What can I do about my morning and afternoon slumps?
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The exercise thing that was suggested used to work for me but I found that right after working out and getting back to my desk (about 1 PM) I had the same slump that I used to have at 3!
The only solution that I have found that works is the cup of coffee thing. It may be gross to you but coffee (not terribly much sugar ... maybe splenda) works great!
Now, I am working all day in multiple states going from county to county. I get to a hotel from maybe 150 miles of fighting traffic and I just want to lie on the bad and watch TV.
I have learned, after doing this level of travel for four years that if I fight through it and drink a quick cup of coffee that I am usually good to go until a normal bed time.
Good luck. Coffee is also almost the cheapest thing you can get if it is palatable.
PS. If you are underage and still living at home. Try a diet Dr. Pepper and a piece of hard candy. The Dr P. has really high caffeine without really high sugar and the hard candy might be just enough to make the caffeine do its magic! Plus ... your parents will buy you diet Dr. Pepper where they may balk at you shooting a double espresso!!
If by 'slump' you mean a drop in energy, I get those too. I typically will get up and take a walk around the block (if I have time) or just stand and stretch.
I take my breakfast to work with me and usually don't eat it until around 9am. I also go to the gym around 1pm on my lunch break and get in a good work out. That usually keeps me jacked up for the rest of the day.
Here is a past RealAge Tip we ran on how to handle the afternoon slump:
Running on Empty
The best antidote for an afternoon slump is a cold energy drink, right? Not so fast.
You may be so tired that you could fall asleep right here, right now, on your keyboard. But before you pop open another energy drink, read the list of ingredients on the label. Some so-called "energy" drinks are high in sugar and low in caffeine, a combination that, according to research, could actually have you crashing even harder about 70 to 80 minutes later. A better remedy: a cup of coffee (not decaf) or a 20-minute nap. You'll feel like a new person.
High-sugar drinks make your blood glucose rise -- and fast. Your body's response? Pump out massive amounts of insulin to handle the load. Your system metabolizes all that sugar just as quickly as it entered your system, leading to a big drop in blood glucose about 70 to 80 minutes after you consumed the beverage. Essentially, you crash -- hard. In fact, you'll feel worse than you did before you had the drink, and you'll probably be mentally slower. That's what happened to a small group of sleep-deprived people who performed a computer test to determine their reaction times after drinking a high-sugar, low-caffeine energy drink. Participants performed much worse on the test 70 to 80 minutes after consuming the drink than they did just 10 or 20 minutes after downing it. In other words, they were bum-rushed by the sugar. Power up with a nap, a walk, or a cup of joe instead.
RealAge Benefit: Actively patrolling your health can make your RealAge as much as 12 years younger.
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