Are you feeling midday tiredness..?

The midday tiredness is a by-
product of a modern lifestyle that
keeps us always on the move, hardly
leaving us with time to stop and
have a proper breakfast. At work,
you'll see colleagues drinking cups
and cups of coffee just to stay
awake or engaging in mindless
chatter to bide time and ward off
boredom. But why are we prepared
to give up on the day by noon while
pending work mounts, and there is
so much more to generally go
through?
We talk to experts on the reasons
for the dismal energy levels at
noon, and how best we can correct
it.
No goodnight's sleep
Most of us bring the office home,
continue to talk on the phone, or
work on laptops and endlessly watch
television till midnight. This takes
away from our prime sleep hours
that help restore tired nerves and
rejuvenates the body. A routine of
sleeping late and waking up early,
and then rushing to work, leaves you
exhausted much sooner in the day.
Get at least 7-8 hours of
undisturbed sleep. Preferably, turn
your cell phones off while you do
so.
No time for play
When you have no exercise routine
sketched out, you do burn out
faster. Agreed, morning hours are
the busiest, but it is not easy to
squeeze in a brief workout schedule.
Anything from brisk walks, jogging,
skipping to running on the treadmill
helps, if going to the gym is too
far-fetched an idea for you. An
evening workout is not half as
effective as an early morning warm
up sets the pace for the remainder
of the day. If nothing else, it
secretes 'happy hormones' which
gives your body the much-needed
inward push.
Anxious, all the time
Taking too much stress not only
gives you high blood pressure, but
reduces your attention span as well.
Avoid being restless and edgy, and
consciously try to stay happy and
hassle-free. Take pride in your
work, your family, your house and
your surroundings. It'll keep you
going.
No time for breakfast
Most people who feel tired by
afternoon are the ones that skip
breakfast in favour of a large
lunch. If you do not take meals in
the designated time frame, it'll
affect your hormonal secretion and
leave you lethargic. Not taking
breakfast works up your appetite,
and subsequently, you overdo the
lunch.
Tips to stay vivacious
- Take a timely and balanced
breakfast comprising a bowl of
oats, or cereals of your choice,
fruits, and toast with some butter
or margarine on it.
- Avoid drinking too much coffee
or tea after breakfast and before
lunch. Not only are you ruining your
appetite, the excess caffeine makes
you anxious as well.
- Don't overeat at lunchtime as
you are bound to feel tired for the
rest of the day. However, your
lunch should be a right balance of
carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
You can take chapattis, a bowl of
dal, and a portion of green
vegetables. Non-vegetarians can
substitute dal with chicken stew,
both a source of proteins. Try to
avoid rice in the afternoon as it will
invariable give you a belly bulge. In
fact, if you go for a balanced diet
at lunchtime, you wouldn't require
any of the calcium and multi-
vitamin supplements.
- Sleep adequately at night.
- Swing into action an exercise
schedule. Be it heavy duty
gymming or a workout at home.
- Drink at least 8-10 glasses of
water though the day.
- Avoid snacking between
breakfast and lunch. It's good to
indulge in fresh fruits of various
hues. From apples, peaches, oranges,
berries, pomegranate to banana,
fruits have their own distinctive
properties, and are an abundant
source of Vitamin A, C, potassium
and flavonoids among others.
- Potato chips are a total diet
killer. Take sprouts instead. You can
even carry it in a little box with you
to work, and have it when you feel
the urge to snack. It keeps you
fresh and your body, lighter.