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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

It happens around 3 pm every day

119 replies

Nobrainpowertothinkofaname · 18/08/2023 10:47

I start to get tired.

Does anyone else?

I’m mid forties with a 5 year old. I work part time but currently off with her for a few weeks during school holidays.
Yesterday, we took the dog for a short 20 minute walk, we then went to the beach (short drive round the corner)
We stayed until 12ish, sat down, playedwith Dd for over an hour (tiring in itself!)
The plan was to make a picnic and head back to the beach at 6 ish, started to get tired at 3 ish and after making dinner and going in the paddling pool with Dd, had decided there was no way I had the energy to go out again
Does this sound normal?

OP posts:
Bandyarsia · 18/08/2023 11:42

I absolutely get this too. I do think my diet is a lot to blame though.

Highdaysandholidays1 · 18/08/2023 11:45

I have this, worse since a bad bout of Covid. I'm early fifties. I have a nap if I can. If I don't nap, say, busy at work, then I often fall asleep sitting up at home.

Highdaysandholidays1 · 18/08/2023 11:46

My best working hours are 8/9am to 2pm. If I haven't done the important thing by then, it rarely happens! I just do faffy/non-thinking tasks after that.

katseyes7 · 18/08/2023 11:49

This is me.
I'm okay if l'm at work, but on a day off, l love a sofa nap in the afternoon.

maddiemookins16mum · 18/08/2023 11:52

Yes, I drink a big glass of water, works for me mostly.

Ariela · 18/08/2023 11:57

I'm in my 60s and don't have time to feel tired, I'm just far too busy, only on here for a break while waiting for a pile of stuff to print.... But I can recall the endless grind of small children saps a lot of energy, I'm sure I was a lot more tired with under 5s

TheFlis12345 · 18/08/2023 12:00

I used to get this but it’s significantly improved since I went low carb, I don’t get that post lunch comedown at all any more.

hiding5675687 · 18/08/2023 12:01

If I have had a broken night it hits at this time.

PleaseGiveMeBackMySummer · 18/08/2023 12:02

Nope. Not me. (Late 50s.) It's 7pm-ish for me almost every day! (After dinner.) Unless I am out/on hols/a day trip/still out at the shops etc... Most of the time I am in though, and around 7pm I am zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz 😴 I have a power nap for half an hour and am OK for the rest of the night then. I go to bed around midnight. (Usually up at half eight in the morning.)

teenysaladandsniffofarose · 18/08/2023 12:03

OhComeOnFFS · 18/08/2023 11:28

Avoid carbs at lunchtime and see how you feel then.

Awful advice!

Healthy carbs are not the devil.

The role of carbs is to provide energy to ALL cells in the body so why do you advise avoiding them?

MrsMouse03 · 18/08/2023 12:04

I sometimes find this but often perked up by a drink of water. So many times I am dehydrated so maybe give that a try .

YukoandHiro · 18/08/2023 12:05

For me it's 2pm but then I usually eat lunch at midday as I'm up early.
I have always struggled with this time of day since I was at school. I'm self employed and my best working hours are before lunch then 3pm onwards. Annoyingly I now have the school run and kids at home so have to push through rather then work when suits my body and brain better

Sammysquiz · 18/08/2023 12:05

What’s your sleep like, and what are you eating on a typical day?

Mingomang · 18/08/2023 12:06

Very normal and it’s called a WOCL (pronounced wockle). We have two a day, between 2-6am and 3-5pm. It’s a very important concept in human factors safety training which is big thing in plane flying which has crossed over into healthcare too.

ReadingSoManyThreads · 18/08/2023 12:06

Are you overweight or obese? I noticed when I was obese I get really tired in the afternoons. I think it was to do with blood sugars which concerned me. So I cleaned up my diet and started to exercise more and shifted a lot of weight, since then, had bags of energy. Same age as you for context.

ADHDDDDDDDBOOM · 18/08/2023 12:10

Only when i was pregnant.

All 4 times, I could set my watch by it.

3pm - bang, absolutely exhausted. I used to have a cup of tea and biscuit for that time for a boost.

POAS

Combusting · 18/08/2023 12:12

Nobrainpowertothinkofaname · 18/08/2023 10:47

I start to get tired.

Does anyone else?

I’m mid forties with a 5 year old. I work part time but currently off with her for a few weeks during school holidays.
Yesterday, we took the dog for a short 20 minute walk, we then went to the beach (short drive round the corner)
We stayed until 12ish, sat down, playedwith Dd for over an hour (tiring in itself!)
The plan was to make a picnic and head back to the beach at 6 ish, started to get tired at 3 ish and after making dinner and going in the paddling pool with Dd, had decided there was no way I had the energy to go out again
Does this sound normal?

After years of this - I think I’ve managed to handle it with -

  1. Religiously taking Berocca at lunchtime daily. Never not taking it. This means taking it out and about and on work trips.
  2. No grains or potatoes
  3. if absolutely necessary a diarised slot between 1-45 Daily for shut eye. I thankfully have my own office and have that slot blocked out as my lunchtime. If working from home even easier
Combusting · 18/08/2023 12:13

And drinking lots of water helped me too

PleaseGiveMeBackMySummer · 18/08/2023 12:14

Combusting · 18/08/2023 12:13

And drinking lots of water helped me too

That just makes me pee a lot more. 😬

RavingStone · 18/08/2023 12:17

Try this today and see if it works for you. It works for me:

Eat your lunch in this order - veg, protein, carbs. Important to have enough of the first two.

I think I got this from Michael Moseley article about blood sugar and insulin.

Ohpleeeease · 18/08/2023 12:20

Where I worked you couldn’t get into the loos after 2:30pm for people having a ten minute power nap in the cubicles.

helibirdcomp · 18/08/2023 12:22

Yes my thought was what swimminginthesun says. Look at your diet. Too many carbs for lunch? or Post caffeine dip?

TheGoodBanana · 18/08/2023 12:23

I used to be tired to the point of napping every afternoon and it turns out I had low B12 and low folate levels.

Lots of vitamin deficiencies cause tiredness so best to have a full blood test to be sure.

teaorme · 18/08/2023 12:24

3-5pm energy slump is normal in women. It’s to do with hormones

thorneyislanddoris · 18/08/2023 12:26

I get this if I have carbs for lunch. I'm much better after a protein rich lunch.