Why do they still work full of blood at noon?
Abstract: Why do foreign colleagues still work full of blood at noon? The point is they didn't take a nap!
A question has always puzzled Ro: when working abroad, Ro found that many colleagues around him can still work energetically even at noon, and they do not take naps. Every time the boss arranges a meeting near noon, Ro will be a little apprehensive: he is worried that he will not be able to perform in the best state, or that he will miss the key points due to lack of energy during the communication process. The point is, after every lunch, Ro is extremely sleepy, is this the so-called "meal sleepiness"?
In order to solve the problem, Ro began to investigate: foreign colleagues rarely have the habit of eating Chinese food or other Asian food at noon. Their lunch basically looks like this:
The restaurants they frequent are: Sweet green. Freshii. Honeygrow. Cava Grill. True Food Kitchen From the design style of these stores, you can feel that they are advocating the concept of green and healthy eating.
From the perspective of how lunch affects energy, the difference between Chinese and Western lunches lies in the ratio of carbohydrates. Chinese meals generally contain rice and white noodles, resulting in a higher carbohydrate ratio than Western-style lunches. Scientists have found that if the carbohydrate content in the diet is high, it will rapidly increase blood sugar, which will lead to the secretion of a large amount of insulin in the body. Insulin brings a special amino acid, tryptophan, into the brain, where tryptophan is then converted into serotonin. Serotonin relaxes people and leads to sleepiness. There is also a view that blood viscosity increases, blood circulation slows down, and oxygen supply to the brain decreases, resulting in drowsiness.
The problem is, the average westerner's work lunch also has a lot of bread, pasta, chips, etc., not exactly vegetable salad. These foods are also high in carbohydrates and some are high in fat. Ro agrees with the view that "no matter if you eat too much Chinese and Western food, you will be sleepy".
Eat less and move more, say goodbye to "food fatigue"
Some people sleep less and feel better because of genetics. Here comes the point, aside from the genetic relationship, how should office workers eat lunch scientifically so that they can devote themselves to the next work energetically?
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Appropriately reduce the intake of starchy staple foods, eat together with whole grains, potatoes, beans, and vegetables, and avoid sweets.
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Eat smaller meals more often, and add protein-rich foods (yogurt, nuts, etc.) between meals to reduce your meal intake. This will both control appetite and prevent drowsiness (protein-rich foods help keep you awake after meals).
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Appropriate exercise after meals: walking, or moderate-intensity exercise. Research shows: 1. As long as the human body sits for more than two hours, it will affect blood circulation and blood sugar control; 2. People with strong muscle strength are not easy to get sleepy. After active exercise, postprandial drowsiness can be significantly improved.
All in all, Ro strongly recommends that everyone take advantage of the Lunch Break period. Eat a healthy diet, get some exercise, and energize into your afternoon work.