I'm so sleepy after I eat

[TractorTart]

Does anyone else get this? It's particularly after lunch I just can't keep my eyes open but also after other meals. Am I doing this eating thing wrong or something??

As in food coma feeling? I get that if I overeat. Maybe your eating more than you need. Half the portion and see if it makes a difference

I think it's down to body rhythm (or something). I get very sleepy if I have a proper lunch, but conversely the same meal in the evening doesn't have the same effect. The answer for me is to have a very light lunch, and eat just enough to stop feeling hungry, but not enough to fill me up. This could be a small bowl of soup and a couple of crispbread, or a hard boiled egg and some salad - certainly nothing too carby. Followed by a cup of tea or coffee I am fine. I never drink alcohol at lunchtime either (except christmas/special occasions) because that is like taking a sleeping pill for me and I could spend a couple of hours dozing just after a glass.
What do you generally eat for lunch? You could try eating smaller amounts more often and see if that makes a difference. Also, are you getting enough sleep at night?

Get your blood sugars checked asap, what is your diet like and do you have any other symptoms?

I do this because I have gallstones.

I don't eat loads but I don't really snack so possibly should eat little and often instead of all at once? I don't think I eat too much, I am a healthy weight, bmi etc.
Can't actually organise meetings or appointments for after lunch as I will just yawn he whole time. I don't sleep brilliantly, always awake in the night for an hour but probably get 6-7 hours

Just ate 2 pancakes and I'm so lethargic now! Doesn't happen with fruit and yoghurt breakfast, is it carbs maybe?

It's the carbs. I get this too.

Low blood pressure? I get this with hot food in particular.

I would get your blood sugar checked too-fasting and glucose tolerance. I used to get this after eating oats particularly and cereals in general. I have a feeling for some of us those foods are not well tolerated and in my case I no longer eat them. If you ate a pancake your blood sugar would go quite high and your pancreas would then need to release a lot of insulin to lower it because it’s toxic for the body to have high blood glucose. Perhaps this insulin rollercoaster is tiring for the body.

Get your blood glucose checked. Sounds like type 2 diabetes to me. If you have something very sweet like millionaire shortbread with a glass of milk does it happen? Or mainly with pasta, bread, ETC? Do you remember when it started? Either way sounds like low insulin resistance and can be dangerous untreated. Please see your GP.

Cross posted sorry!

Oh dear. That doesn't sound good. Perhaps I will check it out. Could it be why I wake up in the night for 1-2 hours too?
I don't like milk or shortbread, can you give another example ?

With me it was metabolic syndrome. I don't process carbs very well at all and have a very high likelihood of developing diabetes. I manage it by losing weight and having a very low carb (aka - boring) diet.

Cut out the carbs. Eat protein, veg, fruit, even some fat, but minimise both starch and sugar.

Wheat or gluten intolerant?
Could be of its carbs causing the feeling.

How are you if you eat fresh meat, veg and potato?

Anything very sugary combined with anything high carbohydrate. The GP will do a fasting blood test and a glucose test (or may refer you to the hospital for it depending on your area). It may be something else but really should be checked out.

Maybe you are eating too much sugar?

My FIL who has type 2 falls asleep after meals. Diets in the west are high in starch and sugar and this puts a strain on the pancreas. Eggs would be a good breakfast as they don’t raise blood sugar anywhere near as much as cereals

Justilou1 how did you diagnose the metabolic syndrome? I cut carbs for a few weeks recently and the difference was astonishing. Went back to normal carbs and feel horrendous, almost like I'm hungover all the time. I'm worried about it too.

This happens to me every time I eat mashed potatoes. I don't eat them often but when I do I have to factor in what I'm supposed to be doing afterwards as I need a rest!

Yes I get this. Carb coma. Have a smaller lunch of something high protein with food fats. Salmon or avocado etc.

This used to happen to me before I realised I was intolerant to dairy.

*good fats

Waking up in the night could be your blood sugars dropping and therefore waking you up.

Lloyds Pharmacy do free testing if getting to a drs is difficult

Dh is diabetic and actually falls asleep if he overeats.