The 3pm slump is a universal moment across office workers. You’ve nipped out for your lunchtime deli stop off, your body has finished digesting and you’re ready for an afternoon of meetings and finishing off assignments.
But suddenly, you have two or three hours left of work and not a lot of energy to do what’s required. Yes, it’s the dreaded 3pm slump.
So what’s the science behind it?
Why Do We Get an Afternoon Energy Slump?
There are several reasons why we have an energy lull in the afternoon. Our energy levels naturally take a dip in the afternoon due to our circadian rhythm (our internal body clock). This is just what our physiology dictates.
We can also experience a dip in blood sugar after we’ve digested our lunch.
And when the 3pm slump hits, we tend to reach for the sweet treats as it’s an easy fix, explains Sophie Medlin, consultant dietitian at CityDietitians. She highlights a recent study from Driscoll’s fruit that found in a survey of 2,000 people, when 3pm cravings hit, 50% of snackers reach for cakes or cookies, 39% opted for chocolate bars or packaged confectionery and 29% selected chips.
But Medlin pointed out that “processed sweet snacks flood the system with refined sugar, causing rapid blood glucose spikes followed by steep crashes.”
After the initial sugar boost, we feel the crash 30 or so minutes later and we’re back to square one.
What’s the Answer?
Medlin suggests a portion of fruit such as raspberries when you’re looking for that sugar hit. They are packed full of goodness including key antioxidants — plus they’re full of fiber.
It’s thought that 95% of Americans don’t get the recommended daily amount of fiber in their diet. But we really need it in the body so that we can digest food effectively. Without enough fiber in our diets, it can increase the likelihood of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and more.
A cup of raspberries is a great source of fiber, providing around 8g. General recommendations advise we should have 30g a day, so this puts you a quarter of the way there.
But… What About the Sugar Content?
Many of us want to reduce our sugar content — but refined and natural sugars are very different.
Medlin explains that fresh fruit behaves completely differently in the body to processed sugar-based sweet treats. “Their natural sweetness is packaged within a whole-food matrix of dietary fibre and bioactive polyphenols (antioxidants), carbohydrate absorption is slowed, preventing sharp glucose spikes and promoting steady, lasting satiety.”
