Earlier, I covered how I realized that I was falling victim to food comas and the signs of a food coma. If you want to learn more about the causes of a food coma, you can read more here. You will find some of the reasons shocking and others entirely believable.

Once I realized that I was not alone battling this condition, I could not help but wonder what I could do to reduce the lethargy. In my case, it was getting in the way of my productivity. I could hardly concentrate on tasks, and this was aggravating me to some extent. If you’ve also been struggling with sluggishness, this post can help you figure out what might be the best way forward.

1.    Embrace the Normalcy

First, food comas are pretty normal, and there’s nothing to be worried about in most cases. Once you eat, the body starts digesting the food, which causes biochemical changes that wear you out. If you ask around, most people have felt tired after having a meal. It’s normal.

BUT, if your lethargy hurts your life and gets in the way of daily activities, you may need to look into it. More often than not, lifestyle changes work the magic. However, if these do not do it, you may need to consult a dietician or talk to your doctor about underlying conditions.

Any advice I give in this case assumes that you do not have any underlying health conditions, and a simple lifestyle change can help. Please note this.

2.    Keep a Food Diary

Understanding what foods contribute to your lethargy can help you eliminate the food coma triggers. Ideally, you should keep the diary for at least two weeks, recording everything you eat and drink. Note down what food it was and how much of it you ate. If you like, you can even use apps such as See What You Eat. They enable you to keep tabs on everything. Look into:

• How much energy you have before and after eating the foods
• How your mood is before and after you’ve had a meal
• How much sleep you have had before you have the meal
• Any changes in digestion and if you exhibit any constipation or diarrhea after eating

Over time, you might piece two and two together. For example, you may realize that you get a food coma on days where your sleep quality is questionable. Or maybe you get one after having heavy meals. What triggers you? Once you have noted down some possible culprits, you can try the elimination diet, which involves cutting back on one culprit after the other.

3.    Drink More Water

Your body may also feel tired because you’re not well hydrated. It’s easy to look at the color of your urine and assume you have enough water because it’s pale yellow. However, you also need to look at how your body feels. Do you feel tired for no apparent reason? You could be dehydrated- drink up!

4.    Avoid Alcohol

This measure works for two main reasons.

One, alcohol dehydrates the body, and if you’re trying to stay hydrated and alert, this will only hurt your efforts. You may have noticed that you wake up feeling thirsty the next day when you have had a lot of alcohol the previous night. The alcohol is to blame and will not help you feel any better about your food coma.

Secondly, alcohol is a natural depressant and will make you feel sleepy. You already have lethargy to deal with, and adding alcohol to the mix only makes it worse. Put the alcohol away for now and see if this helps reduce the tiredness.

5.    Eat Smaller Portions

I am guilty of eating one large meal at a time, no matter how much doctors stress that this is not ideal. I find it convenient to gulp everything down and go back to work. If you have also been doing the same thing, it might be time to cut back on the portions. Researchers agree that large meals are a probable cause of food comas. It gets even worse if the meal is mainly solid, as this triggers the brain to release relaxing hormones. The next thing you know, you are slumped over your desk and missing deadlines!

Instead, try to eat smaller portions and make part of them liquid. You can balance foods this way, e.g., a sandwich and a smoothie should do. Any other ideas?

6.    Sleep Enough

I differentiated sleep quality and quality when I covered the causes of a food coma. I often find that people think that getting the recommended hours of sleep equates to getting good sleep quality. That’s not true. Ensure you get 7-9 hours of good uninterrupted sleep before having your meals for the day. If not, you’ll likely feel tired as the day progresses, and a big meal will only worsen the situation. It can get even worse if you plan to drive, as the sleepiness will only increase.

7.    Balance your Meals

How balanced is your meal? Researchers have found that you are less likely to suffer a food coma if you eat moderately balanced meals. For example, you can have a moderate intake of proteins and carbs (because these are known causes of a food coma) and add a small amount of good fat. It will be much harder to fall asleep this way. Try and reduce your fat intake as much as possible and load up on veggies and plant proteins.

8.    Take More Electrolytes

Have you considered that your electrolytes may be way off? As you work on hydrating, also consider adding some salts and sugars in your fluids and foods. You may find that an electrolyte imbalance has been to blame all this while.

9.    Work Out

No, this does not mean all-out cardio and weight lifting but instead, get that heart rate up with some light exercises. Even a short walk or some light stretching will do. It’s a way of signaling your brain that you are not ready to fall asleep, and it needs to release some hormones to keep you alert. You’ll be surprised how well it works. You can even try a jig after each meal.

10. Nap

This idea might seem counteractive, but it works, maybe not for me (who naps for hours), but some people swear by it. Take a few minutes off your schedule and get some shuteye. It may surprise you how alert you will be for the rest of the day. Think about it like this. Struggling through the rest of the day is not as effective as taking half an hour off and being productive the rest of the day. Grab a pillow, shut your computer, and allow your body to rest.

One of the above ideas is sure to help you move past the lethargy and get to the other side. However, if all else fails, it might be time to consider consulting your doctor. You may have underlying health conditions to blame and might require medical attention.