WASHINGTON 鈥� It frequently strikes around 2 or 3 p.m. 鈥� that time of the afternoon when it鈥檚 a few hours after lunch and a few hours before the end of the workday, and the only thing you鈥檙e capable of doing is staring at your computer screen in a complete daze.
Progress on your to-do list grinds to a halt, procrastination kicks in and energy levels dip to an ultimate low. It鈥檚 the midafternoon slump, and it happens to almost everyone.
A common reaction is to reach for a bar of chocolate or a sugar-laden latte for a quick boost. But before you cash in your daily quota of calories, consider some healthier alternatives that will restore your energy and recharge your mind.
Josef Brandenburg, founder of Georgetown鈥檚 , shares his best tips:
1. It鈥檚 time to re-examine your lunch
One of the biggest contributors to that late-afternoon tired feeling is what you ate for lunch just a few hours earlier.
鈥淚f what you eat makes you tired or sleepy, you feel like you need a nap, that鈥檚 definitely a sign that you鈥檙e going to want to start adjusting what you eat,鈥� Brandenburg says.
The ideal lunch should contain a vegetable, a protein and a healthy fat. Steer clear of bread, pasta, sugars and other refined carbohydrates, which tend to contribute to lethargy.
Brandenburg says there鈥檚 really only one rule to keep in mind when it comes to selecting a healthy fat for your lunch: If you can easily picture how that food was made, then chances are, it鈥檚 healthy.
Butter, for example, is churned from milk 鈥� Brandenburg says a little bit is a good choice. The same goes for olive oil and yogurt.
鈥淚f you can鈥檛 imagine how this thing got from this plant or animal into this bottle, avoid it,鈥� he says.
A few slices of avocado and a handful of almonds are also great options.
If your lunch is clean, balanced and healthy, and it鈥檚 still putting you to sleep, Brandenburg says to consider cutting back on quantity.
2. Drink up: It鈥檚 time to rehydrate
Having a glass of water may sound like too simple of a remedy for the slump, but it works. Fatigue is one of the first signs of dehydration, and shows that even mild dehydration can impair thinking.
On busy days, packed with meetings and deadlines, it鈥檚 easy to let your water intake fall to the wayside. If it鈥檚 been a few hours since you last visited the watercooler, a quick trip could be just what you need to charge through the afternoon.
鈥淚t鈥檚 very easy just to forget, and you might not feel thirsty, but you might feel hungry,鈥� Brandenburg says. 鈥淛ust having a big glass of water will boost your energy levels back up.鈥�
3. Try a burst of intense movement
Going for a walk around the block might help to clear your mind, but if you鈥檙e looking for a bigger boost, a burst of intense movement will do the trick.
Breaking out into jumping jacks at your desk might trigger funny looks from your co-workers. So to avoid the awkward stares, seek some privacy in the stairwell.
鈥淛ust run up the stairs as fast as you can to the bathroom on one of the floors above you,鈥� Brandenburg says. 鈥淚ntense exercise stimulates your body to release its own stimulants.鈥�
4. Caffeine is OK
When it comes to afternoon pick-me-ups, caffeine is not the enemy, Brandenburg says. The added sugars and creamers, however, are. If you鈥檙e feeling like a coffee or tea, go ahead and grab one 鈥� just make sure you limit the additives.
鈥淓veryone鈥檚 got a time of the day after which they have to stop consuming caffeine, or they won鈥檛 be able to go to sleep at night. So if you鈥檙e still before that time of the day, then a responsible serving of coffee without the extra sugar is fine,鈥� Brandenburg says.
Energy shooters, however, should be avoided.
5. Get some sunlight
How鈥檚 the natural light in your office? If you鈥檙e surrounded by fluorescent bulbs rather than sprawling windows, chances are your lack of energy could have something to do with a lack of sunlight.
Brandenburg says the body鈥檚 sleep and wake cycles are regulated by sunlight, so it鈥檚 no surprise that the body starts to go into sleep-mode after a few hours in a dim office.
鈥淕etting that bright, full-spectrum light that you would get from going outside for 10 minutes will help to remind your body that it is, in fact, daytime,鈥� Brandenburg says.
6. Healthy habits help with energy levels
It may go without saying, but getting enough sleep at night, eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly all have an impact on how you feel 鈥� morning, noon and night. Therefore, healthier habits lead to easier afternoons.
鈥淓verything that makes you healthier, everything that makes you fitter, will make that afternoon lull much less prominent,鈥� Brandenburg says.
