Does Eating Make You Sleepy 🥱😴?

[sage2021]

My son and I both feel the need to go to sleep after we eat.
I wonder 🤔 why this happens to us?

[AviatorTom]

That's fairly typical. After a meal, your body activates the parasympathetic nervous system, often called the “rest and digest” mode, which slows heart rate and promotes relaxation, contributing to drowsiness. Blood flow is redirected toward the digestive organs to aid nutrient absorption, which can temporarily reduce oxygen and nutrient delivery to the brain, making you feel sluggish.

That's why it's important to stay active after eating. Taking a walk after lunch, for example, is good for you.

[FunkyMonkee]

Something like a huge turkey dinner tends to make everyone sleepy. It's something to do with a chemical that gets released.
I suspect it might also have something to do with your body conserving energy temporarily. It's got all this food in it, now, so, it needs to work on breaking that down and that takes your energy from other functions for a while. Just my guess.

[Massageman]

A couple of reasons. First, the systems in your body are shifting their need for energy via the bloodstream. When you are active, blood goes primarily to the brain and muscles. After you eat, your body gives the digestive system priority, so there is less blood supply left for the rest of the, body including the brain. This makes you sluggish, slow, sleepy.

A second could be if you eat a meal that is high in turkey and chicken. Tryptophan is in poultry, and while it may be considered a relatively small amount by some, every little bit will contribute to your drowsiness.

[Zack-Bann]

It means your insulin release is blocked and digestion is taking too much effort.


Try walking for a bit immediately after eating, that should trigger it.


And try lowering your carb intake because that’s the hardest to digest.


This is very common in all people.

[sage2021]

@Zack-Bann

Oh... so that's the problem.

I'm supposed to be cutting down on my carb intake and really no sugar, but, darn it!! I have a sweet tooth that doesn't stop bugging me.

I'll just have to try harder.

Thank you for your opinion. I learn something new every day.🙂

[Levin]

I think it would depend on what you eat.

Excessive refined carb's/sugar.

Lots of fats.

Excessive quantities in general.

Is likely to make you sleepy.

I always walk after eating, also. Movement helps the digestive process a lot.

[Veronika_p]

Not a big deal if you ask me.. 😏😏 Your body just flips into rest-and-digest mode after you eat, so blood and energy go to your stomach and you get that sleepy wave. Totally normal.

[_Jenny_]

@sage2021 Your digestive system takes energy from your brain which causes you to become sleepy

[molonski2]

Means you are eating far too much , cut down the portion sizes , you should not feel that way.

[beenherebefore]

I feel sleepy after a heavy meal that's why I prefer having light meals.

[Micheal6918]

Yes it does sometimes because digestion is taking place

[MerakSahibi]

Yes, especially if it's high in carbohydrates

[exitseven]

yes, now that I am older I often start to fall asleep after I have dinner.

[ericJackson]

Totally normal! Digestion takes a lot of energy, so your body naturally slows down to process the food. Carbs and heavy meals make it happen even faster!

[mothefriendly]

If i eat shit food. Carb heavy startchy food. If i eat just wholefoods then no is the answer

[RareBreedOfMan]

Yes, after I eat I tend to become real sleepy.

[Likes2drive]

Only if I eat a heavy meal during lunch break so it’s hard to get going again when working

[Dnice1]

Very much so especially after eating a big meal

[Jupiter1]

Whenever I eat too much. Digestion hard at work tires me out.

[lightbulb27]

It can. Eating carbs, body storing as fat. Possibly eating wrong stuff possibly overweight and likely prr diabetic.

[choco-latte]

A few certain foods like turkey meat, yeah.

[NathanDavis]

never felt like that but... I just don't feel sleepy ever, in general, lol

[MrChinaski]

The gut uses a ton of energy and blood flow to do its work. So, it wouldn't surprise me.

[Alex-Snow]

It has on occasion especially if it was a big meal.

[Kelly6]

@sage2021 depends on type of food.

[Kelly6]

@sage2021
Do you both always fall asleep or just is it new thing?

[sage2021]

@Kelly6
For me it's been for the past
few of years or more.

For my son I can't remember. Maybe since he was a teenager.

[Kelly6]

@sage2021
So it’s not temporary issue as it was with me.

[SparklingWine10]

Yes, especially when a person overeats.

[xawyx-3]

Sometimes it does, depends on what I eat.

[Stormzy001]

depends on the meal especially... not gastric meals

[TonyMetal___1986]

Yes usually in the afternoon

[lilBigPotato]

Entirely depends on the food and quantity.

[thegreenyogi]

No because I eat very light meals.

[ibodi]

It's normal but not good at digestion.

[Lliam]

It happens to my wife but not to me.

[SphynxUK]

Carb overload?

[robocop666]

too much sugar

[Bulutsuツ]

Yepp

[canamlusciouslad73]

No. Being kinda old makes me sleepy!!!

[Emmytexrex]

High carbs

[samael_kmarty]

Yes it does,

[wkhan_87]

Yess sometimes

[askingandreplying]

I think this happens to evetybody

[eagle1951]

yeah

[douride2]

Not really.