How to cope with afternoon slump/fatigue

[Espaim]

Hello!

I've been having feeling fatigue in the afternoon since I know myself as a person. Periods of low and high energy and motivation thorough the day were common but by working on my diet and sleep schedule they greatly improved. Now this fatigue comes by 2:00pm and doesn't go away until 6:00pm. When it goes away it's like a burden has been lifted from me. It's very hard to exercise in the afternoon.

What I've tested and didn't help:

• Cocoa powder;
• Caffeine;coffee;(those actually make me way more tired)
• Ritalin;(makes me anxious and tired)
• Modafinil;(makes me anxious and even more tired. Awesome.)
• Rhodiola rosea;
• Reducing lunch size;
• Eating no lunch;
• Napping(If I do nap only 90-180 minutes nap does it);
• Fasting from 1pm to 6-7pm;
• Daily meditation 1h(greatly increases my energy but is unrealible. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't);
• Sleeping on a fixed schedule 9pm-6am;
• Psilocybin mushrooms: they decrease the bad afternoon feeling but don't prevent me from wanting to sleep.

Obs: all those things help my overall energy through the day but don't really address the afternoon slump issue.

How's my diet: I don't eat any gluten or dairy. I occasionally consume sugar but it's like 1-2 times a week in small amounts. I consume eggs, lentils, rice, a reasonable amount of fruits and vegetables. 3 portions of processed food a week average. Going to reduce it to 0 in the next weeks.

I'm currently not able to go to a doctor because Corona virus!! 

I'm open to questions and suggestions.

[DrewNows]

Skip break-fast, eat primarily fresh fruits and veggies for lunch. Give this a try for a few days and see how you feel ?

personally I’ll either skip breakfast, consume fresh fruit or juice 

intermittent fasting for a longer period should boost your energy, no doubt 

usually it’s digesting certain types of foods zapping our energy, also there’s adrenal weakness which is sometimes exposed whenever cutting out the stimulating foods (animal proteins, caffeine etc) for extended periods of time

consider replacing breakfast with another activity like breathwork yoga exercise etc 

Edited April 20, 2020 by DrewNows

[TrynaBeTurquoise]

Jump in a cold shower and do breathwork after, or vice versa

[Leo Gura]

Get your blood work for your hormones. Especially TSH, Free T3, Free T4, cortisol, and Vit D. Thyroid and adrenals are the biggest concern to test.

In most states you can buy bloodwork online without a doctor.

[Espaim]

8 hours ago, TrynaBeTurquoise said:

Jump in a cold shower and do breathwork after, or vice versa

Do you mean like at 1pm? @TrynaBeTurquoise

 

7 hours ago, Leo Gura said:

Get your blood work for your hormones. Especially TSH, Free T3, Free T4, cortisol, and Vit D. Thyroid and adrenals are the biggest concern to test.

In most states you can buy bloodwork online without a doctor.

Shit, I forgot the private testing option. I'm not from the US, so if I go to a doctor I can get free bloodwork but they don't really do the tests I want. I was counting on that. The least likely for them to test are tsh, t3 and free t4 so I'm probably going to check those privately.

13 hours ago, DrewNows said:

Skip break-fast, eat primarily fresh fruits and veggies for lunch. Give this a try for a few days and see how you feel ?

personally I’ll either skip breakfast, consume fresh fruit or juice 

Going to test that. Thanks.

Edited April 20, 2020 by Espaim

[Rilles]

Its a part of the circadian rhythm, just accept it, take a short nap. 

[Michael569]

10 hours ago, Espaim said:

Ritalin;(makes me anxious and tired)

how long have you been taking Ritalin? 

[TrynaBeTurquoise]

@Espaim Time doesn't matter, just not on a full stomach or right before sleep. When you are feeling lethargic.

[Villager Albert]

@TrynaBeTurquoise Actually I think right before sleep is great for many people, my deep sleep % increases when I do it

[TrynaBeTurquoise]

6 hours ago, Villager Albert said:

@TrynaBeTurquoise Actually I think right before sleep is great for many people, my deep sleep % increases when I do it

I agree a few hours before bedtime will lower the body temp to prepare for a better nights sleep. And before the last meal too can improve how carbohydrates are absorbed. 

I just wouldn't do it right before jumping in bed, I couldn't fall asleep after shocking my system like that. Thats just me though. 

[Commodent]

Take a nap?

[ElenaO]

Eating high-carb meals at lunch (rice, lentils, etc.) do cause sleepiness. Try eating more protein and low-carb veggies at lunch and see if it helps.

[Espaim]

On 20/04/2020 at 6:29 AM, Michael569 said:

how long have you been taking Ritalin? 

I took it from December to January. After January, I only took it like 3 times. There are some pills here at my home but I don't dare to touch them anymore.

 

On 21/04/2020 at 3:10 PM, Commodent said:

Take a nap?

Generally, taking a nap doesn't reduce my sleepiness or fatigue any more than powering through it. Anyway, it's an easier way rather than suffering through the fatigue. Anyway, I'm at home during quarantine. I need something I could apply when I'm out on University or other places.

 

On 20/04/2020 at 6:25 AM, Rilles said:

Its a part of the circadian rhythm, just accept it, take a short nap. 

It doesn't work very effectively. I'm still tired if I take a 20min nap. And it's not always viable to take long naps when out.

 

11 hours ago, ElenaO said:

Eating high-carb meals at lunch (rice, lentils, etc.) do cause sleepiness. Try eating more protein and low-carb veggies at lunch and see if it helps.

Going to try that.

Thanks!!

[montecristo]

ketogenic diet.

you will always have access to body fat because of low insulin and therefore will never experience an interruption in your energy. Babies are in ketosis until they stop breastfeeding by the way.