eat smaller meals more regularly throughout the day, rather than gorging yourself on one large meal. This is also a good way of maintaining a level metabolism and prevent yourself from feeling tired.