Why Do I Fall Asleep After Eating? Is There Critical Issues
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For many people, eating delicious food is a great way to connect with friends and family.
But, for others, the end of the meal can be accompanied by a sense of tiredness, making them go to sleep shortly after they finish eating, so why do I fall asleep after eating?
There are a few reasons why this might be occurring. In some cases, it might be related to the type of food that you are eating. In other cases, it might be linked to the portion size that you are consuming. In other cases, it could be triggered by the time of day that you are eating.
This can often raise several issues. For example, is sleeping after a meal safe and what can you do to stop feeling so tired?
Let’s take a closer look at this area, so you can stop tired after eating.
Why Does Eating Make You Feel So Tired?
As we said earlier, there are several reasons why eating might be linked to tiredness. However, the three most common issues are;
- The type of food you’re eating.
- The portion size you’re consuming
- The time of day you’re eating
Let’s take a closer look at each of these possible causes and why they can impact your body so dramatically.
Does The Type Of Food You Eat Affect Whether You Feel Tired After The Meal?
Yes, the type of food does impact whether you want to sleep after you finish the meal.
This is because of the way food impacts your body’s chemistry. Certain meals have been known to cause your body to produce chemicals like Serotonin, which makes you feel tired.
This is most common among foods that are high in Tryptophan.
This causes your brain to start producing Serotonin, which is the chemical that is responsible for telling you when it’s time to go to sleep.
Multiple foods might be able to produce this effect. However, this chemical is typically found in foods that are rich in protein and carbohydrates.
As an example, things like fish, chicken, eggs, pasta, rice, and cheese have all been known to contain high levels of Tryptophan.
When you combine several Tryptophan-rich foods in one meal, you’ll often start to find that the effects become more pronounced.
What Is A Food Coma?
Another big reason why people tend to become sleepy after eating their meals is that they have consumed too much food. This is typically known as a food coma. To try and recover, you will often have a dip in energy.
There are a few reasons why this might be occurring. First, it might be because the stomach is expanding, to absorb all the food you ate.
To compensate, the blood flow in the body changes slightly. Blood flows toward your digestive organs and away from the brain.
When this happens, you will often notice that your blood has increased. Also, to compensate for the decreased blood flow, the brain might make you feel more tired.
Another possible explanation is the brain is sending out the signal to make you feel more lethargic after a big meal.
This is most common when you consume a meal that is high in protein and fat.
The good news is that these symptoms will start to wear off after a few hours. Often, you’ll only be suffering from the impacts of a food coma for two to six hours.
Does The Time You Eat Impact On How Tired You Feel After A Meal?
Sometimes the time that you consume the meal can impact how tired you become afterward.
Most people, naturally reach their lowest energy point at 2 pm. If you have a big meal at this point, you will be more likely to go to sleep afterward.
Sleep patterns can often impact our circadian rhythm. These are the times during the day when we naturally start to run low on energy.
Having a meal at these times can make the lack of energy worse, making you feel like you need to go to sleep.
What Is The Problem With Sleeping After Eating?
While it might be normal for you to go to sleep after a big meal, you might want to consider this approach.
Often, when you go to sleep after a big meal, your body won’t be able to digest the food as efficiently.
Feeling weak after eating might also be a sign of a bigger medical issue, which you will need to get addressed.
What Is The Sleep After Lunch Disadvantages?
The main problem with sleeping after a big lunch is that you might be causing digestion issues. This is because your body prefers to be upright to digest food properly.
As a result, trying to lie down after a big meal can sometimes cause problems like acid reflux.
Because you’re not giving your body the time it needs to break down and absorb the food, it can often make for an uncomfortable sleeping experience.
In some cases, you might experience acid reflux or heartburn, as your body tries to absorb the food.
Why Am I Feeling Shaky And Weak After Eating?
Weakness after eating can be a sign that you have a serious issue that needs to be addressed.
In most cases, these feelings are caused by low blood pressure. In this case, you should talk about the problem with a medical professional, to see if they can come up with a suitable solution.
In most cases, feeling shaky or weak after you eat will be caused by the condition known as Reactive Hypoglycemia.
If this is the case, the symptoms should become most apparent between two to three hours after the meal.
There are many reasons why this might be occurring.
You need to understand the underlying causes of this problem, as it will often be linked to medical problems that need to be addressed.
Because of this, you should make sure to discuss the issue with a doctor.
How Can You Stop Feeling Tired After Eating?
Feeling low on energy after eating can be very frustrating. Often, the best way to change this is by changing the foods that you consume.
This will reduce the amount of Tryptophan you consume. You might also want to try having several small meals throughout the day, rather than one or two big ones.
What Are Some Foods That Don’t Make You Tired?
There are several foods that won’t make you feel tired after you eat them. Things like unprocessed foods, fruits, vegetables, and lean protein tend to allow your body to produce plenty of energy.
As a general rule, you want to try and avoid foods that are high in fat or protein. You should also try to avoid foods that are rich in protein or carbohydrates, as these tend to contain a lot of Tryptophan.
Related Questions
- Will sleeping after a meal help me burn calories? Going to sleep after eating a big meal won’t help you burn calories. In fact, it is often linked to weight gain, as it takes longer to digest the food properly.
Final Thoughts on Why Do I Fall Asleep After Eating
Getting tired after eating is a fairly common experience. There are a few reasons why this might be happening. For example, the portion sizes might be too high.
Or, you might be eating foods that have been known to release chemicals that make your brain feel tired. While it can be tempting to sleep after lunch.
This isn’t a good idea, as it can make it harder for your body to digest the food properly. Instead, focus on changing your diet, to eat foods that will boost your energy levels.
