14 DAY TRIAL // Lunch break ended half an hour or so ago, and we’re sitting at the desk, trying to work. For some obscure reason, we can’t seem to keep our eyes open for longer than one minute tops, while our head is constantly tilting towards the keyboard and we feel a sudden urge to crawl under the desk to get some shut eye even if for just 5 minutes. It’s only natural that this happens, specialists say, because of an ebb in our daily cycle, but that is not to say it cannot be efficiently overcome.
For starters, health experts argue, we have to stop staring at the clock and praying for some miraculous time leap that would see us at the end of the working day. It is not going to happen. Instead, we should focus on the things we can do to get over this afternoon slump, as health advisor Mark of Mark’sDailyApple also maintains. Nutrition plays, of course, an essential part in the frequency or duration of these slumps.
First thing on the list is to make sure we eat foods that provide our body with enough energy to last us throughout the day. Too much sugar, carbs and grains should be avoided, and replaced with healthy fats and fruit.
Similarly, if the slump hits so hard that we’re practically 100% out-of-order for more than half an hour, then this could mean that we’re not getting enough sleep at night, so a change must be operated there too. Lack of exercise and a heavy lunch can also cause the organism to break down for a short while in the afternoon, it is being said.
The best method to fight the afternoon slump is to remain active at all costs, experts reveal – even if that seems a paradox since it’s our very inability to continue our activity that is the most troubling part. When the slump hits, we should stand up, go outside for at least 5 minutes or, if not possible, do something that fully engages our attention, be it work-related or not.
Listening to music, speaking with a co-worker, or looking something up on the Internet are the best ways to make the sleepiness go away. Of course, there is also the possibility of sneaking out of the office for a 20-minute nap, but this applies only to those who are in a position to do so – or have some secret hiding place where they are safe from the prying eyes of others.
Another effective ally in the fight against the afternoon slump is the ever reliable coffee. If drank in moderate amounts throughout the day, coffee is an excellent pick-me-up that is not without its benefits. Tea will also do the trick because it contains antioxidants, for those who are not fans of coffee, of course. All in all, afternoon slumps can be easily overcome if we really want to and have enough strength at that precise moment so as to not give in to exhaustion and boredom.