After eating sleepy may be experienced by almost everyone. Although generally harmless, this phenomenon can sometimes interfere with activities and reduce your concentration. Therefore, know the cause of sleepiness after eating so that you can avoid it.
Drowsiness that appears after eating can be caused by many factors, including consumption of certain foods or drinks and lifestyle or habits that are often done. To prevent this condition that often interferes with daily life, you need to know the cause first.
Various Factors That Cause After Eating Sleepy
There are a variety of factors that are known to trigger drowsiness after eating, including:
1. The influence of hormones during the digestive process
The food and drinks you consume will be digested by the stomach and intestines. During digestion, the body releases certain hormones, such as serotonin and melatonin. The increase in both hormones can cause drowsiness after you eat.
2. Changes in blood flow in the brain
In addition to hormonal factors, changes in blood flow to the brain that occur after eating are also often referred to as the cause of the emergence of the phenomenon of drowsiness after eating.
After eating, more blood flow will be diverted to the digestive tract so that the body can process and absorb energy and nutrients from the food or drink consumed.
When this happens, blood flow to the brain will be slightly reduced and cause you to yawn frequently and sleepy in order to meet the oxygen needs of the brain. This is normal and usually only lasts a short time. However, this theory still needs further research.
3. Lack of sleep
When you don't get enough sleep, your body will feel tired and you will feel hungry easily. This can make you eat more or snack, so that the feeling of drowsiness that is felt will be increasingly felt.
Therefore, to prevent this, try to get enough sleep every night at least 7-9 hours, reduce or stop the habit of staying up late, exercising regularly, and avoiding stress.
4. Lack of exercise
Exercise affects the strength and endurance of the body, as well as the efficiency of the cardiovascular system. If you rarely exercise, the body will easily feel tired. This is also one of the triggers for the emergence of drowsiness after eating.
To be more fit, you can try to spend more time doing exercise, such as walking around the house, going up and down stairs, or yoga. Whatever the choice of exercise, do it regularly and regularly for at least 15 minutes every day.
5. Health problems
Certain health conditions or disorders can make you tired easily, including more easily sleepy after activities and after eating or even sleepy all the time.
Certain health disorders can cause drowsiness after eating, including diabetes, anemia, hypothyroidism, food intolerances, and trouble breathing during sleep (sleep apnea).
Therefore, immediately consult a doctor if you are often sleepy, because it could be a sign of a health problem that needs to be treated.
In addition to some of the causes above, there are also several other factors that can cause you to often feel sleepy after eating, for example the habit of skipping breakfast, lack of iron intake, drinking less water, and often eating fast food.
Foods and Drinks That Trigger Drowsiness
Although all foods are digested in the same way, not all foods affect the body in the same way. The reason is, there are several types of foods that actually make you more sleepy after consuming them.
These types of foods generally contain high protein, such as eggs, spinach, tofu, cheese, soybeans, and fish which contain the amino acid tryptophan. The amino acid tryptophan is used by the body to produce serotonin, which plays a major role in drowsiness.
In addition to the things mentioned above, the following types of food and drinks can also cause drowsiness after eating:
Banana
Bananas are considered to make you drowsy because they contain potassium and magnesium which can relax muscles, so the body will feel more relaxed and trigger drowsiness.
Cherry fruit
Cherries are a natural source of melatonin which is very high, which can make you sleepy. If you want to eat cherries, you should consume them after dinner and as much as possible avoid eating them during the day.
Energy drink
Many people may think that energy drinks can make you more energized and stay awake, when in reality most energy drinks are made of caffeine, essential amino acids, and high sugar content.
At first, this type of drink may increase the energy in your body. However, these effects are only temporary and can actually make you feel tired and sleepy afterwards.
Herbal tea
One herbal tea, chamomile, contains an antioxidant called apigenin. In the brain, epigenin functions to trigger a brain response that can make you feel calmer. This is what then causes you to sleep after drinking it.
In addition to chamomile, lavender herbal tea can also cause drowsiness. This is thanks to its soothing aroma.
Alcoholic beverages
Many people drink beer, wine, or other alcoholic beverages to help them fall asleep quickly and soundly. Alcohol may help your body feel more relaxed and easier to fall asleep, but your sleep can be easily disturbed and cause you to feel tired or unrefreshed when you wake up.
In addition, alcoholic beverages are also bad for health. Consuming too much alcohol will increase the risk of liver disorders, cancer, stroke, heart problems, to mental disorders.
In general, after eating sleepy is a normal thing to happen. If you experience it often, you may be able to change your diet and lead a healthier lifestyle.
However, if complaints of drowsiness after eating still appear even though you have changed your diet or often exercise, especially if the complaints of drowsiness are felt so heavy that you find it difficult to move, try to consult a doctor.