Using nutrition to avoid a post-lunch slump in productivity

The reason why any corporate wellness program should work is that it focuses on nutrition because it matters. At BUA, our nutrition workshops help businesses educate their employees on how to boost their energy levels and concentration for all-day productivity. 

That post-lunch lull in energy is something that affects many. In fact, it’s something that happens to most people after their midday meal at some point, leading to 3 in 10 workers saying that they’ve been caught not working by their boss as a result.

So, in a bid to help your employees avoid this post-lunch slump in productivity, we now look at the subject a little closer. Here we offer some tips on how to use nutrition so that your business doesn’t suffer in the hours after everyone returns in the afternoon. 

What’s meant by a post-lunch slump?

As corporate wellness  nutrition training shows, tiredness following a meal is known as postprandial somnolence. Also known colloquially as a food coma, it’s a problem that presents a range of problems to people needing to get their work done, which include the following:

• Physical tiredness
• Overall lethargy
• Poor concentration 
• Decreased cognition

While you don’t actually lose consciousness, a post-lunch dip will make you feel like you want to close your eyes and lay your head on the table. So, how do you stop it? We first have to understand why it happens. 

Why do post-lunch energy slumps occur?

Conventional wisdom has, for a long time, explained post-meal energy slumps by saying that it’s because blood leaves the brain to help the stomach digest food. However, as you learn when taking corporate wellness nutrition training, it’s not as simple as that. 

Studies have shown that it tends to occur more in people who skipped breakfast, meaning that by not skipping it, you reduce the chances greatly – so long as it’s a relatively light meal. You see, it’s large meals that cause the biggest problem with regard to post-lunch tiredness. 

It also matters WHAT you’re eating…

In addition to the amount you eat, the type of food you’re consuming at mealtimes is going to have a big impact on how energised you feel in the afternoon. Foods rich in carbohydrates and protein can cause a person to feel tired and there’s a scientific reason for it. 

Foods rich in carbohydrates cause your insulin levels to go up fast when consumed. They’re absorbed so quickly in fact, that insulin drops sharply afterwards, leading to feelings of fatigue. These foods include:

• Pasta
• Rice
• White bread 
• Cakes
• Cookies
• Candy

Protein is also known to cause tiredness, as protein-rich foods often also contain an amino acid called tryptophan that helps the body to create serotonin – which is the chemical that works to make you sleepy at bedtime. 

Tryptophan-rich foods include:

• seeds
• salmon
• eggs
• spinach
• milk
• soy products
• cheese

Essentially, ensuring that you don’t hit that energy dip after lunch involves understanding what to eat and when to eat it. It’s for this reason that any good corporate wellness provision should include training on how best to use nutrition. 

Boost productivity with BUA FIT’s bespoke corporate wellness programs

At BUA, our bespoke corporate wellness  programs incorporate nutrition workshops that teach you and your employees all about eating right. Complementing our full range of outdoor and online exercise classes, this training completes the wellness picture, ensuring your employees are healthy in both body and mind. 

Healthier employees are happier and more productive, so there’s a very real and tangible business benefit to investing in your team. To find out more about anything we’ve spoken about here today, why not have a friendly chat with a member of our team to see how we can help your team become the best versions of themselves?

That’s it from us this time around. Check back with us soon for more advice from the corporate wellness world.

As always, stay fit, happy, and healthy.