What Foods Make Us Feel Sleepy?

Bread

Ever felt sleepy after eating a sandwich? According to the National Sleep Foundation, carbohydrates could be the culprit. Once ingested, the digestive system breaks down the carbohydrates in bread into sugar. The sugar enters the bloodstream causing an individual's energy levels to spike. However, this energized feeling is only temporary. The pancreas produces insulin, which promotes the absorption of blood sugar into the body’s cells. As the cells work to lower the individual's blood sugar, individuals may notice they are starting to feel a little sluggish. This energy crash is especially apparent when individuals eat processed foods because they digest much faster than foods with whole grains. Thus, individuals may want to swap out their white bread for a heartier whole grain loaf, as the carbohydrates will break down much slower and not give them as intense of a crash.

Find out about another food that can make so many feel tired now.

Oats

It’s a little ironic, but that bowl of oatmeal we look so forward to eating in the morning may be better suited for bedtime. Raw oats are made up of sixty-six percent carbohydrates, which means the body needs to produce insulin to get an individual's blood sugar to lower again. In addition, oats are naturally high in melatonin. This duo of carbohydrates and melatonin can be a recipe for a mid-morning or mid-day energy-crashing disaster. One way to combat fatigue is to choose one's oatmeal carefully. Larger, sturdier oats, such as steel-cut, take longer to digest and therefore let blood sugar increase and decrease more gradually. Ground or instant varieties digest much more rapidly, which can cause those dreaded energy spikes and crashes.