Scientists pinpoint the exact time the afternoon slump will hit, and how to beat it
The afternoon slump is real—and while you might blame a day of mind-numbing meetings and mundane tasks for a lack of energy, experts say our bodies are hardwired to rest in the afternoon.
Daytime tiredness and the all too familiar afternoon energy crash is thought to be influenced by both our bodies’ natural sleep-wake cycle and conflicting sleep pressure.
Unsurprisingly, the majority of people feel their most productive in the morning at around 10am—with nearly 60 per cent of workers experiencing a slump in productivity at around 1.30pm.
This, experts say, is a result of sleep pressure, the idea that our need to sleep gradually increases the longer we’re awake.
According to Dr Ravia Allada, a neuroscientist at the University of Michigan, these two opposing forces essentially ‘fight each other’ throughout the afternoon, with the pressure to sleep coming out on top when we feel sluggish.
How long this lull in energy can last can vary, with irregular bedtime routines, diet and sleep quality all having a knock-on effect.
And there are studies to back up the phenomenon.
In a study of 2,000 employees, researchers found that the afternoon was progressively worse for productivity, with over half of office workers experiencing a slump at 1.27pm, followed by a further lull at 2.06pm.
Whilst this drowsy feeling can be frustrating when your faced with looming deadlines, experts say the lull is temporary and there are tried and tested ways to beat the slump
More than a quarter of office workers blamed the dip in productivity on spending too much time in front of a screen, whilst 22 per cent attributed the lull to not taking enough breaks away from their desk.
The results, published by OnePoll, showed that just under a quarter said low productivity levels were not necessarily a result of daytime tiredness, but frequent interruptions by colleagues in the office.
But now experts have weighed in, and said the real culprit might actually be much closer to home—with poor diet and interrupted sleep being the reason for our daytime struggles.
Regardless of what you eat to sustain yourself throughout the working day, you are likely to experience an afternoon slump, experts say.
But sugary foods and meals containing refined carbohydrates like white bread, pasta, or ultra-processed cereals, are more likely to leave you feeling lethargic.
According to Professor Sai Krupa Das, an expert in metabolism at Tufts University, these foods are digested more quickly than other nutrients like fibre and protein, triggering a sharp spike in blood sugar, triggering the pancreas to secrete insulin.
This leads to a brief boost in energy, followed by a crash caused by the extra insulin in the blood, which will leave you feeling sluggish.
Dr Das recommends swapping sugary breakfast foods, such as muffins, breakfast cereals and ‘sugar spiked’ flavoured yoghurts for more healthful, nutrient dense alternatives.
Research shows that breaking up long periods of sitting with walking can help boost productivity and ward off the dreaded afternoon slump
Dr Saurabh Sethi, a Harvard trained gastroenterologist, suggested starting the day with a bowl of porridge—as oats are rich in fibre which provides slow-releasing energy—or plain yoghurt topped with berries and chia seeds.
Berries are packed full of antioxidants which can increase blood flow to the brain and help improve memory, focus and mood—warding off the afternoon crash.
Under most circumstances, the best way to reduce daytime sleepiness is to sleep, with many workers mastering the art of the 20-minute power nap to boost afternoon productivity level and reduce sleep pressure.
But where this isn’t possible, experts recommend getting outside for a walk to combat drowsiness—with physical activity being linked to improved alertness, concentration and even a longer lifespan.
In the current study, 25 per cent of employees surveyed said going for a walk outside gave them an energy boost to feel more awake in the workplace.
Italian scientists recently showed that ‘breaking up sedentary time with brief strolls’ could ‘greatly increase energy expended daily and improve health.’
Francesco Luciano, an expert in physiology and study lead, said: ‘The message pertains to our daily lives: whenever possible, we should break up periods of sitting by taking a few steps.’
However, experts warn that excessive daytime sleepiness could be a sign of a more serious underlying condition.
In the study, 31 per cent of workers said drinking coffee gave them an energy boost to feel more productive, whilst almost half said being in an office space surrounded by colleagues boosted their productivity
If you still find yourself ‘so sleep to the point of dozing off unintentionally’, after fixing your sleep schedule and focusing on diet and exercise, ‘there could be an underlying problem,’ Dr Avidan told the New York Times.
However, experts stress that this dip in energy levels and productivity is usually nothing to worry about.
Sedentary lifestyles in the UK, with many spending their work hours deskbound, followed by a long commute before relaxing in front of the TV of an evening, has been estimated to kill thousands a year.
One 2019 estimate put the annual death toll at 70,000 people a year, with the health issues caused costing the NHS £700million a year to treat.
Physical inactivity has long been linked to a number of health problems, including excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), sleep apnea, dementia and obesity—which is a known risk factor for type 2 diabetes and even some cancers.
