Getting Sleepy After Eating

The reason is that your body is putting its energy into digestion. So, the rest of your body functions are taking a back seat...especially blood flow which is concentrating on your digestive tract. all your body's energy is used into the digesting part. but i heard its not always the healthiest thing to do wen you jus get done eating


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well, I typed "falling asleep after a meal" into my browser, and came across this site. ever since I was a kid, I have avoided breakfast and lunch and have always ate a heavy dinner. my blood sugar levels are normal, even 30 years later, doing the same thing. However, there came a time when I needed to start eating breakfast and lunch for the sake of my health, and bam! super tired after every meal, however, it seemed to go away if I had something important to do, and I never was unsafe to drive, because the tiredness left as soon as my brain went into motion on a particular project. However, If I did typically take a nap, it wasn't for any more than an hour, and I woke up refreshed, and quite energetic. So, after reading all of your noteworthy suggestions, I was impressed. I was also the only one who hadn't thought of this, and tried to find a solution. Interestingly enough, as I was reading the responses, the lion in the jungle came to mind, and the lion resting after a catch. I guess we aren't so different after all. Even healthy and fit lions need to reserve their energy.

I wrote extensively on this blog about my problems because for years I suffered from this, but lately I think I have found the solution, at least for myself. The problem for me was that I was sleep deprived but wasn't aware of it. I'd often get up kind of groggy and load myself with a big cup of expresso, sometimes I'd have a few cups a day. I'd have lunch and usually need a nap. At night time I wouldn't fall asleep till after 1 or 2 AM, I would just think of myself as a night person. I also had to get up early to get my kids off to school. Basically I had very erratic sleep patterns.

Because my blood pressure has been getting kind of high it was suggested that I kick the caffeine habit which I have done for the past 3 months and I have been taking a melatonin supplement of 5mg at around 11 PM in order to get myself to sleep by midnight. I like to read before going off to sleep as the melatonin kicks in. I have been using the regimen for the past few months and to my amazement I'm not feeling groggy after lunch any longer. It seems that I was just sleep deprived and on a vicious cycle of needing caffeine and naps to make up for the lack of rest my body was actually requiring.

Weak and old, my gosh.. I know no disrespect was meant but, I felt it anyhow.

Speaking of symptoms, wonder if the hormones they put in the foods we eat are a part of this?!
SUGAR IS! I know this! Syrup with pancakes, try it.. (cautiously if diabetic!)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_sugar (info on blood sugar levels and how it all works)

(excerpt) If blood sugar levels drop too low, a potentially fatal condition called hypoglycemia develops. Symptoms may include lethargy, impaired mental functioning; irritability; shaking, twitching, weakness in arm and leg muscles; pale complexion; sweating; paranoid or aggressive mentality and loss of consciousness. Brain damage is even possible.

I suggest you guys try to reduce sugar intake, that includes carbohydrates. I find a few of the articles very interesting and confirmable, as with the intolerance (to what breaks down the sugars), reactions of the chemicals in your body, etc.

Exercise helps break it down but it won't fix it. Diet is a very important factor, but I continue to ignore it due to being low weight. I'm still trying to gain! lol I also don't eat alot of sweets unless you count white bread and things of that nature. Please do try alternate diets to see if there's one that fits you better and exercise is a great addition.. Diet and exercise together should help alleviate many of your symptoms. :) If you haven't yet, please have your sugar levels checked to rule out any diabetic issues.

Naps help, too :) I also heard a study showed those who nap have better outlooks, think better and live longer.

You're wrong. I can eat a big or small meal of carbs, proteins, etc and feel fine and not sleepy. However, if it includes certain foods (wheat, chick peas, corn and a few others) then an irresistable wave of tiredness comes over me. I cannot stay awake and I am knocked out for an hour or two. It is definitely to do with the specific food types. Nothing to do with carbs and proteins or the absence of water, etc.

If you're refering to what I said, I said it to notify those whom may be diabetic, they are to watch their carbs. Carbs affect sugar levels, atleast going by what my mom's doctor has told her. Her diet includes low carbs. It's got something to do with how the body breaks down carbs, that's all I can remember. Not everyone is affected the same, either. Some don't even know their blood sugar levels are off while others are more sensitive to it. The diet makes sense as a common solution. Bananas are good for diabetics, also. If you think you may be diabetic, it's good to find out early. There's something called borderline diabetic also. Atleast that's a term loosely thrown around amidst my family. My brother is full blown diabetic. Some other symptoms include sores on feet, slow healing wounds, vision issues, excessive thirst, frequent urination, blurred vision, itchy skin, tingling or numbness in legs, feet or hands.

I think if you don't have the majority of those symptoms, you may be in the clear for diabetes right now and it may be something else. Im not absolutely sure what causes tiredness after meals for all people but it helps to rule out the possibilities to get a better idea, I would think. Keeping track of what you eat does seem like an excellent idea of finding out the culprit. ;-) I should follow that rule of thumb myself.

OP, I wish I knew more. Best to you and everyone else trying to get past the tiredness after a meal :-)

I find your third reason to be extremely offensive. It could not be further from the truth. It is clear you have not experienced this yourself before.



There is feeling drowsy after eating, but what we are talking about here is going into an uncontrollable coma after eating. I lead a hectic life, I've found that eating random foods trigger this food coma reaction. I knew it was a serious problem when I was driving from one appointment to another after lunch and passed out behind the wheel. It appears to be caused by a very random list of foods but I've found it is exacerbated after about a week of using artificial sweeteners (i.e. drinking Pepsi Max or eating foods that claim to be sugar free and it is not till after further investigation, once I've started reacting again that I find out these foods have artificial sweeteners). The random list grows so at this point it is uncontrollable.



My limbs become week, heavy and sore. There is a burning pain behind my eyes and it is impossible to keep them open. There is a warmth in the upper section of my stomach and it aches slightly. I also get a slight headache and dizziness. My jaw tightens. It feels like my skin is tingling and my whole body is buzzing. There is a dull ache at the base of my skull. All the energy is drained from my body and it is impossible to concentrate. There is no fighting the urge to sleep, it just happens.



I live in constant fear of it happening. I try to stick to foods I know do not cause it. It is almost impossible to dine out with friends as I am so frightened that the above will happen. It affects my ability to work not only in the afternoon but anytime I drink or eat. It is depressing and frustrating specially when there is so much I like to accomplish in a day.



Admittedly some days are better than others but then again some days are just dreadful.



It is clear that people like the guest I've quoted and those that say it is normal have never experienced this hell.



To those living with it, I hope you find a solution soon.



I have tried many doctors. I have had many tests. I have had many expensive tests that depress not only me but my bank balance and we are still no closer to an answer. We live in a modern age and I am sure that we will have our diagnosis and solution in the near future, it may already exist and I just have not looked hard enough on the net.



Good luck.

Describes the feeling to a tee. Also did the glucose test with similar results. If one thing has been achieved by this thread, at least we know we are not alone. It's hard describing it to someone who does not experience it.

I would not call overheating, cold sweats and muscle pain relaxing.

Thank you for your cheery contribution.



It would make sense to eat the above, but as all the posts have indicated even fruits and veggies give us this horrible reaction. I myself feel specially hungover after eating apples and sometimes mangoes.

I'm in my 20's and am generally active, I can run a half marathon and am currently training for a marathon at the end of the year.



Glad it worked for you.



If we have learned anything from these posts, we cannot generalise and it is best to seek medical advise (even though they may not always have the answer).

Pesticides and chemicals in food additives will drug you making you feel foggy.
B-vitamin deficiency will make you feel groggy.
B-vitamins absorb in the tongue.
The body doesn't store B-vitamins.
Many food additives destroy B-vitamins.
B-vitamins fuel the adrenal gland.
The adrenal gland makes over 30 hormones for other glands.
The pineal gland makes melatonin, a sleep hormone.
Uncooked green veggies provide serotonin, a sleep hormone.
Elimination diet, eat only those foods that give you energy.
The elimination diet discards those foods that make you feel tired.
The elimination diet is a therapy.
After your body has recovered and you are sleeping well you may return to your regular diet should you choose.
If eating fatigue occurs repeat therapy.

That is definetely NOT a normal reaction. The previous poster is right, you need to be guided through a food elimination diet and find out what your food intolerances are. For example, I have a wheat intolerance (different from an allergy). When I eat a significant amount of wheat, like a piece of wheat toast, I am tired for the next couple hours.

Foods should ultimately be energizing and make you feel good, it's just a matter of finding the foods that are best for your unique body.

I have to agree with the person who said "excessive sleepiness after a meal can be from diabetes." although it can also happen from low blood sugar, hypoglycemia, as well. And probably an array of other reasons like the adrenal discussion. We are all different and 1 symptom can apply to many different disorders. Please consider what other symptoms you may be having that you haven't thought of. Any excessive thirst, urination? And anything else, that maybe is being overshadowed by your most bothersome symptom. I have this sleepiness after a meal problem-- it feels like I have been drugged after I eat lunch. It is not normal, my provider agreed. I have read that Diabetes can take years to manifest. there are also many subtypes of diabetes, more than most of us are aware-- beyond the average type1 and type 2. MODY has 6 or 8 different sub- types and presentations. There is also LADA. Just for the diabetes category. I'm sure other disorders can be equally as complicated. Myself, I have normal blood sugar in the morning fasting test and normal results for the morning glucose tolerance test. However, when I am feeling this drugged after lunch feeling, I decided to find out exactly what is going on AT THAT TIME with my blood sugar and bought myself a personal glucose meter. I tested my glucose AT THAT time of falling asleep after lunch-- it was 285!! NOT NORMAL!! My provider agreed. Even for testing during the post-prandial period, was told should not exceed 200. They are now doing further tests after years of living with this and years of different docs. I also noticed that what I eat for lunch affects the degree to which I feel drugged. No carbs and smaller meals helps, as does abstaining from food entirely(although this is not a solution). Smaller meals helps me, but not completely. You need to find a health provider who will listen, and really listen to everything (personally I found a good nurse practitioner-- nurses are trained in patient response/ listening-- doctors are trained to look at numbers-- both approaches= necessary). but try to find a good provider to test what you experience at the moment it is happening.. I'm not suggesting that glucose is for sure the problem, even for myself I still do not yet know if that is it. but the more info you have for your provider, the better they can assist you. If they blow you off, or can't find it, move along to another provider. We cannot diagnose ourselves, although searching the web can help us define our symptoms and maybe help with possible tests to run. Do not leave it at that. Unfortunately, too many providers do not keep up with the latest research and if you don't fall neatly into one category, you can be SOL. But, whether it be physician's assistant, nurse practitioner or MD, there are good one's out there, just hard to find. Keep looking until someone listens. It is not okay for most of us to just accept sleeping during afternoon work hours, as our colleagues around us are not experiencing this. So for the poster who said "it's okay, just take a nap" or "it's normal" --some of us have to work, napping is not acceptable work behavior and can get you canned. :-)

It is normal to feel a bit tierd after eating but not normal at all to feel extremly fatiugued and drowsey. I was anemic through middle school and in High School but recentally Iv been getting enough iron and not anemic right now ,,,,,,but now for awail have been EXTREMLY sleepy after eating, even if it's some cereal or a banana!! This is not normal I have been to a sleep depervation specialist because I also have troubles sleepinng and he said I should get it checked out because it has to do more with your metabolism, how your body breackes down the food and how your body responds. For some people its a diet thing and their eating too much calories and not enough excersize but for a normal person like me or you there is something wrong and you should get blood work done checking for: diabetes, hypoglycemia, allergies to certain foods, thyriod problems, anemia, narcolepsy, depression, anxiety disorder, ext... you should really go to a doctor to try to improve your life because Im not sure how longer some of us can take this... Good luck and wish me luck too!