It happens around 3 pm every day

[Nobrainpowertothinkofaname]

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?

I feel the same, although it's usually from the second I open my eyes in my the morning no matter how well I've slept. Work is full-on so I tend to rely on lots of caffeine to get through.

Get your GP to check your vit D level. This can cause excessive tiredness.

Aside from the sensible blood test, diet, hydration suggestions, what time do you go to sleep? And get up? If you've been running around and providing entertainment since 6.30am then no wonder you're getting a bit jaded by 3.30. That's 9 hours of being "on" and it's not the same as getting up and eating a bowl of cornflakes in silence before staring into the middle distance during the commute. And plenty of us get a bit sleepy in the office around that time too.

Basically, are you being fair to yourself? Or are you getting 6 hours of sleep on a good night, constantly running around the rest of the time and then puzzling over why you often feel a bit tired mid-afternoon?

If you're asleep from 9.30 and rising at 8 not having stirred in between, go back to sentence one: diet and doctor.

I’m mid 40’s and kind of feel the same but only when I stop. I have a busy life so don’t have time to feel tired but if I’m having a quiet ish day I feel over whelming tiredness at times. I work full time, 2 kids, a dog and elderly parents. I did go to Dr, all my bloods perfect. Could be hormonal I guess or could just be part and parcel of life !

Completely normal, it’s linked to your circadian rhythm. I suspect the answer is moving to somewhere that has a siesta culture!

Same for me. Definitely worse on days I have a carb-heavy lunch. Generalised tiredness was improved with good B vitamins, but that mid-afternoon slump is definitely food-related

I agree, you should visit your GP. It could be you can take a B12 supplement and perk up, or could be severe deficiencies in iron.

Do you think you're near menopause? A change in hormones could definitely cause sudden fatigue. The GP can help with that too. Hypothyroidism can be triggered by menopause and would explain how you feel, so you need to get checked as untreated it can be awful.

Try having a good sized snack before 3pm, drinking plenty after lunch too- it'll help in the meantime before you get seen.

yep same here but no dc

Yep, early 50's - the days I go for an hours nap are AMAZING - it doesn't affect my night time sleep, still fall asleep within 10 minutes

We are built to nap 😴

Yep 😕 3 to 5 pm every single day!

It’s your circadian rhythm.

Yep. 3-5 in the afternoon is the worst time of the day I reckon.

Yes, totally normal. It’s mental as much as physical IMO.

Yeah I get tired around that time. I’m healthy mid 30’s eat well, exercise, get a good amount of sleep. But still get that 3pm snooziness!

Blood sugars- take it from a type one diabetic. They’re either too low or too high

Yep I have the exact same. I work full time and am up at the crack of dawn. I have a nearly 2 year old also. At around 3-3.30 everyday I crave a nap. Doesn’t happen however as I am then looking after my toddler !

I also suffer from this and don't have any DCs !
For those saying avoid carbs, how do you do that at work ?
I tend to batch cook so have curry , spaghetti bol, chilli etc , or I take sandwiches so no carbs wouldn't be possible for me

I also find I am much sleeper just before my period for about 3 days at about the same time

That sounds like quite a busy day tbh… and partially to do with how exhausting small children are. I’m fine at work at 3pm. But if I’m at home and clock strikes 3 then I’m done for.
I normally aim for one activity a day with kids. Gives them a chance to chill and play at home too.

I've always needed a lot of sleep. And for much of my life I've needed an afternoon nap.

Work and DC meant I didn't always get what I needed though. Although when DC were tiny/little and slept lots, I napped instead of rushing round getting things done, like other women I knew or had read about on MN!

Things that might cause this ime
Blood sugar drop
Caffeine craving/slump
Anaemia
Underlying health issue causing fatigue
Children!

Could be any one of those!

Yes quite. But I found that the benefits of being non-dehydrated demonstrably outweighed the need to go to the loo.

I started taking the vitamin Floradix in tablet form when I get up in the morning. I take 2. It massively improved my 3pm slump.

It is a normal part of the circadian rhythm and all humans experience it to some extent or another. Your brain activity actually dips at this time and apparently the reward system in your brain is less active.

It's always been my tired time of day. Even if I think I'm on a roll with my sewing or filling out a form or anything that requires thought, I'm slower and make more mistakes between 4pm and dinner time. This irrespective of what I have for lunch.

I also really struggle around 3-5pm everyday… it’s a hard fight to keep my eyes open. I have a 5yr old and 1yr old. I’m 36wks pregnant as well but even before I got pregnant, those 2 hrs were hellish. Once I push past it and get on with dinner I get a second wind to keep me going through to bedtime