KOMPAS.com – Have you ever felt sleepy, even though you just finished eating? Known as food coma or postprandial somnolencethis is said to be experienced by many people.
“As a registered nutritionist, I have often heard people say that throughout my career,” said Julie Stefanski, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in the United States. CNNSaturday (30/11/2024).
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However, there are several things you should pay attention to when you feel sleepy after eating. Because, it could be that your sleep pattern is disturbed or your eating pattern is unhealthy.
The following are the reasons why someone can be sleepy after eating.
Why do you feel sleepy after eating?
1. Eating too much
Illustration of someone eating a large amount of food.Quoted from Healthduring the digestive process, blood flows from other parts of the body to the digestive organs. The goal is to help the process of breaking down and absorbing food.
Therefore, food in large quantities and “heavy” makes this process take longer.
When consuming large and “heavy” foods, oxygen levels and energy levels will temporarily decrease so that a person will feel sleepy, even after eating.
“Someone who feels very tired after eating might want to consider slowing down and reducing portions little by little to avoid overeating,” says Stefanski.
The reason is, he continued, whatever you eat, whether it’s carbohydrates, fat or protein, if the amount exceeds the limit, your body will take longer to digest it.
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2. Eat foods high in fat and high in sugar
Sweet food illustrationCertain foods can make you tired quickly after eating. Fat is a nutrient that is difficult to digest because its molecules are larger than proteins or carbohydrates.
That’s why, if you eat foods that are high in fat, for example fried foods or pizza, you can feel sleepy afterward.
Apart from being high in fat, foods that are high in added sugar or processed carbohydrates also cause the same effect.
If your lunch menu consists of carbohydrates, plus dessert, your blood sugar levels and insulin levels can quickly increase.
