Energy + Focus Can Help with Your Afternoon Slump
Let TruLabs help with your afternoon slump
We’ve all experienced it: That 2 p.m. meeting where you can’t keep your eyes open. It’s not caused by the burger you ate at noon, but by the natural fluctuations in your body’s energy levels.
These ups and downs are known as circadian rhythms. They are physical, mental, and behavioral cycles that occur over a 24-hour day. They are regulated by your biological clock, nature’s timing devices within your cells.
Circadian rhythms influence how you sleep, your body temperature, eating and digestion, and the release of hormones – including melatonin, the hormone that makes you sleepy.
When melatonin naturally floods your system, between 10 p.m. and midnight, you feel tired. When melatonin production shuts down around 8 a.m., you wake up.
Though you might be a creative, energetic night owl, most adults experience a peak of alertness from 9 a.m. to noon and hit a tired phase around 2 p.m.
Time for a nap
Historically, people in Latin America and Southern European countries took an early afternoon nap called a siesta. After a rest, they would wake up rejuvenated, and work into the evening.
Sadly, your modern lifestyle probably doesn’t allow an afternoon nap. Instead, you keep going and draw upon your body’s reserves of vitamins and minerals. When you hit bottom, you’ll find it harder to focus, concentrate, and stay in the moment. Productivity, mood, and endurance suffer, affecting work, activities, and even relationships.
Try a TruLabs break
Some people go for a cup of sugary coffee in early afternoon. But a drink of TruLabs ENERGY + FOCUS can give you a healthier lift with Guarana Extract, a plant-based caffeine that can help reduce fatigue, boost energy, and aid learning and memory.
ENERGY + FOCUS supports your energy and concentration with:
- Antioxidant support and 16 nutrients and extracts.
- Adenine, ribose, and phosphate to help your body create energy at the cellular level.
- DMAE to support mental focus and Acetyl-L-Carnitine to enhance brain function.
Because Guarana is a slow-release, plant-based caffeine, one drink of ENERGY+FOCUS gives you up to six hours of energy with no crashes or jitters. Sugar-free, it comes in three delicious flavors: Frost, Blackberry Lemonade, and Orange Pineapple.
Know your prime time
If you pay attention to the rise and fall of your energy levels, you can understand when you are most productive, and arrange to tackle your hardest tasks then.
Of course, getting enough sleep is essential to proper brain function, well-being, and concentration. Practicing good sleep hygiene, supported by TruLabs SLEEP, will help you get the sleep you need.
When to take a break
Along with your 24-hour circadian rhythms, you can also take advantage of ultradian rhythms. These are 90- to 120-minute periods of time where you move from a high-energy state to a low point – when you could feel hungry, restless, and unfocused.
When you experience these feelings, it could be time to step away for a break. The 10 minutes of lost work time will be repaid in full when you come back to your desk refreshed and ready to power through.
Here are a few ways to take that break and also reduce any physical strain on your body:
- Go for a quick walk outside. Walking in nature can reduce stress, strengthen your heart, and move oxygen to your brain to improve concentration.
- Reset your thoughts by chatting with a co-worker about non-work topics.
- Reduce eye fatigue from staring at a computer screen with the 20-20-20 rule. Shift your eyes to look at an object at least 20 feet away, for 20 seconds, every 20 minutes.
- Do some simple stretches to avoid back and neck pain.
- Try deep breathing exercises to lower stress, improve your workday performance and stamina.
Use TruLabs products, like ENERGY+FOCUS, to make sure your body is fully fueled and never running on empty.
Sources
https://www.risescience.com/blog/how-to-focus-better
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siesta
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/5-great-reasons-you-should-take-a-walk-today/
https://www.advancedneurotherapy.com/blog/2015/09/10/walking-outside-brain
https://hbr.org/2007/10/manage-your-energy-not-your-time
https://ehs.ucsc.edu/programs/ergo/stretch.html
https://www.healthline.com/health/eye-health/20-20-20-rule
Disclaimer: The information provided in these blog posts is not intended as medical advice. While this post may include links to TruLabs products, it may also contain external links to websites or articles. Please note that the inclusion of these links does not necessarily signify endorsement of any specific product or website by TruLabs.
