The Post Lunch Slump

You start the day strong — focused, productive, ready to take on the world. Then 3pm hits… and suddenly, you’re running on fumes. You feel like jumping under your desk for a cheeky nap - like George Costanza for any of those Seinfeld fans out there. 💤

I used to think this was a hangover from school days where the bell rang at 3pm for home time; that perhaps we were somehow conditioned to the bell like Pavlov's dogs. 🔔 But it isn't a bell, nor a conditioned response, nor a motivation issue — it’s your physiology.

By mid-afternoon, your blood sugar, stress hormones, and nervous system are all asking for a reset. When we skip breaks, live on caffeine, or push through without pausing, the body simply does what it’s designed to do: conserve energy.

That familiar “post lunch slump” is your system waving a little flag that says, “Hey, I need regulation — not more coffee.” Here’s a few tips for how to reset that don't involve making a bed under your desk: 

1. 🏃♀️ Move — 2 minutes of physical movement boosts circulation and glucose uptake. Even toe tapping at your desk as been shown support glucose control. 

2. 🥑 Refuel — a protein + healthy fat mid afternoon snack stabilises energy far better than sugar or caffeine.

3. 🌿 Reset — deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system by tapping into your vagus nerve, improving clarity and composure.

When you understand this, you can stop chasing energy — and start managing it. Because sustainable performance isn’t about working harder. It’s about working with your physiology, not against it.

🫧 This is the kind of practical physiology we explore in my energy and wellbeing workshops — helping teams understand their bodies and energy patterns so they can perform (and feel) at their best.