How to avoid fatigue after meals?

You are a regular at the famous “coup de barre” after the lunch break? You feel a severe fatigue at the end of a rich dinner? This is called “the postprandial drowsiness“, a sudden state of fatigue that occurs about 30 minutes to 2 hours after a meal. Causes and solutions with Véronique Liesse, dietitian-nutritionist.

What are the causes of fatigue after meals?

The primary cause of postprandial fatigue is reactive hypoglycemia. “The rise in blood sugar in a significant and rapid way leads to a insulin release disproportionate which will lower blood sugar and this causes the famous “bar”“says Véronique Liesse. Hyperglycemia (which precedes hypoglycemia) is favored by these factors during meals:

• the poor nutritional quality of a meal (too many hyperglycemic carbohydrates including sugar)
• the too much quantity in the carbohydrate plate (bread, pasta, rice, dessert)
• the presence of highly refined starches or too much of it for physical activity
• the consumption alcohol during the meal, which has a hypoglycemic character

A another cause can cause these strokes, it is pathological. “This is called insulin resistance : the tissues of the body do not respond well to insulin, that is to say that the blood sugar rises but does not fall despite the rise in insulin. The pancreas then releases more insulin until blood sugar eventually drops, but too much. Insulin resistance is the first step to diabetesit can appear up to 10 years before the diagnosis of this one” develops the dietitian-nutritionist.

What to eat so as not to be tired after eating?

The order in which you eat foods affects blood sugar levels. “The ideal is to eat vegetables and proteins first and end with starchy foods. It is especially interesting for people suffering from insulin resistance.“ says Véronique Liesse.

► Vegetables: they must represent about 50% of the plate. The more fiber one eats, the slower the stomach empties and the less reactive hypoglycaemia there is.

► Adjust the amount of starches on the plate to physical activity. “For a sedentary person, the portion of starch must represent a maximum of 1/4 of the plate. We replace hyperglycemic starchy foods (pasta, bread, mashed potatoes, fries, etc.) with those that are the least. such as quinoa, buckwheat or legumes (lentils, chickpeas etc)” recommends Véronique Liesse.

► For dessert (if you feel like it), we prefer a fruit which can be mixed with yogurt and to which can be added chia seeds for example. You can choose a small sorbet without too much sugar. “It is especially necessary to avoid large cakes“ reminds the interlocutor.

► Add cider vinegar in his meal helps to lower blood sugar.

► The cinnamon (in compote) for example also promotes lowering of blood sugar.

► “Drink a green tea at the end of the meal slows down the rate at which the stomach empties and reduces the glycemic load of the meal thanks to the presence of polyphenols” emphasizes the dietitian nutritionist.

► Do not drink alcohol.

► Move after meal to boost the adrenaline. Get some fresh air, go for a walk, climb the stairs at the office to activate the muscles after the meal.

► A small siesta. “physiologicallywe all have a helm about 7-8 hours after sunrise. A short nap after the meal allows you to regain strength for the rest of the day.“ notes the expert.

Is sugar consumption responsible for postprandial fatigue?

Consuming too much sugar during a meal promotes fatigue “that is why foods high in sugar should be avoided during meals if you don’t want to be tired afterwards” recommends Véronique Liesse. The body must counter this rise in glycaemia (blood sugar) by releasing insulin. The glycaemia drops and the stroke occurs. It is a vicious circle because faced with this fatigue, the body may tend to crave sugar but this will only cause another bout of fatigue when blood sugar drops again.

Is coffee after meals a good remedy?

“Coffee can actually give a little push but the answer depends on the people. Those who are used to drinking a lot of coffee will see less of an effect on their energy. However, I think that the objective is not to correct the symptom of fatigue but rather to annul the causes“says Véronique Liesse.

The body begins to produce melatonin 2 to 3 hours before bedtime (hormone that promotes falling asleep). “Having high insulin at this time is undesirable as it promotes insulin resistance. It is therefore necessary to try as much as possible Allow 3 hours between meal hunger and bedtime“ recommends our interlocutor.

The most important is to focus on protein to avoid the crash in the morning. “They have an effect of direct satiety and counterbalance the rise in blood sugar related to starches. We can bet on an egg, hard cheese, tofu, hummus on bread, ham” develops the dietician-nutritionist. “Breakfast should consist of compact, wholemeal and preferably sourdough bread because it raises blood sugar much less. White, soft breads raise blood sugar more” notes the expert. You can also choose rolled oats or muesli with no added sugar. If we want to add a fruit, we eat it whole and we avoid fruit juices, which are too sweet.

Can diabetes cause fatigue after meals?

Diabetes can cause fatigue after lunch if the treatment is not well adapted to the content of the meal. “The patient must assess the number of insulin units he needs according to his plate and if the quantity is unbalanced, then there may be problems with hypoglycemia after the meal.” underlines the interlocutor. In this case, it is necessary to speak about it with the diabetologist or to take the advice of a nutritionist so that the meal remains a moment of pleasure without upsetting the glycemic balance.

thanks to Veronique Liessedietician-nutritionist and author of the book “My Bible for losing weight without dieting”, Leduc.s.