When 3 o’clock rolls around, the last thing you want to do is put in another hour at the workplace. It’s still sunny, but your eyelids are heavy, you’re yawning at your office desk, and you feel like you ought to sleep again.

It’s okay to admit it; you’re not the only one with this experience. People worldwide experience a phenomenon known as “the afternoon slump” daily. It may devastate your drive and efficiency, especially if you still have vital tasks to complete.

How optimistic should we be? Is the afternoon slump an impenetrable roadblock, or is there a way to get through it?

The following section will show that the afternoon slump is a normal occurrence. However, you can take steps to mitigate its effects and spring free if you find yourself in such a rut. Let’s look at it more closely.

What Is The Afternoon Slump?

The Sleep Foundation reports that energy levels often drop between 1 and 3 p.m. The afternoon slump occurs because of your body’s circadian rhythm, or “internal clock,” which helps maintain a regular sleep schedule regardless of the time of day.

The individual’s genetic makeup mostly determines the biological clock (circadian rhythm). In other words, there’s no way to avoid experiencing a decrease in energy around midday completely.

However, factors like temperature and sunshine might affect your circadian rhythm. You may leverage this to your favor when attempting to shake off the afternoon doldrums and go back to work, as we’ll see in the next section.

Science-Backed Tips To Overcome The Afternoon Slump

Even if you don’t have the luxury of taking a nap throughout the day (because of work, school, or other commitments), you can still fight off the midday slump without resorting to a sea of coffee.

Some possible approaches are listed below.

Spend some time in the sunshine.

Try being in the sun for a while to trick the body into thinking it’s not bedtime. Vitamin D production is boosted by time spent in the sun, and its effects extend beyond only improving bone health to bolstering the immune system. You can avoid the afternoon letdown by eating lunch in the sun, outside, or in a sunny room.

Put in some time at the gym.

Getting some exercise is a tried-and-true method of boosting mental and physical alertness. Light exercise like jogging or walking on a treadmill would be excellent. While this may not be possible throughout your workday, you may have a comparable impact by walking about the office for five minutes or just standing up and stretching. You may find simple exercises you may do at your workstation or the workplace in books and websites dedicated to yoga at work.

Examine and evaluate your efficiency levels.

It’s simple to lose focus when exhaustion sets in. Before going to lunch, it’s helpful to think about what you need to get done in the afternoon. You may break down your afternoon activities into more manageable chunks with the help of a productivity tool or a simple bulleted checklist.

Take in some tunes.

Putting on some music you love is a great way to liven up and avoid that midday slowdown. Listening to soft music might boost your mood and concentration if your workplace permits it. Generally, familiar tunes are best for repeated work, whereas instrumental music is best for learning or concentrating on something difficult.

Eat healthily.

Your morning meal sets the tone for the rest of the day, so choose wisely. If you had a good breakfast in the morning, you might not feel as hungry for lunch, keeping you from overeating and crashing later.

Carbohydrates during lunch can raise serotonin, which relaxes muscles and makes you sleepy during the day. Eating a protein- and vegetable-rich lunch may improve mental performance. When trying to maintain your energy, smaller meals are preferable to larger ones; therefore,  saving some snacks for a nibble in the afternoon is fine.

Get your sugar intake under control.

A sugary snack may give you a temporary burst of energy, but it will quickly wear off, leaving you more exhausted than before. A small slice of cheese or a handful of almonds are good options for a protein-rich snack in between meals. A little dark chocolate, which includes beneficial fats, antioxidants, and only a small amount of sugar, might be a decent choice if you’re experiencing a sugar craving.

Create a regular sleeping schedule.

Lack of sleep may throw off your body’s circadian patterns, making it more difficult to fight off the afternoon slump. You may train your body to go to sleep and get up at around the same time every night by setting a reminder on your phone for the time you should start winding down for the day.