Any way to combat the evening slump?

[Bob]

Major energy dip in the evening.  My body feels like lead.


Willpower is the only thing I can think of.  Caffeine, more than the normal amount, would probably do it too, but then it messes up sleep.

Or baby steps.... Stand up, jog a bit or ride a bike a bit to get the blood flowing.

Ugh....

[j_menz]

Smaller dinner and/or get younger.

[theholygideons]

get the adrenaline pumping old man!

[iquinn876]

A 30-45 minute power nap does wonders if you have the time.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

get the adrenaline pumping old man!

Is he really that old?

What the heck my perception of everyone is soo off!

[outin]

Caffeine, more than the normal amount, would probably do it too, but then it messes up sleep.

After I gave up coffee entirely, I actually found that I am less tired in general. Even mornings are (usually) easier. It seems regular use of caffeine messes up the system more than one thinks...

Still miss it though 

[Bob]

I'm not that old.  Post-college.  Crossing over into middle aged I guess. (Sucks of course, but you do keep getting wiser if you're paying attention.)

Liquid coffee works.  Just up the amount.  Screws up sleep later.  Coffee + willpower.  The problem is just standing up sometimes.  *Bob wonders if this would still be a problem in a zero gravity environment.*

Baby steps.  Sit up.  Stand up.  That type of thing.

Power nap won't help.  I'll just sleep for hours.  And probably wake up groggy.

Another trick I found.  Once you're standing, just walk.  Walking around a table works.  10 times round the table and things change.  It's doable, easy enough.  Eventually gets the blood moving again.

All signs of wear and tear though. It's weird when your mind starts reminding you to be sure to leave some energy so you can make it home.  And starts wondering what happens if you wear out even more on the way home.

[ted]

How are your sugar levels Bob ? Do you have them checked regularly ? Something going on in that area can cause chronic tiredness. Strangely, I find plenty of strenuous exercise dispels tiredness altogether. One imagines it would be the opposite, but it isn't. In the mornings following rest days I sometimes feel rather dopey. Also, eating little and often is better than having a huge feed once a day.

[Bob]

I do need more exercise.

I need more good sleep, less stress.  I eat healthy enough. 

I have no idea what my sugar levels are.  I haven't been to the doctor in years.  $$$

[davidjosepha]

sh*t *** dude, this thread's depressing. I don't want to age past 20

[ajspiano]

I do need more exercise.

I need more good sleep, less stress.  I eat healthy enough. 

I have no idea what my sugar levels are.  I haven't been to the doctor in years.  $$$

I dont mean to make any assumptions, but i will say that the perception of a healthy diet doesnt necessarily match up to one that is 100% nutritionally sound.

caffeine is a non-fix.. for me personally is I don't have coffee everyday (I don't) I will usually have a kind withdrawal characterized by extreme fatigue the following day. This is generally much more evident if I used the coffee specifically to fight fatigue.

my default position for a bout of unmanageable fatigue is that I either screwed up my nutrition or screwed up my sleep. So that's how I'll fix it, if either fix is not an option then will power is the trick. The body is remarkably good at continuing to work when its tired.

[the_fervid_pig]

sh*t *** dude, this thread's depressing. I don't want to age past 20

But have you thought about the alternative?

[davidjosepha]

But have you thought about the alternative?

Staying at 20 forever?

...

Oh

[Bob]

I've been to a dietician a couple times.  My nutrition is probably ok.


Yes, around age 25 is the peak for your mind and body.  After that it's all downhill.  You start seeing signs of wear and tear.  Mental wear and tear I wondered about, but it seems to be things like not being to concentrate sometimes or just feeling like you're in a mental fog sometimes.  That's probably workable for compensating or could even go unnoticed because you work more wisely.

On the plus side, there's more independence, more control, you don't get tricked by BS younger people fall for, and you should be making more money.  (Should be...)



I'd rather be 25 or 26.  People, other adults, don't take you seriously at 20. 

[oxy60]

The slump after dinner is normal. If it is safe out go take a SLOW short walk. If you go the couch with your port you will just go to sleep. Forget the coffee. It takes too long to take effect. A sweet desert won't hurt.

But the walk is important.

[hfmadopter]

You're kind of young yet for that kind of a slump. Barring some sort of health issue I suggest a bit of exercise, about a 4 Oz drink of Gatorade G2 and a dozen raisins  or three to four figs while out on your walk or bike ride. Then if you sweat on your walk or bike ride, drink water at a rate of 6-8 Oz every 15 minutes.

Stay hydrated during the day too, water only. Most people do not hydrate even close to enough.

I'm  no doctor but I suspect you should be ready to feel different than you do now !

[the_fervid_pig]

I've been to a dietician a couple times.  My nutrition is probably ok.


Yes, around age 25 is the peak for your mind and body.  After that it's all downhill.  You start seeing signs of wear and tear.  Mental wear and tear I wondered about, but it seems to be things like not being to concentrate sometimes or just feeling like you're in a mental fog sometimes.  That's probably workable for compensating or could even go unnoticed because you work more wisely.

On the plus side, there's more independence, more control, you don't get tricked by BS younger people fall for, and you should be making more money.  (Should be...)



I'd rather be 25 or 26.  People, other adults, don't take you seriously at 20. 

Have to agree, 25 is a good age to be, after that things go into decline, concentration, memory, energy levels though you seems to develop more staying power, or maybe it just takes longer to get things done! You sleep less, and you care a lot less about what people think about you. I find standing outside in cold for a bit helps with energy levels, though there's been a heatwave here lately.

[indianajo]

I'm 63, and I feel pretty good. One big change I've made is cut sugar use to 4-5 g per meal.  I still have a sweet tooth, and have replaced sugar with diet sodas, and replaced a snack cake after a meal with one piece of sugar free chocolate candy.  Sugar alcohols (sorbitol, malitol) seem to cause much less of the insulin rush that I used to get if I didn't eat on time.  Breakfast is wheat squares with low sugar soybean "milk", or pancakes of self-rise flour with olivio margarine and sugar free (mailtol, sorbitol) syrup. 
I've also replaced most saturated fats with unsaturated vegetable fat, a la mediteranean diet.  I still eat an ounce or two of meat for flavor lunch and dinner, but most protein/fat is low sugar (1 g /tblspoon) peanut butter. or unsaturated vegetable oil salad dressing   Bread is also low sugar (Italian or sour dough).  In 4 years I've lost 30 lb, 25 points of chlosterol, 15 points of LPD, rest pulse is down 15 bpm due to more aerobic exercise while not working. 
After dinner, I often play piano for an hour while the TV is doing game shows, antique road show, or politcal shows. Good TV starts at 9 pm.   If out in the country where I don't have a piano, I go out after dinner and chop up tree limbs.  Piano is mildly aerobic at 63, chopping trees more so. 
And read Dr Cooper's Aerobics and follow.  Making yourself feel really bad after 30 min of aerobic exercises for a week or two, in the beginning, gives you way more energy and stamina in the long haul.  My two uncles that walked and gardened a lot are 96, and recently deceased, 97.  My Dad, who sat in a chair and read library books, had a lot of microstrokes and had a horrible retirement of only 8 years before CPO & diabetes got him. Use it or lose it. 

[oxy60]

I just realized I got rid of the evening slump by reducing the size of my dinner and going for a bigger breakfast and a medium lunch. When I would eat lightly all day and pig out at dinner the slump was big.

At age 25 I would go out to  dinner with friends once a week. Those dinners were huge and we often retired to the lounge because we were too sleepy to drive...