For a couple of years now I’ve been struggling to get through an afternoon’s work. I get sleepy after lunch. I dunno whether it’s an old man thing. I seem to recall taking plenty of naps when I was young - so maybe its just a JB thing.
Kinda sucks when I’m trying to get shit done though. Really punches a hole in the day. I mentioned this to someone recently and they suggested I try a ten minute walk after lunch. Nothing full on. No hill sprints or anything.
I say, sure. I could hop on the the treadmill outside my office.
Nah, they went. Has to be in the sun.
Even with my history of skin cancer I figured I’d give it a go. Especially since this week its been pretty grey and cool anyway.
Holy shit. That ten minute stroll up and down the street totally murdered my mid afternoon slump. It does leave me a bit sleepy at the end of the end, which is tough on jujitsu nights, but at least it’s a more natural rhythm.
I always took a stroll with a mate at work at lunch - it was a good vigorous walk and it always got me out of that mid arvo slump. Also helps the brain process chewing on a problem in the background while i talked shit with my friend. I'm like you and seem to have a good afternoon nap (always have and i think maybe it was a case of glandular fever but in highschool i could be found curled up asleep in a sunny spot with the cat after i got home from school) but i am also a morning person getting up before the sun to go take sunrise pics or walk the dogs. The covid knocked my walk on the head though, I live out of town and my mate lives in town, working at home seemed to mean more hours in front of the screen. Less likely to walk by myself and those deadlines have to be met now that everything is crazy. Trying to force myself back into the habit.
Huberman is an expert on light-mediated activation of the circadian and autonomic arousal centers in the brain and explains why outside is much more valuable if you can do it.
also try....dont eat lunch. get no post lunch slump that way. my routine is black coffee for breakfast, a light brunch at 10:30-11, fuck around for a bit then push through the arvo till dinner at 5ish. seems to work. a sneaky gin about 4pm on the off days might have something to do with it
A walk in the sun.
I always took a stroll with a mate at work at lunch - it was a good vigorous walk and it always got me out of that mid arvo slump. Also helps the brain process chewing on a problem in the background while i talked shit with my friend. I'm like you and seem to have a good afternoon nap (always have and i think maybe it was a case of glandular fever but in highschool i could be found curled up asleep in a sunny spot with the cat after i got home from school) but i am also a morning person getting up before the sun to go take sunrise pics or walk the dogs. The covid knocked my walk on the head though, I live out of town and my mate lives in town, working at home seemed to mean more hours in front of the screen. Less likely to walk by myself and those deadlines have to be met now that everything is crazy. Trying to force myself back into the habit.
Fits in with what I heard on https://jockopodcast.com/2022/05/04/332-influence-ownership-over-your-physiological-psychological-being-w-andrew-huberman/
Huberman is an expert on light-mediated activation of the circadian and autonomic arousal centers in the brain and explains why outside is much more valuable if you can do it.
also try....dont eat lunch. get no post lunch slump that way. my routine is black coffee for breakfast, a light brunch at 10:30-11, fuck around for a bit then push through the arvo till dinner at 5ish. seems to work. a sneaky gin about 4pm on the off days might have something to do with it
Good little piece. Useful info.