How To Beat The Afternoon Slump

If your diary allows it, getting outside can stave off the slump almost instantly. As well as the fresh air improving your mood, exposing yourself to natural light helps give your body its natural daytime cues. This reinforces the need to be awake and alert during daylight hours and signals to the brain to keep melatonin, the sleep hormone, at bay until darkness falls.

If you regularly experience an afternoon crash, it could be that you’re not eating the right diet. Fat is the most energy-dense of the three macronutrients, so if you want to stay feeling energised you might need to increase your intake. Nuts like walnuts are a great energy booster to snack on at your desk, and they’re also packed with omega-3 fatty acids which promote better blood circulation in the brain, which in turn increases alertness. Eating a breakfast that’s full of protein, fat and carbs will set you up well for the day. Oats are always a good choice if you need to keep energy levels up well into the afternoon; the complex carbs are broken down more slowly which allows for a sustained release of energy throughout the day.

Sitting at a desk for hours on end is a sure-fire way to invite a mid-afternoon crash. If you can’t get up and out for a walk, take a stroll to the nearest window instead. The bright light ought to give you, and your brain, the jolt you need. If that doesn’t help, try dunking your wrists under a running cold tap instead. The sensory stimulation that the cold water on your skin provides is enough to stimulate your sympathetic nervous system and get your heart rate pumping temporarily.

If you’ve ever reached for a sugary snack to wake you up, you’ll know that the relief it provides is only short-lived, and the inevitable blood sugar crash will end up making you feel worse. Instead of reaching for something sugary, try a protein-packed smoothie which will help you feel sated for longer. What you add to yours comes down to personal preference, but a good-quality protein powder and a handful of oats will boost energy, while nut butters and berries stabilise blood sugar and ought to satisfy any sweet cravings.

Listening to music is a quick way to wake you up – if you listen to the right songs. Lots of studies show that energetic music with a fast tempo (around 140bpm) is a great way to ward off lethargy as it overrides your brain’s fatigue signals and increases heart rate. If you fancy something a little gentler, why not try solfeggio frequencies – sound waves that are thought to impact the body’s energy. According to Oura, the wearable health tracking tech device, this kind of music, with a frequency of 963 Hz, is associated with activating your pineal gland and increasing positive energy and clarity.

If you feel exhausted every time 3pm rolls around, chances are you’re dehydrated. Although it sounds extreme, it’s easier than you might think to become mildly or moderately dehydrated, and it’s more than enough to make you feel tired, sluggish and impact your body's ability to perform essential functions. It’s important to keep hydration levels topped up throughout the day. For most of us, that’s around 1.5-2.5 litres of fluid a day, but bear in mind you’ll need more if you sweat a lot or it’s hot outside.