Why do I feel sleepy after every meal?
963831
Why we need a siesta after dinner\n15:42 05 June 2006 \nNewScientist.com news service \nLinda Geddes\n\nThe mystery of why we often feel sleepy after eating a big meal may finally have been resolved. Researchers have discovered that high blood glucose levels, similar to those after eating a big meal, can switch off the brain cells that normally keep us awake and alert. \n\nThe findings make evolutionary sense since sleepiness could be the body’s way of telling us to relax and conserve energy once we have found and eaten our food, says Denis Burdakov of the University of Manchester, UK, who led the research.\n\n“It has been known for a while that people and animals can become sleepy and less active after a meal, but the brain signals responsible for this were poorly understood,” he says. \n\nBurdakov’s team studied a group of brain cells called orexin neurons, which are found in the hypothalamus and produce proteins called orexins that are essential for maintaining normal wakefulness in humans. These neurons are less active at night and when they malfunction this can lead to narcolepsy, where sufferers cannot stay awake.\n\nFiring rate\nPreviously, researchers have shown that orexin neurons can be inhibited by glucose, but it was not known how sensitive they were. Burdakov’s team exposed orexin neurons to subtle changes in glucose levels similar to those that occur in the blood during daily cycles of eating and hunger, then measured their firing rate. \n\n“What we discovered is the activity of the neurons can be turned off by minute elevations in glucose associated with normal meals,” says Burdakov. The glucose is thought to act on potassium ion channels in the neurons’ membrane. \n\nHe believes this could explain why we naturally feel sleepy after a meal and also why it can be difficult to sleep when we are hungry, since the activity of the neurons would be higher when there is less glucose in the blood.\n\n“We think orexin neurons make sure that we are awake and alert when hungry, in order to ensure optimal food-seeking,” Burdakov says. He adds that it makes evolutionary sense for animals to turn off their wakefulness and conserve energy once they have eaten their food, since it could be risky or wasteful to expend too much energy looking for more food.\n\nObesity trigger\nChanges in the sensitivity of orexin neurons to glucose could lead to obesity, Burdakov speculates. \n\nOrexin neurons are known to help regulate appetite and metabolic rate, and when they become faulty this can trigger late-onset obesity. Researchers are currently trying to understand exactly how orexin neurons interact with other brain circuits involved in appetite regulation.\n\n“The role of orexin neurons in the control of numerous central nervous system processes makes the discovery of their ability to sense small changes in glucose potentially quite important,” says Joel Elmquist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, US, writing in a commentary accompanying the paper in Neuron. \n\nThis is because it means a whole range of physiological processes can be regulated by the amount of fuel that is available. “Dysfunction of glucosensing may have profound effects on wakefulness and coordinated autonomic responses,” he says.\n\nJournal reference: Neuron (vol 50, p 711)
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If, as you state, this seems to usually happen when you skip dinner, then it could be a result of a drop in your blood sugar. A drop in blood sugar can cause a multitude of problems and will eventually overstress your pancreas and adrenal glands, which is something that you definitely don't want.\n\nEat dinner (you need to finish eating a complete meal 2 1/2 to 3 hours for proper digestion to occur before you go to sleep) or at the least a snack (which can be consumed 45 minutes to 1 hour before bedtime) on a consistent basis and see if the problem goes away. You might want to try a good protein shake either as a meal substitue or the snack. \n\nIt's important to eat a very healthy diet throughout your life. It is especially crucial at present since you are still maturing. Your brain will not finish completely developing until the age of 21-22. It is essential that you get on the right track with a healthy diet NOW in order to not pay a steep price with your health at a later date. Basically, eat real food and avoid junk, processed food and, most importantly, sugar. \n\nThe other possibility--yes, as stated from others, you may be sleeping in a position that is affecting some of the nerves in your neck and arms. Make sure that you have a good pillow, that provides adequate support for your neck, and that your mattress has the correct firmness.\n\nIf the problem does not go away, see your doctor.\n\nGood luck and best of health.\n\nA Massage Therapist
1182011
Eat a light lunch that contains a protein such as chicken or fish, peanut butter or cheese. \nPasta, or breads or even many low-fat items are sources of carbohydrates which your body converts to sugar energy, and you'll get sleepy very quickly.
481231
Try to fit some exercise in your day.  That way you'll feel tired when you actually need to fall asleep, which you probably don't feel tired at, since it seems you're drinking a lot of sugary and caffinated drinks.  Those make you feel the sugar high and then crash after a while, making you more tired than before.  You'll get a better night's sleep, and if you need to have coffee, have one not many.  Eat healthy foods too.  Carbs with sugar make you even more tired.
188970
Watch not only what you eat (of course staying away from junk food or junk sodas, anything that's high in sugar and low in vitamins and minerals) but also watch how much you eat. Eating slowly will help with this. Don't eat so much that you feel like you need a nap. After eating, if you can, do something active like taking a walk; anything to get your body moving. Do things that are fun on a regular bases too helps, like going to any type of park or being around kids. If you want some tips on proper food, you should check out weight watchers or jenny craig and websites like theirs.
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I think it is because you body is not functioning at its best when someone is tired.  So what happens is the person's resistance drops and his ability to warm up.  \nHave you ever noticed that after eating you get cold?  It's because your body is working harder to digest the food and the other bodily functions slow down.  That's also why we feel tired after over-eating.
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Tiredness is not an issue over which you should bury your head in the covers. Actually, fatigue, the tiredness most people feel on a daily basis, is the first symptom of all degenerative disease.\n\nIf you wake up tired in the morning, lack the energy to make it through the day without a stimulating pick-me-up (“don’t talk to me until I’ve had my morning coffee”) and you haven’t got the energy to exercise or even walk from the couch to the TV set to change the dial, then your get up and go has gotten up and gone. You may even be headed for chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia.\n\nMany people think it’s natural to feel tired. Although it may be common, it's not natural. As a matter of fact, you can have stimulant-free, vibrant, sustained energy - naturally. And, it’s simple. The solution is optimum whole food nutrition. A well-nourished body always has more than enough buoyant vibrant energy. Period. \n\nResearch into the causes of fatigue has been going on for decades. We know you need certain nutritional factors that are not only missing from most people’s diets, but, ironically, they’re consistently being removed from our food supply during processing. \n\nWhy? Because they involve oils and other lipids. If you expose lipids to processing, light and air, they oxidize, become rancid and turn into trans-fatty acids. In other words, they’re sensitive and have a short grocery store “shelf life.” But just because they can spoil in your bread, cereal, rice and pasta, doesn’t mean you don’t need them on a daily basis. You desperately do need them!\n\nJust like a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, your body is only as strong as its weakest cell. Each one of your 73 trillion cells is a link vitally important to your health. They have a job to do and in order to do it, they need certain specific essential lipids. During your daily routine, cells use these lipids to perform a multitude of functions. Just like your car needs gasoline, you need these essential oils. They help to recharge your body’s battery
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Metabolism peaks in the morning hours after being deprived of food for hours.  Even though the metabolism is slower in the sleep hours it has been digesting and you have been getting hungry. Our metabolism begins to speed up as we awaken.  After you have eaten in the morning, it is quite likely that your metabolism has sped up even more with the introduction of food for energy. This could be a prime work out time for you!  \nOther possibilities, if you ate a HUGE meal the night before, there is theory that it stretches your stomach and when you wake up the next morning it feels hungrier because it is stretched.  The other thing may be that when you eat your morning meal, you eat too quickly and your brain needs time to catch up to the full feeling! \nSomething to think about!
152417
It happens to me and some friends. And it doesn't help if that period is right after lunch. I find that drinking cold water (not soda) and taking a walking break outdoors do me a lot of good. It's even better to have a "sleepy partner" to take the walk with you so you guys can talk and laugh.
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You probably have a stomach virus, especially because Thanksgiving just passed and if you celebrate it I'm pretty sure you might of over ate but you probably should drink some ginger ale for your tummy ache and for fatigue I'm guessing take along hot bath rest your body and you could try a heating pad on your neck and back and I hope you feel better
845108
Hi,\n\nYour body is probably not having enough energy.. and that is why you start to feel tired starting from the afternoon onwards.\n\nYou might want to try to do a detox. A friend of mine with the same problem of feeling really tired after lunch did a detox and found that he could now last till end of the day and even have the energy to wake at 6am to jog or take a walk.\n\nIn addition, the detox also helped him lose some extra fats.\n\nI myself lost like 15kg within 2 months and never felt better ;)\nYou can see my pics here:\nhttp://dreamsincredibles.blogspot.com/2005/10/angel-is-most-beautiful-mum-to-be-2005.html\n\nIf you are interested to find out more, you can email me at verityy@yahoo.com
1179621
1.  Frequent headaches - see your doctor, there could be an underlying problem you can't see.\n\n2.  When do you work out?  Day time - excellent, but not after your last meal of the day.  When you exercise, you are working up your metabolism - and yes, exercise and a full day of activities can wear you out - this is why we sleep.\n\nIf you work out after your last meal of the day, you are over working your metabolism and it takes time for the body to wind down properly.\n\nBeing tired, drowsy, fatigued does not make you "weak" just means you have worn yourself out.  This is good if you wish to live a normal life of excercise, activity, and eating a sensible diet.\n\nIf you are over drowsy, tired, fatigued, then you should seek advice from your doctor.  Taking vitamins and suppliments do not replace a proper sensible diet.\n\nDon't try to over do the excercise - this could lead to serious health issues that you will do more harm to your body too early - thus wearing out your interest in remaining in a healthy state of being.\n\nTry Yoga and meditating for calming yourself down, stretching your body's muscles properly and thus after your last meal of the day, you can relax as you should.  The human body can only do so much, and not more than it should/could.  Try getting to know your body, learn to like yourself and excercise appropriately at the right times of the day.  Rest when you should.
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There's a hormone called insulin which is secreted by the pancreas which helps decrease your glucose (blood sugar) levels.  After a large meal, there is a huge spike in post-meal insulin response which overcompensates and produces more insulin than is necessary to quickly lower blood glucose.  This in itself can make you feel tired and hungry again.  At the same time another hormone is released called cholecystokinin. One of the functions of this hormone is to make you feel full. But it also activates the areas in the brain involved in sleep.  Finally, the level of an amino acid called "tryptophan" increases, it is converted into "serotonin" in the brain. Serotonin also does a very good job of making you feel sleepy!\n\nBest advice:  Eat more frequently and eat smaller meals to avoid this effect.
539370
When you eat a lot of carbohydrates for lunch, that can bring your energy level down. You know when people eat like fast food for lunch and you hear them say "boy I'm sleepy" it's b/c of all those freakin carbohydrates.. For lunch try changing your eating routine such as eating salad and fruits. I bet you will have more energy :-)
262962
It could be a poor diet, it could be a sign of disease... dehydration can make you feel sleepy, so drink at least one glass of water every hour...even if you don't feel thirsty, depression can also make a person feel sleepy. Or perhaps the person has lots of stress and worries and isn't really sleeping deeply. Exercise can really help you sleep well...I would suggest seeing a doctor first just to rule out any problems.. night ,night, sleep tight x
1106072
I have the same problem. If I go usually more than 6 to 8 hours without eating, I get looney. I start shaking, cant concentrate and feel like I'm going to pass out. I try to make sure I have a snack with protein with me at all times. Protein is better than sugar for a quick fix until you can eat. If you eat something sweet, it wears off quickly. I'm not a diabetic either.
1027390
Thats a really hard thing to do because your body is probably programed to think "time to eat" at night. When your body starts to kick in and do that drink some hot tea or make some popcorn. Drink or eat something that is light but will make you feel full. Eat less and less each night and hopefully the feeling will stop.