Siesta - Is it bad to sleep after eating ?

DublinDes

I get very drowsey after eating a meal. If not at work, I often fall asleep, even in front of a blaring TV, for say a half an hour. I was once told it is very bad for the stomach, as when you sleep, digestion stops and the food is just lying in your stomach. Is it true ?

Tazzle

Amateur Opinion Alert!

Digesting food takes a fair bit of energy, what won't help is having only one large meal a day. You should be consistent and take in enough food so your energy levels haven't fallen before a big meal. Otherwise it's just going to knock you sideways, as your digestive system is going to take a large amount of your energy reserves to crank up its digestion. And it'll be a while before input starts exceeding output again. Which leaves you feeling all drowsy and tired. I wouldn't say dozing off would stop your digestion system working, it's probably already pretty inefficient due to your body's fatigue.

But ye, as stated that's just what I think I know, somebody feel free to correct me.

DublinDes

Tazzle wrote:

Amateur Opinion Alert!

Digesting food takes a fair bit of energy, what won't help is having only one large meal a day. You should be consistent and take in enough food so your energy levels haven't fallen before a big meal. Otherwise it's just going to knock you sideways, as your digestive system is going to take a large amount of your energy reserves to crank up its digestion. And it'll be a while before input starts exceeding output again. Which leaves you feeling all drowsy and tired. I wouldn't say dozing off would stop your digestion system working, it's probably already pretty inefficient due to your body's fatigue.

But ye, as stated that's just what I think I know, somebody feel free to correct me.

Thanks for the reply I'll bear it in mind.

homah_7ft

DublinDes wrote:

I get very drowsey after eating a meal. If not at work, I often fall asleep, even in front of a blaring TV, for say a half an hour. I was once told it is very bad for the stomach, as when you sleep, digestion stops and the food is just lying in your stomach. Is it true ?

I don't think that falling asleep after eating a meal is bad for your stomach per se. When stage 3 sleep is entered digestion does slow down but you are only sleeping for half an hour and this won't be all stage 3 sleep. Studies have shown that a siesta is beneficial. There is a typical, "Dip" in a person's circadian rhythm at the classic siesta time. As a side note when you sleep at this time, "In front of a blaring tv" you are likely to be sleeping in an upright manner. This will mitigate against reflux which I would see as the major downside of sleeping immediately after eating. If you want to be more alert post-lunch at work you could try avoiding a large meal.

DrIndy

Sleep is an interesting thing and you have to understand the physiology to maximise it. You initially go into REM sleep which is refreshing but this is within the first 30-45 minutes of sleep, after this, you dip into deep sleep, which when wakening from leaves you in a prolonged groggy state and the first dip into this occurs after the first 30 minutes and normally people when they sleep dip into this for 30 minutes for 4-6 cycles during normal sleep. deep sleep is refreshing sleep and making one full cycle actually reduces your sleep need and can result in insommnia or just reduces your total sleep time.

Bottom line - take a nap for 30 minutes or less or isleep just over 1 hour - just not anything in between as you will end up wakening up from deep sleep and you will not be refreshed as this cycle has to be finished to be effective

DublinDes

Thanks again, very informative. " Studies have shown that a siesta is beneficial. ". Very interesting. No, when I feel drowsyness coming on, I lie on the couch saying to myself I'll just close my eyes for a few minutes and most times I'm out for half an hour or so.

" which is refreshing but this is within the first 30-45 minutes of sleep, after this, you dip into deep sleep, which when wakening from leaves you in a prolonged groggy state " Yeah, I worked nights and know how awful you feel when you are awakened during deep sleep, leaves you feeling rotten for an hour or so.