Brits are being told why their Christmas dinner makes them feel sleepy half way through the festive day.
Health and nutrition experts at Prepped Pots powered by MuscleFood.com have revealed that over indulging in carbs is what leads to the Christmas day slump.
They advise eating small meals throughout the day and adding a cranberry salad to the dinner to help avoid crashing in the evening.
Ashleigh Tosh, nutrition expert at Prepped Pots said: “Most of us look forward to Christmas dinner but we can’t deny how sleepy we feel once we’ve eaten.
“Turkey contains an amino acid called tryptophan which is known for making us feel a little sleepy but we can’t blame the turkey alone.
“The traditional Christmas dinner contains quite a lot of carbs from our roasties and stuffing to yorkshire puddings and gravy.
“When we consume a lot of carbs in one go we often experience a spike in blood sugar which gives us a short burst of energy for a small amount of time. Once that’s passed we come crashing down, making us feel tired and sleepy.
“It’s important to enjoy ourselves on Christmas day but if that overly bloated and sleepy feeling doesn’t agree with you then it’s worth thinking about what easy things you can do to help avoid it.”
How to avoid feeling sleepy on Christmas Day:
- Get some fresh air
A lot of us spend Christmas day in one house and not having a change of scenery can naturally make us feel fatigued. Try to get some fresh air after your dinner, whether that’s a quick ten minute walk or a moment out in the garden.
- Move around
When feeling tired, the worst thing you can do is sit still. Helping in the kitchen and tidying away after dinner are some easy ways to get you moving around the house on Christmas day.
- Don’t nap
You might feel like all you need is a 20 minute nap but this can actually make you feel worse. Sleeping can cause you to wake up feeling groggy and even more tired.
- Try not to over indulge
If your eyes tend to be bigger than your belly then try to put less trimmings on your plate than usual this way you’re less likely to over indulge and make yourself feel bloated. If you fancy seconds you can always go back for more or save yourself for dessert!
- Eat balanced foods throughout the day
Christmas dinner is the main event but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t eat anything all day. Making your roast dinner your first and only meal makes you more likely to over indulge and can cause your crash to feel more dramatic. Eat a light breakfast in the morning before you begin your festive day.
- Add some nutritious dishes to your meal
Rather than worrying about what to take out of your dinner, think about what healthy elements you can add. A cranberry salad is a great addition.
- Stay hydrated
With all of the tasty, salty and sugary foods consumed on Christmas it’s important to stay hydrated with water. Alcohol also causes us to feel dehydrated so don’t rely on your glass of wine for this. Instead try to have a glass of water each hour in between all of the fun.
