That point around 2 pm every day when it’s all you can do to hold your eyes open, and you feel certain that you cannot push through is not all in your head and has little to do with you staying up late scrolling or gaming. It’s a very real thing that affects most of us because of a few scientific reasons.
For one, our hormones and blood pressure rise and fall throughout the day, lending us our energy highs and lows as they do. Since these waves follow the circadian rhythm, they naturally hit a low point around 2 pm, and it’s the most noticeable of the lows because there’s still work to be done at this time, but it just got harder to do it.
Most of us also experience more cortisol, the stress hormone, in the morning, and it weakens from there if we don’t encounter anything too trying to peak it back up. This time also coincides with post-lunch, where many of us are processing the heavy carbs of our meal which can also cause sluggishness.
Where there’s a problem, though, there’s always a solution. As the contrast of existence would have it no other way. So let’s explore some ways you can help yourself manage this sludgy time period.
Eating Lite and Alive
You probably knew this one was coming, so we’ll go ahead and get it out of the way. As mentioned above, carbohydrates cause us to feel heavier and sluggish as they’re broken down by our systems. Opting, instead, for fruits, veggies and greens can help counteract that.
Think of the energy of the food passing from it to you. Heavy and dead translates as such. Lite and alive also passes on its characteristics. So make sure you grab a hefty portion of vibrancy to add to your plate or play with the innumerable works of art that can be a salad.
Schedule Your Productive Hours
We can’t always pick and choose when we give our attention to what. If you can, though, try to focus on that which demands the most attention and energy during the times of day you feel you have the most to spare.
For most people, this is in the mornings. Some, though, swear their most productive times are in the evenings or into the nights. Listen to your body and allow it to tell you what works best for it, and don’t be surprised if it fluctuates a bit.
Rest Your Eyes
Studies have shown that just 5 minutes of intentional meditation is as good as an entire hour of restful sleep.
- Sit back and close your eyes.
- Adjust your posture so that your spine is tall, your shoulders are back and down, and your heart center is open.
- Focus on breathing deeply into the belly while relaxing all of the muscles in your body over and over again.
If you’re concerned, you may actually fall asleep, set an alarm to wake you up in a few minutes. Better yet, set the alarm anyway so that you can allow yourself to just exist for a few minutes without having to check the clock continuously.
