By Dr. Wale Okediran
I noticed that I always feel like sleeping after eating. This is worse after breaking my fast. Kindly explain what is happening to me.
Chuks (by SMS)
Researchers are not exactly sure why it is common for people to get sleepy after eating. Studies suggest that multiple factors may influence energy levels after a meal, including fluctuations in certain cellular proteins, hormones, blood flow, brain chemicals, inflammation, and the body’s internal clock. Also, the composition of a meal can affect whether a person feels sleepy after eating. A larger meal may be more likely to cause sleepiness, and certain foods and nutrients can have an impact as well. Research has found that meals that are high in fat, carbohydrates, or calories may increase sleepiness. Other factors that may play a role in postprandial somnolence include a person’s meal timing, work schedule, overall health, exposure to daylight, and body composition. Post-meal drowsiness may also be a symptom of excessive daytime sleepiness, which can occur as a result of poor sleep at night from insomnia or another sleep issue. With so many overlapping factors, it is challenging to identify any single cause of postprandial sleepiness. Instead, there are many potential reasons why drowsiness sets in after eating, and those reasons can change based on the person and their meal.
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