Midday Revival ⚡️: The Power of Pausing to Bounce Back

Man oh man has the time change got me messed up! ⌚️ I wake up groggy, & by midday I feel like I’m on fumes. 🥱 There’s a remedy for the midday burnout though, & I’ve got some of the ingredients to the recipe. Check this out…

Midday Meltdowns 🫠

Midday meltdowns are something that hit me from time to time. Various things cause them: eating good food 🍽️, not having enough to do 😑, broken sleep 😴 , doing too much 🏃🏾‍♀️, the list goes on. When I’m focused, I’m all in, so it’s easy for me to lock in & forget what time it is. Shoot I even forget to eat & drink when I’m really focused during the day. 

     When I was working in the office, being ready to pass out around lunchtime was inevitable. Every day, we’d figure out what was for lunch, do a pickup for the whole group, & eat til our hearts were content 🤤. We’d have everything between Chick-Fil-A & sushi. It all depended on what restaurant was picked out of the fishbowl of lunch options we had. 

     After I’d eat, I’d slump lower in my chair, my eyelids would get low, & I’d be a little too comfortable at work. There was always something going on at work, so unless I was up all night, there was no reason to get sleepy. Working in behavioral health is always an adventure, whether it’s face to face or remote. 👀

     And then it’d kick in: the itis! For those that don’t know, the itis is that overwhelming sleepy feeling you get after you eat. Think overstuffed on Thanksgiving sleepy. That’s me all the time, but this past week has been THE WORST! By the time noon hits, I’m ready for a nap! 💤 

     I’m sure I’m not the only person who feels this way. It’s just a part of life, but I feel like losing the hour last weekend has altered my sleep ridiculously. I haven’t felt rested since my birthday. I’m on the struggle bus! 🚌 😒

The Science Behind Midday Meltdowns 🧪

Although I didn’t think so, midday crashes are natural. In fact, our brains go through cycles called circadian rhythms. The itis is just a dip in your energy level. Once you wake up, your body starts calculating how long it’s been since you’ve been asleep. It’s kind of like a bank with deposits & debits. While you sleep, the deposit fills the account, & each hour you’re awake deducts some of that deposit. The less sleep you’ve gotten, the stronger you’ll feel the slump. 🥱😴

     Unfortunately when you hit midday meltdowns, everything is affected. Your body feels sluggish. You don’t have much energy, & it’s easy to feel like you’re dragging. Your brain starts to shut down too; your productivity & attention span drop. You don’t have much drive to do anything other than rest. And if you’re like me, when I’m tired, my attitude is worse. 😈 Don’t talk to me, don’t look at me, just leave me be til I bounce back. Since our bodies feel all of this, we have to find ways to counter the meltdowns. 

Midday Revival 🙆‍♀️

There’s a bag of tricks that can help take the blow off the midday meltdowns, & I’ve tried quite a few. Let’s discuss…

• Brighten the scene ☀️: Sunshine makes people feel better anyways. The brightness helps with melatonin being produced; the more light, the less melatonin being made. If you can’t get outside for whatever reason, turn lights on. Help that brain & body wake up.
• Get moving 🚶🏾‍♀️: Exercise perks you up (which is why the experts say not to work out right before you go to bed). If you want to up the ante, go for a walk outside.
• More Sleep 🛌 : When you’re in go mode, the last thing you want to do is sleep. However, you’re hurting yourself more by depriving yourself of sleep. Try to get 7-9 hours each night so you can feel well rested. 
• More water, less caffeine 💧: Caffeine is ok to drink in the morning, but the later in the day you drink it, the later you’re going to be awake. Eventually you’ll become so dependent on the caffeine that you’ll need more & more for the same effects. Stay hydrated with water instead, especially since dehydration makes you tired & hinders your ability to concentrate. 
• Replace sugary snacks with healthy ones 🍇: The sugar works just like caffeine: it’s a temporary fix. You don’t need a quick fix for energy. Go for something that’s not processed instead.
• Focus on sounds:🎧 Music is an instant mood lifter for me. It almost doesn’t matter what is played as long as it sounds good to me. But for the times that music may hype me up, I turn to meditation apps to recharge & refocus. Plus you get to close your eyes for a few. 😉
• Step away from the screens 📱: That little blue light behind your computer, phone, & tv screens keeps your mind going. That’s why it’s hard to wind down when you have any of them on. However, it also snatches your energy. Take a break from them to recharge & get back on your A game.
• If all else fails, take a nap 😴: There’s power in the power nap! Now a nap is 15-20 minutes, not hours & hours (that’ll only give you a headache). Power naps give your body the opportunity to recharge so you can have some energy & can focus better.

     Midday meltdowns don’t have to be an issue for you. You have all the power in making sure you have enough energy to push through the day; you just have to be proactive. 💪🏽 Vacation is officially upon me now, & I plan to reset my body by getting some rest over the next 2 weeks. Packing my chill gear, some shades, & my Intentional Journal, & I’m out! Remember my people, self-care ain’t selfish! 🏝️