2. The Role of Lifestyle Choices: How Diet Impacts Sleepiness
What you eat can have a surprising influence on how sleepy or awake you feel. You’ve probably heard of the post-lunch slump, that sudden urge to nap after eating a hearty meal. This isn’t just your imagination; your diet directly impacts your energy levels and, by extension, your propensity for daytime sleepiness.
Diving into the science, foods high in carbohydrates increase serotonin levels, which in turn promotes feelings of calmness and relaxation. While that sounds nice for a cozy night in, it’s the last thing you need when you’re trying to stay alert during the day. Your food choices literally have the power to act as a sedative, triggering unwanted bouts of drowsiness.
Processed foods are a common culprit. Laden with sugar and artificial ingredients, they cause rapid spikes in blood sugar levels. What goes up must come down, and these spikes are followed by an inevitable crash, leaving you feeling drained and wanting nothing more than to curl up in a ball. (2)
