To have never realised this was normal?

[NotSoSlimShadee]

To feel really drowsy after lunch? I thought it was just me but I’ve just read it’s totally normal and everyone gets tired after lunch!

Yep normal.
It's called post prandial dip

Have it now, hence being on Mumsnet, too tired to work!! Especially if I have a coffee too!!

Yes coffee always makes me sleepy too! I always have one before bedtime which seems weird!

Same, coffee never stops me sleeping, apparently is a sign of ADHD (but sure so is everything now a days)

If you go to conferences, the first slot after lunch is called the Graveyard slot because of this. .

Coffee helps my husband to sleep!

Depends what you are eating to an extent but generally yes.

Same here!! I often have a coffee before bed, never stops me sleeping or gives me any sort of jitters, day or night.

It's called Dumping Syndrome. My OH was like this and his grandfather is famed for his head falling into his custard!

I used to get this but it stopped when I went low carb.

I have never had this. How weird!

It can be avoided with the right food choices

I didn’t know this was a thing and have never experienced it.

Dumping syndrome is something totally different!

Isn’t dumping syndrome a side effect of gastric bypass?! It’s like nausea, vomiting, sweating, getting the shits. A bit more severe than post-lunch fatigues.

I steer clear of carbs at lunchtime for this reason. Means I'm usually starving around 4pm but can cope with a piece of toast fine by then!

I only get it if I eat a bigger meal - usually I have a sandwich or something and have a big meal in the evening, but if I have a pizza with colleagues or go out for a meal on a day off, I get very sleepy around 3pm.

I’m another one whose sleep isn’t affected by caffeine. I actually sleep really badly so gave up caffeine completely for a year and didn’t experience any improvement whatsoever!

It’s the carbs. Carbs make you sleepy, it’s why people fall asleep after a big Sunday Lunch. If you don’t have carbs at lunch you won’t feel dozy.

The blood rushes to the digestive system after food so there’s less in the brain
hence drowsy
one of the reasons some countries have a siesta ( it’s not just to do with the weather )

This is why the traditional siesta is popular.

There are three types of muscle - skeletal, cardiac and smooth. Smooth muscle is responsible for digesting food (and is also in other places - airways, eyes, etc). After you've eaten, energy is needed in your smooth muscle to help with digestion (type of food plays a role in how much energy) so there is less energy for your skeletal muscle and so you feel tired. For some people this will mean significant tiredness, for others not so much.

Every single time I’ve had pizza for lunch, I end up in a coma!

Every single time I’ve had pizza for lunch, I end up in a coma!

It was normal for me when I ate high-carb lunches. But I now avoid carbs (until dinner) and the post-prandial dip is a thing of the past.

🤣……laughing a nice way of course ! not at you for being in a coma ( phew efforts to not offend )