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Overcome a midday slump: Helpful tips and tricks
March 26, 2025
Pretty much everyone knows that heaviness that settles over body, mind and soul after lunch: The midday slump. But where does it come from and what can you do about it?
What is the midday slump and what causes it?
The midday slump refers to the fatigue that sets in after lunch. The technical term for this is postprandial somnolence and refers to nothing other than a performance slump. Those affected often think that they have had too little sleep during the night, but this is a misconception. The midday low is independent of the hours you slept the night before.
What actually happens in the body: After eating, the digestive tract uses up a lot of energy, which is withdrawn from the rest of the body, or the energy is then concentrated in the area of the body that needs it most urgently. So physically and mentally you slow down. The blood, which is responsible for processing the food, is not available to the brain. As a result, the ability to concentrate suffers, which is why in other countries, especially in the summer months, there is a longer lunch break. The so-called midday nap is particularly popular in these countries and helps.
In Germany, for example, the municipality of Vechta has given employees a 20-minute break after their lunch break. With success! The figures show how much more productive the employees are. In addition, performance is increased and the number of sick days has fallen.
- Interesting fact: heavy and fatty food increases the midday low, as the stomach has to work harder to process the food. The latest studies show that it is not carbohydrates but protein and salt that promote this midday low.
And you can see how much this topic concerns us humans by the fact that even one of the most famous writers in our latitudes has already been asked about the subject. Ernest Hemingway once said in an interview: “Stop while you’re ahead!” He said that the right time to stop is when he knows he could write more, but stops so that he can get back to work the next day or after a break with even more energy.
And psychologist Zeigarnik agreed, adding: “People remember abandoned or unfinished tasks better, which is why we go back to work full of motivation after a break!” Although this has not been proven, so that science speaks of an unreliable phenomenon, it is definitely helpful to keep a clear head and approach old tasks with renewed vigor. This is because the brain literally strives to complete tasks. And this can provide a real boost of motivation after a break.
Often a big mistake at lunchtime: high-fat meals.
What to do about the midday slump?
There are a few tips and tricks you can take to heart if you want to curb midday heaviness:
✓ The midday nap. So simple and yet effective: a power nap for 15 to 20 minutes revives the spirits! However, the nap shouldn’t last longer than 30 minutes, otherwise you’ll wake up exhausted. The longer you sleep, the longer it takes you to wake up.
- Pro Tip: Drink an espresso or small coffee before taking a nap, as the caffeine needs around 30 minutes to take full effect. If you get up again after 15 to 30 minutes, you will benefit twice as much from the new energy.
✓ Size matters: Instead of three large meals, spread several small ones throughout the day. This relieves the stomach, as it has to work more often, but not as much. The blood stays in the brain during digestion and you won’t feel the midday slump so severely. You can also support your brain positively with appropriate brain food such as fruit and nuts.
✓ A well-known saying explains the next tip: “After eating, you should rest or take 1000 steps!” So if you don’t have the opportunity to lie down in the office for a nap at work, you should get out into the fresh air. A walk is ideal for filling up on oxygen and does not overtax the body. Because be careful: too much exercise or even sport can cause stomach acid to rise and trigger heartburn.
- Good to Know: For this reason, a large office in particular should be ventilated regularly, as carbon dioxide is emitted when you breathe out and the oxygen content in the room drops. And the concentration always drops with the oxygen.
✓ Essential oils such as peppermint or China oil are also invigorating for body, mind and soul. If you’re in a midday slump, you can treat yourself to a sniff, as the freshness kicks in and wakes you up.
✓ Water and herbal teas help to keep the body hydrated. This is because the human brain often confuses thirst with hunger. In order to avoid sumptuous meals, you should therefore drink regularly and sufficiently. But water can also help in other ways, for example by washing your face with cold water. Moisturizing your arms, neck and décolleté can also help you to feel fresher and more awake straight away, and indeed it does. A few drops of rosemary oil should provide additional help.
✓ But ultimately, the most important thing is the right diet, because only a light and conscious diet helps the body to avoid a midday slump. Of course, it’s easier to do this at home than at the office, for example by preparing a stew. In the office, on the other hand, you sometimes have to rely on what the company canteen offers. And you can go for vegetarian dishes that are less heavy on the stomach. Provided these dishes haven’t been drenched in a liter of cream, but you can usually tell by looking at the food.
