Tahsin Rahman Oshin
Many of us have experienced drowsiness or sleepiness after a happy meal, especially after at a wedding dinner, or during the day of Puja or Eid festival. While most may think of it as normal tiredness and the ‘body giving in’ after a huge meal, it can actually be a cause of imbalance in the body. Even if you are not a full-blown diabetic, the symptoms of lethargy can be a building cause. This, particularly, can be difficult to identify since understanding blood sugar and insulin can be fiddly. However, many also experience the symptoms of sleepiness even after everyday typical meals, and this state is called postprandial somnolence. While the name can be complicated enough, there is absolutely no reason to be terrified, as there is always a solution to every problem. But first, let’s identify the causes.
Firstly, there are two parts of the nervous system of the human body: parasympathetic (rest and digest) and sympathetic (fight or flight). After any meal, the parasympathetic system is supposed to rule over sympathetic system in order to digest and assimilate the food properly in the body. After a heavy meal, especially that involves a lot of carbohydrate, the sympathetic system hence is greatly suppressed and people feel the difficulty in ‘get up and go’ or ‘fight or flight’.
Second, when a lot of carbohydrate is taken into the body, it induces loads of insulin to be produced and released in to the bloodstream, resulting in an ‘insulin spike’. Insulin is basically produced by the body, as most of us know, to help push glucose into the cells to be used as a source of energy later when the body needs it. When lots of glucose are pushed inside the cells at once by the insulin, it causes the sudden fatigue, brain fog and sleepiness that the body experiences. This is also the reason for abrupt cravings of sugary foods like coffee or chocolate after a big meal.
Thirdly, due to the high surges of insulin produced, several of the amino acids are reduced, except for tryptophan. When tryptophan is the only dominating amino acid remaining after the insulin surge, it acts as a precursor to the hormone serotonin that affects mood, sleep and appetite. It causes the conversion of serotonin, worsening the stupor and weariness.
So if you are experiencing constant drowsiness after typical meals, it is time you consult your doctor and check your glucose and insulin levels for any signs of diabetes. Next, it is advisable to reduce overall intake of carbohydrate and include more protein, fruits, vegetables and healthy fats in your diet. Instead of a bowl of fried rice or noodles, try eggs and boiled vegetables or soup. In place of a sugary dessert, you can make a low-fat smoothie out of milk or sugar-free curd and fruits of your choice, using honey.
And in times of midnight cravings, you can replace your cereals and cornflakes with oats and boiled eggs, followed by nuts and seeds that help regulate the necessary fat in your body, apart from giving you a healthy skin. Last but not the least, keep yourself dehydrated with lots of natural fluids and water. As water gives you a filled-up feeling in your stomach, you will see you feel less hungry after a drink.
Tahsin Rahman Oshin is a feature writer at the Daily Our Time who has a passion for performing arts and fashion. She is a high school graduate, loves cats and plans to build an animal shelter in future.