So lately every day at about 3:00 I feel my energy drain. Seriously. It’s like the end of my life suddenly approaches and the force that was keeping me going all day just goes to bed for the night.
That ever happen to you?
What is it about afternoon that makes you feel so lackluster and like going and taking a nap? I have heard of seasonal affective disorder–but I seem to have a more rapid form. Afternoon affective disorder. I have AAD which appears to be the opposite of ADD.
I don’t do the energy drink thing because the caffeine makes my heart skip around like an overly wound clock so that’s out.
How do you all beat the afternoon blah?
Ideas please.
We all know I listen to suggestions unless Charles is the one talking.
readful things blog 
66 responses to “Three O’clock Blahs”
I definitely get an afternoon slump. But it doesn’t sound like it is as severe as yours. Maybe a twenty minute power nap would help?
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Maybe–I might sleep over by a week or so
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Set an alarm, silly!
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My suggestion: Listen to everyone, except me.
Ease into the day, get sleep when exhausted, and don’t overdo yourself in the morning. Sprawling out on the bed and pretending it’s still bedtime helps too.
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Can I do that all day?
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Only if you ask nicely.
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I really dislike sleeping during the day. I have to be in bed at night, and then I will sleep. But I do get your afternoon slumps, especially in our tropical heat – low energy. I solve it by taking a gentle stroll round the yard. Then I go inside, pick up my book and just relax on the couch for a while. If there is a good movie on TV I will watch that. After an hour or two I feel much better. I don’t try to force myself to do anything though.
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This is a good suggestion. Maybe just schedule my day to expect the 3 o’clock crud? I like it.
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The most usual causes for my afternoon slumps have been: eating the wrong food for me at lunchtime – beginning signs of adrenal exhaustion (which can occur during periods of intense work, high stress or out of balance hormones) and too much heat during the summer days (which is why the siesta became so popular!)
I’d try more protein/less carbs at lunch first, then, perhaps a mini-vacation? 😀
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I really should go to the island I talked about maybe:) Thank you. remembering to eat once in a while might help! Adrenal Exhaustion sounds like a definite possibility.
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I was diagnosed with it off and on over the years and it always coincided with periods of long work hours and/or high stress – – was ‘nursed back to health’ by nutritionists and herbologists each time. But it’s nothing to mess around with – by stage 4, you’re risking affecting the thyroid and once that gets out of whack, its a long road back to health – one that I’m walking now –
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I had no idea about any of that. Thank you for sharing, this is certainly something I would not have considered.
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There is a Standard Process formula called Drenamin that is a whole food supplement for supporting the adrenals, however, I always had better luck working with an expert on food/herbs to get me back on my feet!
Not to scare the bejeezus outta ya, but having gone through quite of few years of high stress and trauma, all kinds of things got out of whack in my body and I ended up having a stroke – so I’m kinda pushy about telling people to rest and rejuvenate – – lessons learned kind of thing….
😀
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That scares me as well. We have had quite a few members of our family have strokes and heart related issues. This is odd though. It just started this week. Literally like clockwork. 3 hits and I go down.
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Probably something to address. Hopefully some supportive dietary changes and extra rest and you’ll be good as gold soon:)
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Thank you for the info. I much appreciate it.
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A good walk in some fresh air and shade and a good laugh with a friend or two for an hour and then think about work again. .
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Also an excellent idea
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It’s too hot to do anything here in FL between 2:00 and 4:00…I say take the siesta, That’s what I do. Then, if it’s not pouring rain (as we have afternoon thundershowers precisely at 5:00 every day) I get up and take a dip in the pool. Works for me. My B-I-L had a quadruple bypass just moments after having a heart attack while at the hospital getting an angiogram done. Emergency surgery. He hired a nutritionist and two years later he says he feels great and he is the picture of health. He swears by his nutritionist.
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I might have to look into that. I had one before, but she was an oncology specialist and I think this is more to do with something wrong in my diet. I just seem to forget to eat anything and then realise it after the day is over.
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Barry has a protein shake every morning and night. he is on a strict diet…not caloric as much as specific foods he can eat. His health has done a tremendous turn around. My sister also is a distributor for a product called Natures Pearl. I take it. It is supposed to have both preventative and curative value for many types of pathological conditions including cancers. It is supported by many major oncologists who have been in the process of performing independent research. The FDA makes them watch what they say about it publicly because it is not approved as drug but as a supplement. I take it. It is the most powerful antioxidant that a person can take and is made from muscadine grape seeds.
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That is interesting. Isn’t it amazing how littel they tell us all about the benefits of using alternative diet and therapy as treatment?
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I think so. I wish i could connect you to my sister. She is at fromsamantha@hotmail.com or fromsamantha at yahoo.com, i can’t remember which, but she has all of the independent studies on liver cancer, prostate cancer etc… that doctors have made and she has all of their testimonials that they shared at the recent Oncology Conference here in Orlando last year. One doctor related her own testimonial through tears at the conference. It was awesome. My sister lives in Charleston SC and she is on facebook as Samantha White. She is constantly posting and sending out info that they can’t share on their sites and still be in compliance with the FDA.
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I will most definitely go check that out. Thank you for being here. You brought tears to my eyes.
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NEVER EVER GIVE UP
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I won’t. It;s not in my nature and you would hunt me down and kick my bum anyway:)
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Damn right!
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I sent you an email but it is from my personal email, not my business email so you might not recognize it and sometimes it goes to spam because the name is funny and looks like a place. It’s “seapeachcove”
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I take an afternoon break. Sleep, rest, read. I think the body naturally slows down after the activities of the morning. The opting out of lifes hectic activities (physical and mental) prepares one for the second half of the day. Why not? The body is like is like a battery needs a regular recharge. I don’t go with these protein ideas – that will upset some of your followers.
On the other hand – it could be something to do with getting older. 🙂
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I have heard that. I’m 31 now and I definitely notice a difference from when I was younger. I used to be able to stay up all night long for a few nights in a row and still function at work. Not now lol
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It’s uncanny. That appears to be just about the exact same time that I try to go to bed, which ultimately ends in restless staring at the ceiling until morning. It appears that these strange disorders, although slightly different, are global manifesting at the exact same moments in time.
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I have heard this can happen. Especially when Skype cuts your conversation off 300 times in a row.
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Yes, skype has a lot to answer for, but I cannot be mean about it truly as it is my lifeline and I cherish it, despite it’s annoying behaviour
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We both know it is the operators that we really have the issues with. If they would stop listening in
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I know, is there no privacy anymore
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Isn’t someone supposed to be working right now? Not you necessarily but someone?
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They are, and unfortunately I am that someone. I just cannot drag myself away from you, but I must make the effort.
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I will silence my phone so I am not tempted.
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I suppose it depends on whether this afternoon blah is something new? If it isn’t have you ever considered whether you’re a skylark, owl or something in between. If you find you wake early, function at your best up until about lunchtime, go right off the boil in the afternoon and then have a mini-revival before a 10pm ish bedtime, then you might be a skylark and think about adjusting your day around your “prime time”. Of course you can’t always do that so try a siesta if you can. If you want (and this is NOT a prod for my book), I’ll email you the chapter on owls and skylarks and how to make your prime time work for you.
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Definitely a skylark. I am bright eyed and ready to go in the morning and then drop out and burn after lunch or in the late afternoon. And you can prod your book anytime here my friend.
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Why thank you ma’am.
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Well…I guess you should sleep, lol. 😀
With me, I get more dreams when I sleep in the afternoon than at night…so it’s quite a coloUrful affair 😀
On the other hand, if you don’t want to take a HUGE nap, don’t read a boring book, don’t watch a boring movie (definitely not when you’re lolling on the sofa), don’t eat creamy, soothing and sugary food, don’t think about sleep and go out 😀
Believe me…sleeping is totally better than doing all those things 😉
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oh lol you are terrible but you are so funny. I adore you Saunved. Truly.
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terribly funny? ah well…i guess you are the first person to fully understand me. Hats off 😀
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*Snort*
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I get this too. Wish I had a solution, but I haven’t found one yet, other than to work through it, yawning into my sleeve. I can’t do caffeine after lunch or it’s no sleepy for me at night.
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I cut the caffeine off at around 4 in the afternoon. Otherwise I never sleep at night either.
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You are definitely not alone. The Walk advice is good. I understand what you say about Naps…I can’t take them either.
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It really is hard to train yourself to do that, isn’t it?
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For what it is worth, I walk about 2 to 2.5 miles every afternoon during my lunch break and I find that I have more energy to get me through the rest of the afternoon than on days where I can’t do it, like yesterday. I was out of town on a job and just couldn’t, but hopefully today I will be back on my routine. I know that it seems kind of counter to what you would think would work, but oddly it does the opposite.
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That’s good actually. Maybe I should just move my daily (walk the fat dog) time slot to three so I can get the benefits of the exercise as well. Thank you Dom!
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Can I be added to your list of people you shouldn’t listen to? I think your should be bitter. Is that good advice?
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I am bitter actually. You deserve a raise.
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It’s good to see you bitter about something every once in a while.
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You do have that effect 😉
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I tend be persuasive in one arena.
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Everyone needs a specialty
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And if anyone reads my blog they know the only thing I am good at.
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This isn’t true. You are also good at making long winded posts that don’t go anywhere…oh never mind that’s me. Damn now I’m even bitter against me.
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I’m not even good at that. I don’t know how to ramble incoherently.
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I will teach you
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A sure fire way to beat the 3:00 o’clock slump:
1. Go Bungee Jumping
2. Take a cold shower
3. Drink fresh juice
4. Make that your exercise time
5. Drive on the freeway with your convertible (assuming you have one)
5. or don’t beat it–just take a nap 😉
Well…I’m sure the suggestions were no too helpful. lol. Have a good day.
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I’m in the listen to your body camp, and rest. I have whacked-out blood sugar and eating more protein throughout the day (and not indulging in the snickers as I would like) helps me ward off the 3 o’clock crash, but even that can’t circumvent a slump that sounds so complete. Do you like bananas? Those help too, I’m told.
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Mine happens at 330 every day. It coincides with the end of work and picking up the kids. No time to stop. My sis experienced it to a greater degree after chemo. Listen to your body, is what she would tell you. Rest at the very least. Her doc told her a nap before 12pm is best. Any later than that and it may affect your night sleep pattern.
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Mentor Ionia! Get over to my latest blog post! I’ve nominated you for a Liebster Blog Award! Yippee Ka Yay!!! http://wp.me/p38Uaw-7Y
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Why thank you!
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