Why do we feel sleepy after meals?

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Have you ever wondered why we feel sleepy after meals?What could be the mechanism behind it? Let’s find out

Why do we feel sleepy after meals?
Why do we feel sleepy after meals?600×420 26.5 KB

  • Postprandial blood flow shifts to digestive system
  • Rise in insulin and serotonin/melatonin pathways
  • High carbohydrate or heavy meals
  • Circadian rhythm (natural afternoon dip)
  • Dehydration or electrolyte imbalance
  • Not sure / Combination of factors
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Vote and share your views on this topic. Comment if this is good or bad for our health in the long term and when does it signal a underlying issue?

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Occasional drowsiness after meals isn’t harmful, but frequent or extreme fatigue may signal issues like insulin resistance, poor sleep quality, dehydration, or nutritional imbalance

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Interesting read! Feeling sleepy after meals is something many of us experience, and understanding the digestion-related causes and hormonal influences helps make sense of it. Great explanation!

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Very right many of us experience this. Our body sends signal to our brain asking for rest due to high consumption of carb in our meals. Or may be if the body is also tired due to lot of work load or stress.

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Yes after taking Large meals high in carbs or fats spike insulin, diverting energy to digestion and boosting sleep.

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High carbs meal, shifting blood flow to GI tract…can lead to sleepyness

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We feel heavy after meals due reasons like circadian rhythm and digestion taking away taking away your alertness. The blood flow to brain reduces as its directed to digestive system

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Great insight @alf1ya :clap:. You’ve pointed out all the warning signals perfectly.

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Yes, @Rituparna25, feeling sleepy after meals is a very common occurrence. What do you think could be the other causes?

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Our body works in ways that is different from each other. Great explanation @Ragini

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Consuming heavy meals leads to more blood flow to digest them. However over napping should be seen as a condition to be addressed professionally.

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Yes @lakshmi, oversleeping should be monitored. It could denote an underlying issue which requires professional care. Do you know any conditions which may cause oversleeping?

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It is natural for the sleep to occur after meal. It helps with insulin levels. I don’t know much about it, if you could guide it.

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