Tiredness

[bubbles]

Does anyone here feel extremely tired and stressed in the afternoon? I don't know why or what to do about it, but now that daylight saving time is here (in the United States), my body is extremely tired in the afternoon and I feel like sleeping, but if I sleep in the afternoon, I can't get up the next morning. I refuse to take afternoon naps since that would give me insomnia. Not only do I feel tired, but I also can't concentrate and I can feel the tension in my arms and legs (stress?). It happens even when I have nothing to stress out about. Of course, if I am stressed out, I feel so tired that I go to sleep two hours early, but that is uncommon. The strangest thing is that this doesn't happen during the winter when there isn't as much daylight. What should I do?

[Tenacious B]

At 3:00 I get tired like clockwork, doesn't clear up until I eat dinner. I try to use this time for thoughtless activities like exercise and house chores.

[bucolic_]

I love afternoon naps, they help me out a lot in terms of alertness later in the day.

How long are these naps that lead to insomnia later at night? You might need to experiment with length, and figure out what works best for you.

If I sleep for about 20 minutes, it typically refreshes me for most of the day, until it's time for bed. Sometimes I also will drink a cup of tea right before taking a nap, so that when I wake up, the caffeine has kicked in, and I'm doubly alert.

[Tual]

Never, I'm usually kind of slow just after dinner for about 30 minutes but I guess that's normal. I often get comments on my inexhaustible energy. My brother on the other hand is always tired, I think it's partially psychological, just think you have lots of energy, maybe that works?

[Capt57]

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Ever feel tired at 3pm? That's because your brain really wants to take a nap. Learn more about sleep in John Medina's book, "Brain Rules." To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Some of this info might clarify why your feeling tired.

[ethsar46]

From what i hear even a 30 min nap (Not deep sleep) will even help.

I know in some places in asia have like an hour of nap/rest time where employees can sleep for a little while. Obviously their working hours are longer however.

The main reason i get tired at work is cos im bored.

[bubbles]

It takes me 30-45 minutes to fall asleep and if I sleep for more than 30 minutes in the afternoon, I am too awake to fall asleep at night, so there is no point in taking afternoon naps (except on days when I have too much time).

I don't dream much at night, and don't recall dreams. Does that mean I'm not getting enough REM sleep?

[ethsar46]

I can barely ever recall my dreams. Unless its something very specific.

Id love to be able to take a nap at work sometimes, without getting in trouble of course. ^_^

[notoppings]

Power napping is encouraged in certain industries.

[thegnat]

I like naps. They don't keep me too awake at night. I could sleep any time at night on days I nap. Even considerably earlier than I normally do. Any amount of time napping helps. There are sometimes I'm so tired I just can't work and am forced to nap no matter how much I have to do.

It could be due to lack of sleep at night. Or maybe you're just tired from your work. Some days I get mentally tired after classes. Especially on long days of classes. Other days I'm just physically tired by that time...

[alien383]

Wow! @ Uni 2day, literally i felt tired somewhat after 3pm.

I wanted to take a nap so bad... but in the social respect, where is it acceptable to take a nap?

Lol. If I wasnt so self reserved, I would have layed out on a park bench or lawn somewhere to take a good 25-30mins

[bucolic_]

Wow! @ Uni 2day, literally i felt tired somewhat after 3pm.

I wanted to take a nap so bad... but in the social respect, where is it acceptable to take a nap?

Lol. If I wasnt so self reserved, I would have layed out on a park bench or lawn somewhere to take a good 25-30mins

I used to be very self conscious about sleeping in public, but I soon got used to the idea, and have been known to take short naps on the bus, and I regularly nap in my car after class.

[Tinmaiden]

It's the only time of day or night that I actually sleep soundly. I was exhausted this afternoon and just collapsed for three hours... it did me good.

[dandylion]

I'm surprised no one brought the two most important factors up yet: Diet and exercise.

You feel lethargic and unfocused because you're not getting enough from your food. Do you eat a lot of nutrient-dense foods or are most of your calories coming from junk or processed foods? Do you use the microwave often? If so, stop. Microwaving can zap over 90% of the nutrients. Try to consume fresh/raw foods if you can and cook your meals on the stove top, on the grill, in the oven when possible. It is a good idea to get a wide range of nutrients, but you should especially look out for iron and omega-3 fatty acids/fish oil as these two are essential to neurological functions. Eat spinach, salmon, nuts, leafy greens, fruits, etc. Also, carry [healthy] snacks around so that you can get some doses of energy throughout the day--then maybe you won't feel so exhausted by the afternoon.

Regular exercise will also help a lot. It will not only relieve stress but will provide a way to use up any energy you have pent up so that you don't toss and turn all night. It does give you more energy, too, since you get a better night's sleep and are more well-rested. Start working out and develop some your muscles as strong muscles will help with energy efficiency in your body. Most unfit people feel tired because their underdeveloped muscles are too weak to handle simple everyday tasks. I suggest jogging for 10-15 minutes every day. Morning workouts increase your alertness throughout the day as well.

A healthy diet and lifestyle will fix much more than what a simple nap won't.
Hope this helps. Good luck!

[Capt57]

I'm surprised no one brought the two most important factors up yet: Diet and exercise.

You feel lethargic and unfocused because you're not getting enough from your food. Do you eat a lot of nutrient-dense foods or are most of your calories coming from junk or processed foods? Do you use the microwave often? If so, stop. Microwaving can zap over 90% of the nutrients. Try to consume fresh/raw foods if you can and cook your meals on the stove top, on the grill, in the oven when possible. It is a good idea to get a wide range of nutrients, but you should especially look out for iron and omega-3 fatty acids/fish oil as these two are essential to neurological functions. Eat spinach, salmon, nuts, leafy greens, fruits, etc. Also, carry [healthy] snacks around so that you can get some doses of energy throughout the day--then maybe you won't feel so exhausted by the afternoon.

Regular exercise will also help a lot. It will not only relieve stress but will provide a way to use up any energy you have pent up so that you don't toss and turn all night. It does give you more energy, too, since you get a better night's sleep and are more well-rested. Start working out and develop some your muscles as strong muscles will help with energy efficiency in your body. Most unfit people feel tired because their underdeveloped muscles are too weak to handle simple everyday tasks. I suggest jogging for 10-15 minutes every day. Morning workouts increase your alertness throughout the day as well.

A healthy diet and lifestyle will fix much more than what a simple nap won't.
Hope this helps. Good luck!

Which one do you think is more important, diet or exercise on a % scale?

[dandylion]

Which one do you think is more important, diet or exercise on a % scale?

Diet - 65%
Exercise - 35%

[TheLastMohican]

Diet - 65%
Exercise - 35%

Exercise 55%
Diet 45%

[AgentofGaming]

Wow! @ Uni 2day, literally i felt tired somewhat after 3pm.

I wanted to take a nap so bad... but in the social respect, where is it acceptable to take a nap?

Lol. If I wasnt so self reserved, I would have layed out on a park bench or lawn somewhere to take a good 25-30mins
Wherever you want as long as it doesn't bother people, that said you should be more concerned about people taking your stuff than how you look on a bench.
At our university there's a building with a quiet basement, and people just sleep on the public benches there with jackets to cover their eyes.

I don't know about afternoon naps but when I leave public and enter my room I'm not tired anymore.

[dandylion]

Exercise 55%
Diet 45%

I agree that diet and exercise should be almost equally important, but I chose my 65-35 ratio based on the context of this thread (to have more energy). So I'm curious, why do you think exercise is more important than diet? I reasoned that the food would be the fuel to give people the energy to exercise.

[bubbles]

Thank you for the suggestions. I think I am not exercising enough. The only exercise that I've been doing is walking (for a mile everyday) because it's a necessity. I don't feel tired from walking though but I feel mentally and physically exhausted despite being mentally alert. I feel like I just have to sleep in the afternoon and early evening even though I always resist falling asleep in the afternoon. I take fish oil every morning and drink tea and it helps a bit.

[notoppings]

Maybe you are Latin in origin, after all if a whole culture believes that a siesta in the early afternoon is not only necessary but a right.

[Jenny Penny]

I am not at my healthiest at this time in my life but I get tired after lunch and remain tired until about 8pm, UNLESS I exercise before then. It's pretty amazing. On days where I don't think I can even muster the strength to climb one flight of stairs, I can end up getting through 45 minutes of intense strength training. It is really hard for me to get through it. Sometimes, when I'm lifting weights in this state, I can feel shaky and dazed. Afterwards I always feel better, though.

Anyway, I wish I could take an afternoon nap every day. I hardly ever get to have one unless I go out to my car at lunchtime. 2:00 or 3:00 would be an ideal time for a nap, but, alas, the job makes that impossible. So, I usually substitute a nap with coffee, and I can make it through the day.

[Aurelia]

Does anyone here feel extremely tired and stressed in the afternoon? I don't know why or what to do about it, but now that daylight saving time is here (in the United States), my body is extremely tired in the afternoon and I feel like sleeping, but if I sleep in the afternoon, I can't get up the next morning. I refuse to take afternoon naps since that would give me insomnia. Not only do I feel tired, but I also can't concentrate and I can feel the tension in my arms and legs (stress?). It happens even when I have nothing to stress out about. Of course, if I am stressed out, I feel so tired that I go to sleep two hours early, but that is uncommon. The strangest thing is that this doesn't happen during the winter when there isn't as much daylight. What should I do?

One reason why I kept getting into a nasty cycle of needing an afternoon nap and going to be at 3 am was because of all the light in my bedroom. There's a street lamp right by my window so at night it was difficult falling asleep. I'm not sure how far north you are but as summer approaches it will continue to be fairly light outside as well. I bought two different types of blinds and it didn't work. I finally put up a flattened cardboard box to keep the light out.

Now I feel more rested during the day. To help ease the adjustment to a different sleep schedule, I'll drink green tea with my lunch. The little bit of caffeine helps to keep awake during the afternoon.

[Santana28]

i wish i could take cat naps. it takes me a minimum of an hour to fall asleep... usually 2-3 hours. i dont fall asleep until 2 or 3 a every night, sometimes 4 or 5. if i have my choice i will revert to sleeping completely during the day and being awake all night. i dont know if it is an INTJ thing or an anxiety thing or body chemistry issue but it really makes it hard to function in a world that runs 9-5.

[Alstroemeria]

When school is in session I'm often sleep deprived, so if I try to take an after-school nap I'll sleep for 6+ hours; alarms don't stir me at all. My diet has very little processed foods in it and I try to get exercise, but... I'm lucky if I get more than four hours of sleep. On the weekends I catch up on my sleep, I know that's really unhealthy though.

I don't experience tiredness when I get enough sleep, however.

[bubbles]

One reason why I kept getting into a nasty cycle of needing an afternoon nap and going to be at 3 am was because of all the light in my bedroom. There's a street lamp right by my window so at night it was difficult falling asleep. I'm not sure how far north you are but as summer approaches it will continue to be fairly light outside as well. I bought two different types of blinds and it didn't work. I finally put up a flattened cardboard box to keep the light out.

I recommend a sleep mask. It improved my sleep so much though it took a few days to get used to, and can be hot during the summer without air conditioning.