The Afternoon Slump

Prior to going to the gym every morning I was never tired. Now come 3pm my body screams at me to sit on the sofa and just veg out. I must admit that over the last few days I have given in and sat and read, or cuddled with BB and Tops whilst we watch a TV programme together or discuss what has happened during the day. I somehow make myself get up to make the evening meal, but I'm quiet and withdrawn, grumpy almost and then after our evening meal, although I'm still feeling tired, I push myself to go back to the Gym to go Swimming or for Aquafit. It's then that I'm truly awake again and when I get home I'm buzzing from the exercise and all the little endorphins rushing round my system make me feel great.


It's the afternoon slump that I'm trying to combat. When I used to work in an office I would see a lot of my co-workers hit this slump (particularly on a Friday afternoon) and they would turn to vast amounts of coffee or tea to get themselves going again. I don't drink coffee or tea for religious reasons (I'm LDS) so I can't do that.

I know a few of the staff would go for a walk to the coffee shop, not to get a coffee but just to get the blood flowing round again and to have a breath of fresh air. I do this every afternoon with the School Run, but I don't see any benefits to it. If anything I'm more tired after the School Run!

It's been suggested that going out in the sunshine for twenty minutes or so would help my body to realise this was awake time and not sleep time. I don't know if the person who suggested this has ever been to the UK during the summer, but let me show you what it looks like out there today.

Sure there is natural light, but there is no way you are going to find me out in the garden in the pouring rain for twenty minutes!

My sister suggested eating earlier or eating a banana as a snack for that slow release of energy to get me through the day. The problem with that is we like to eat as a family and Flyfour isn't home and ready to eat until about 6pm. The banana idea is good, but I don't like to snack before dinner but prefer to leave it for an after evening work out snack as I'm normally starving when I get back.

So what do you think? What would help me get over that afternoon slump where all I want to do is sleep?

Don't forget to check out what I'm doing over at A Mothers Ramblings too!