Hi

I always get a good nights sleep. Yet every late afternoon, this incredible wave of sleepiness hits me like a powerful drug and I have to take a 30 minute nap. I eat a good breakfast and a decent lunch. My job is sitting at a computer all day, and I don't drink coffee or sodas, and I don't eat snacks.

Why is this happening to me, and what can I do to stop it?

Thanks

Sometimes it can be related to what you are eating for lunch. For example turkey and milk are high in the amino acid Tryptophan which your body converts to Melatonin causing sleepiness.

High carb meals also cause sleepiness BUT high protein meals actually cause wakefulness....

Other possibility could be lack of blood flow....if you sit at a computer and then sit down on your lunch break it could be related to this....either walk around for part of your lunch break if you can, workout, eat protein....

If all else fails...drinks Red Bull....just kidding....that's my secret

I worked nights for over 20 years and I still get sleepy in the afternoons. More a product of a screwed up sleep cycle than anything else.

The tips on what to have for lunch are good. Eat a light meal high in protein.

I find that if I just get up and bang out a set of 50 squats and 25 push ups (5-6 minutes) that I feel energized and can usually make it through the rest of the afternoon no problem.

Thanks guys, will alter things and see how it goes.

i get the same feeling at times at work. i also work in an office. i think it's lack of movement during the day. i honestly can't stand it.

I would try throwing another meal in there somewhere between breakfast and lunch. How many meals each day are you eating.

It is said in here more often in not that it is very important to eat 5-6 meals each day, and it is usually brought up for general weight loss discussion.

However, eating this many meals also helps to drastically regulate your insulin and glucose levels. If these levels are out of whack, it can easily cause sleepiness.

Just a thought?

One outside, but possible explanation is sleep apnea - do you snore much when you sleep?