Why You Should Start Taking A Quick Stroll After Eating

Eating a meal is supposed to give your body energy to power through the day. That’s why it’s a little confusing when it does the exact opposite, leaving you sleepy and unmotivated.

Why do we get tired after eating?

First off, digesting a meal is a lot of work for the body, especially if you love food as much as this guy…

But, there is a reason why we often enter into a “food coma” after eating. Melissa Prest, D.C.N., R.D.N., C.S.R., a dietitian at the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois shared the following analogy…

“If you think about it, our body is a well-oiled factory. It kind of works like this: The food goes in and starts going along on a conveyor belt. Different machines are at work to break down the food, packaging it for specific purposes and shipping it to places that help your body continue to do its work. Obviously, this takes a lot of energy, which can make someone feel tired.”

Prest also explained how insulin—a hormone made by your pancreas that controls your blood sugar—has a major impact on your energy levels after you eat.

Specifically, when you eat, your insulin levels spike to make sure your blood sugar levels are where they should be. When that job is done, your insulin levels decline, which can make people feel tired.

How can walks help you feel less tired after eating?

  1. Improved digestion: A study conducted in 2014 found that walking was associated with faster gastric emptying (the rate at which the body moves food through the stomach

  2. Help regulate blood sugar levels: Participants in several studies were asked to either stand or walk for two to five minutes every 20 to 30 minutes over the course of a full day. All seven studies showed that just a few minutes of light-intensity walking after a meal was enough to significantly improve blood sugar levels compared to, say, sitting at a desk or plopping down on the couch.

  3. Increase of “good-mood” hormones: According to the Mayo Clinic. An after-dinner stroll can also release serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter that promotes good sleep, helps regulate appetite, improves learning and memory, and increases positive feelings

  4. Boosts blood flow: Another important benefit of walking is better blood flow, which is essential for your muscles. Walking promotes blood flow to the limbs and organs, which results in a healthier vascular system that will transport the nutrients necessary to bones, muscles, and organs to work more efficiently.

Final thoughts

Even if you can only spare 2 minutes, head for the door after your next meal, and go on a short walk.