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Symptoms, Their Causes & Cures: Afternoon Slump

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Afternoon Slump

WHEN TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR

* Afternoon slumps regularly and irresistibly overtake you, even though you're maintaining a regular sleep schedule.

* Your slumps continue well into the afternoon and even on into the night for a period of two or more weeks.

* Your afternoon slumps affect your job performance and safety (you have to drive or operate heavy equipment, for example.)

What Your Symptom Is Telling You

You rise and shine with the new day, ready to take on the world. You roll through your morning tasks like a ball of fire. And then in the afternoon, you fizzle.

What could have caused your energy and alertness to take such an extraordinary nosedive? Something serious? Not likely. This sudden slump is a normal, healthy, expected function of our circadian rhythms—the built-in biological clocks that regulate our sleep/wake systems, explains biological psychologist David F. Dinges, Ph.D., associate professor in the psychiatry department at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia.

"In the mornings, we are refreshed after a night's sleep and our energy and alertness are at peak levels," says Dr. Dinges. "There is a dip in the middle of the afternoon when sleepiness reappears—our natural nap zone. Later in the afternoon, our alertness typically rises again."

Individuals differ in the degree to which this slump hits. Generally, the depth of the dip is a function of how sleepy you are and the amount of sleep you get at night. "If you are short on sleep and in an inactive situation, alertness will go down and you'll really feel sleepiness creep in when you're in your nap zone—usually between 1:00 and 3:00 p.m.," says Wilse B. Webb, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of Florida in Gainesville. "If the slump hits you extremely hard, it could just mean that you have an extremely strong nap tendency. But it could also mean that you are chronically depriving yourself of adequate restorative sleep at night."

If you're actually sleep deprived, this normally shallow dip may take on the size of the Grand Canyon. For most of us, the slump represents a few yawns and an occasional inconvenience. But if you find yourself conking out at your desk or fighting to stay awake at the wheel, it is a warning signal that the sleep you're getting is woefully inadequate. These deep, powerful slumps are usually the body's way of telling you to stop staying up so late, waking up so early and keeping such irregular hours. But for some, they may be a sign of a more serious sleep disorder that is preventing sleep's restorative powers from fully going to work. A likely suspect is sleep apnea—a serious sleep disorder that involves episodes of disrupted breathing.

Your noontime meal can also lead you into an afternoon tailspin. Bonnie J. Spring, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of Health Sciences/Chicago Medical School, has shown in studies that a high-carbohydrate/low-protein lunch can produce an afternoon drop in energy and alertness by elevating the brain's levels of serotonin, a substance that makes us sleepy.

Symptom Relief

Afternoon slump may not be a priority symptom, but don't casually dismiss it. Reduced alertness can lead to poor productivity as well as traffic and industrial accidents. Here are some energy boosters you can use to recharge your battery and give the afternoon slump the slip.

Take a walk. A rapid ten-minute walk raises energy faster and to a greater degree than sweets and snacks, according to Robert Thayer, Ph.D., professor of psychology at California State University in Long Beach. "A general body arousal occurs, which activates a number of different systems in the mind and body to produce an uplifting effect for up to two hours," he says.

Take a nap. If your situation allows, heed Mother Nature's call and catch a couple of winks. "A brief nap can be quite invigorating," says Dr. Webb. "A good rule for naps is that they should never be longer than one hour and never occur after 4:00 p.m."

Get plenty of sleep the night before. "If you are sleep deprived, you're more likely to be hit hard by the circadian dip," says Dr. Dinges. Getting adequate sleep at night and maintaining regular sleep patterns can lessen its severity. For more on getting your sleep, see Insomnia on page 326.

Rearrange your schedule. Schedule more passive activities like driving, reading and paperwork for the morning and late afternoon when your alertness is high, suggests Dr. Dinges. "Use the slump period for engaging in busier social activities like talking on the phone, interacting with co-workers and doing physical tasks," he says.

Don't skip breakfast. "Skipping breakfast creates a big energy gap that you'll feel all day, even if you eat a good lunch," says James A. Corea, Ph.D., a registered physical therapist in Moorestown, New Jersey, and former trainer with the Philadelphia Eagles professional football team. "Start with a decent-size, low-fat breakfast of cereal, fresh fruit, whole wheat toast and skim milk. You can't go wrong."

Eat a balanced lunch. The ideal lunch is a balance of proteins and carbohydrates. A good example of a slump-fighting, high-energy lunch would consist of any combination of fish, pasta, rice, baked potato, fruit salad, vegetable, lean meat or soup, according to Dr. Corea.

Avoid the lunchtime martini. Alcohol is a depressant, and like many other drugs, it can hit you like a ton of bricks.

Avoid sugary snacks. "After a brief energy surge, sugar produces increased tiredness," says Dr. Thayer. Candy bars and junk food may be convenient, but they can actually drag your slump down deeper. Fresh fruit or popcorn make a more reliable snack.

Drink coffee or soda. Caffeine is a powerful stimulant that can get you through this time period, says Philip R. Westbrook, M.D., director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Be careful not to overdo the coffee in the morning—the lift you get from more than four cups can send you crashing down in the early afternoon, making the dip even worse.

See also Fatigue

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