The 3 PM Energy Crash: Is Lunch the Only Reason?

You feel totally fine and productive all morning, but as the clock hits 3 pm, you are just staring blankly at your computer screen. Your eyes start feeling heavy. You can barely concentrate on simple tasks. You find yourself drinking another cup of coffee or tea to get some energy.

But we usually blame our midday lunch for this crash. But food is not really the only reason you feel so completely exhausted. Let’s talk about what is actually happening to your body.

What Is 3 PM Energy Crash?

An energy crash is that sudden, heavy drop in focus, physical energy, and motivation that hits right in the middle of the afternoon. It can have certain physical, mental, and emotional effects on the body. This crash usually happens in the afternoon, around 3 pm. 

What Are The Signs Of Energy Crash?

Energy crash can make you feel low mentally, emotionally, and even physically. Below are the signs when you hit an energy crash in the afternoon:

Physical Signs:

• Your eyes feel droopy, and you keep on yawning at that time.
• You can have heavy sweating, or your body may start shaking.
• Your arms and legs may start feeling heavy.
• You may have a mild headache or dizziness in your body.

Emotional Signs:

• You start feeling low or anxious.
• You start not caring about anything.
• Everything starts making you feel irritated or crankier.
• You feel emotional or have mood swings all along.

Mental Signs

• You have brain fog.
• You have trouble paying attention to things.
• You lose motivation 

Is Lunch Really The Reason Behind This?

Yes, lunch is one of the reasons behind the energy crash that you get in the afternoon. If you had a heavy, large, or high-fat meal in the afternoon, then it can slow down the process of blood flow in your stomach and also to your brain. Because heavy meals take a lot of time to get digested or go through the process of digestion in the body, and when the food is not able to be processed at the constant speed that it has to, then it starts giving you an energy crash or makes you feel sleepy and tired at the same time.

Does Skipping Breakfast Can Also Cause Energy Crash In The Afternoon?

If you skip breakfast or just drink a cup of coffee with a biscuit, you are going to be absolutely starving by lunchtime. Being that hungry makes you more likely to overeat quickly. A morning meal stops this from happening. Try to eat a mix of good protein, fresh fruits, and whole foods to give you a steady start

Other Reasons Behind The Energy Crash In The Afternoon?

There can be multiple reasons behind this energy crash in the afternoon, which are as follows:

• Fluctuations in the blood sugar level:  If you eat food that has high sugar levels can cause fluctuations in blood sugar, which can result in an energy crash later.
• Not getting enough sleep at night: If you don't sleep enough or sleep late at night, then it can also make you sleepy or low in the afternoon, asking you to complete the remaining sleep hours that you skipped in the night.
• Taking a lot of stress: If you take constant stress, then it affects you mentally and emotionally, which makes you feel low, and your brain becomes foggy by the afternoon.
• Drop of Caffeine level in your body: If one drinks morning tea or coffee for energy, then it may drop by the afternoon, later resulting in a drop off from the body.
• Circadian rhythms: Our body has a natural, built-in dip in the alertness system. In the afternoon, it naturally drops its wakefullnes that results in an energy crash in the afternoon.
• Vitamin & Mineral deficiency: Some essential vitamins, such as Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, and Vitamin B9, and minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, sodium, and zinc, can cause an energy crash in the body.

Doctor’s Note

A mid-afternoon energy crash is often just your body's natural rhythm or the result of a heavy, carb-loaded lunch. However, if your 3 PM crash is so severe that you can barely stay awake, or if you feel completely exhausted all day regardless of how much you sleep, you should see a doctor. Constant, extreme fatigue can be a hidden sign of anemia, a thyroid disorder, or insulin resistance (pre-diabetes) that needs a proper medical check-up.

Ayurvedic View On this 

In Ayurveda, the energy crash is seen at the deeper level by examining the root cause of the person, not just the signs. Ayurveda says that it can be due to:

Imbalance in Dosha: Vata, Pitta & Kapha are the three main doshas in a person. If any of them get imbalanced, it can also cause an imbalance in the body.

Accumulation of Ama: If a person has weak digestion, then the food he eats will not be digested properly, and the undigested food will be rotten and will become toxic. That toxic residue is called Ama, which slows down the body.

Ojas Depletion: Ojas is the ultimate reserve of energy, which is responsible for vitality, streghty and resilience in the body. If this gets depleted, then the body is also affected.

Lifestyle Mistakes That Make Us Feel Low In The Afternoon

There are certain mistakes that we make in our daily lives that result in energy crashes in the afternoon:

Eating Heavy Meals: If you eat heavy meals in the afternoon, then it can make you feel less energetic and low.

Not drinking enough water: If you don't drink enough water throughout the day, then it will result in dehydration, so keep on drinking water frequently to keep yourself hydrated.

Drinking Sugary Drinks: If you drink sugary drinks a lot, then it can raise the level of blood sugar in the body.

Eating junk-processed food: If you eat a lot of junk and processed food, then it can affect your digestion, which in turn results in energy depletion. 

Not moving enough: If you sit still in one place all day, then it can affect your body, making you weak and tired easily.

Drinking lots of Caffeine: If you drink lots of caffeine or tea in a day, then it can affect your body severely as it will make you habituated, and if you skip it even for one day, then it can cause a headache or body pain in you.

What to Do When the 3 PM Crash Hits?

When you hit an energy crash, try these steps to get back to normal instead of drinking a cup of coffee:

• Drink a big glass of fresh water.
• Stand up and walk around for five to ten minutes.
• Step outside to get a little bit of sunlight.
• Stretch and move your arms and legs.
• Step away from your work for a quick break.
• If you feel hungry, eat a snack that has some protein or fiber, like an apple with some nuts, instead of just eating plain sugar.

When Should Afternoon Fatigue Be Taken Seriously?

Being sleepy sometimes is normal, but if this happens every day, keeps getting worse, or ruins your ability to do your job, you need to pay attention. Go see a doctor if your tiredness comes with sudden weight changes, feeling dizzy, a racing heart, extreme thirst, or feeling really sad all the time. 

Conclusion

An energy crash can make you feel drowsy, less energetic, sluggish, and can make your brain foggy. But your lunch is not the only reason behind this; it can happen due to fluctuation in your blood sugar, when you skip breakfast, don’t sleep well, take a lot of stress, your circadian rhythm gets slowed down, a vitamin and mineral deficiency, and a drop in caffeine level in your body.

Making subtle changes in your lifestyle, such as eating right, hydrating well, sleeping enough, avoiding sugary drinks, and exercising daily, can help fix it. But if it happens daily that you are not even able to open your eyes and do not have energy to do anything, then it can be serious, so see your doctor as soon as possible.

References

Perceived Fatigue and Energy are Independent Unipolar States: Supporting Evidence - PMC 

Fatigue in Older Adults | National Institute on Aging