Maintaining Mental Energy

[Foggy]

There's a period of the day, starting around noon and ending between 4-6 PM, where I have absolutely no energy, no mental focus, no ambition. My early morning classes I can usually focus through but after lunch my brain seems to turn to mush. Sometimes I can't even focus enough to carry on an intelligent conversation. I tend to feel hungry during this time regardless of how much I eat, and I can't seem to figure out how to get around it. It's not just a tired feeling, at least not in the same sense as I'm tired before I go to bed. Rather, it just feels like my brain is taking a nap while I'm still wide awake. Anyone have any suggestions for maintaining mental energy throughout the day?

[Iamsuperman]

I used to feel tired and drowsy after lunch and this would often lead to distraction and lack of concentration. I don't anymore. Looking back on the things that have changed include: better diet (ovo-vegetarian, more fruits, omega 3s , lower glyceamic food so no blood suger spikes) and better sleep (correct amount of sleep and I could swear my sleep quality improved but I can't prove it). I should also mention that my intake of water has increase on my new diet (because of the fruit) and I'm guessing that could play a big part in afternoon drowsiness.

Do you eat breakfast?

[Fullcrum]

I'm in the same predicament, but getting out. Really really fast. These are the best things I've found:

1. Better sleep

2. Drink more water

3. Better diet of less blood-spiking foods (or atleast mix them with other foods to slow absorption)

4. EXERCISE. This is CRUCIAL. It feels sooooog good it's incredible. You'll have more energy, counter-intuitive as it may seem. Trust me.

5. Do something enjoyable in this time. Or non-enjoyable. The point is that you'll have a purpose for using mental exertion during this time frame.

6. Always push the mental energy. Say to yourself "I'll only do this for 5 minutes, then take a break," for something you usuall procrastinate on. You'll probably find yourself unleashing the "flow." And that is beautiful.

And yes, this applies to mental energy as well as physical. It doesn't seem you have physical energy problems, but this stuff helps the mental like none else.

Anyway, I hope you get this settled!

[freedomclub]

Yeah this exact same problem happened to me. I would eat lunch after my noon class then come home and just crash. It took me many years to understand the concept of low GI foods and blood sugar spikes. Blood sugar spikes are so bad for my mental and physical health I just can't believe it. Proper diet helped me a lot. I used to live on rice and cous cous. Terrible...

[WanderingOak]

First of all, what do you normally eat for breakfast, and do you drink coffee in the morning? Real foods (such as oatmeal, for example) would be preferable to garbage such as Cap'n Crunch, etc. If you do caffeinate heavily in the morning, the the 'mental fog' could be caused by coming down off of the caffeine high. Second, what do you normally eat for lunch? Have you tried changing your diet since you noticed your mental energy levels dropping?

[Barcs]

Yes I agree. I used to have the same problem, but have turned it around. My motivation would just disappear in the afternoon. It turned out that I was eating an unnecessarily large and unhealthy lunch (for example Mcdonald's value meal) and not eating breakfast. I was just having a large lunch and large dinner. Try spacing your eating into 5 small meals per day instead of 2-3 big ones and you should notice a difference. That will keep your system running optimally as far as energy goes. Also boost up your metabolism by exercising each day, and also do what everyone else has suggested. Fruits & Veggies are critical. My lunch now usually consists of a salad with nuts and a yogurt. Usually I don't eat meat or fish until my dinner.

[JoeGoldfarb]

i understand how you feel. i too have had that experience. for two hours everyday i could do nothing but fall out of my chair and lay face first in the rug for two hours or so. i thought it was normal since it happened everyday. when i had some people stay over they did not experience this at any point during their day. thats when i realized i may have a problem. i took a look back and realized i ate a large amount of cheap ($2! frozen pizza before each time i lost energy.

stopped eating pizza, stopped getting my life force dampened.


havent had pizza in three or four years.


cheers!