by Dr. Jerry V. Teplitz
The Energy Doctor
Dr. Jerry V.Teplitz, The Energy Doctor, offers “10 Tips to Prevent the Afternoon Slump.” Here is the second TIP.
If you’re like two-thirds of the population, you’ve experienced the afternoon slump. You know the feeling…it’s mid-afternoon and you feel tired and drained and want to call it a day. While you still plug away at your work, you often find that you are not as productive as you need to be. You’ve hit the afternoon slump.
This drop in energy is not all in your head. It is a physiological response from your body. Fortunately, you can employ methods to reduce the slump’s frequency and to shorten its duration once it does start. Some of the methods work solely on the individual level, while others require a company-wide initiative. When you utilize these 10 tips and instill them in your office, you will replace the afternoon slump with a time of increased productivity. (First Tip: Drink your water.)
Tip #2: Avoid sugar and simple carbohydrates.
While a candy bar mid-afternoon may give you a quick sugar rush, in the long run, it actually worsens the slump. Sugar and simple carbohydrates get absorbed immediately into the bloodstream. In response, your blood sugar rises, and your body secretes insulin to bring your sugar level back down. Unfortunately, your body doesn’t know when you’ve stopped eating the candy, so it drops you down into a low blood sugar level by taking too much sugar out of your body. This is why people who rely on sugar for energy have highs and lows throughout the day.
But candy isn’t the only culprit. Simple carbohydrates, such as a white bread sandwich and some dessert at lunchtime, can cause your blood sugar to drop after an hour or two, causing the afternoon slump. To avoid this, incorporate more proteins and complex carbohydrates into your diet, such as products made with whole-wheat flour, brown rice, etc. They won’t trigger blood sugar highs and lows, putting you more on an even keel.
Publishers Note: Dr. Teplitz is a nationally known lecturer and author and a specialist on meditation techniques. For more detailed information on Dr. Teplitz’s programs, to read a free monthly article, or to find the monthly Teplitz Email Reports visit www.teplitz.com; or email him at: Jerry@Teplitz.com