If you regularly hit a wall of exhaustion after lunch, science says you’re not imagining it.
That 2 p.m. crash isn’t laziness — it’s biology
According to a report by GQ, doctors say the familiar afternoon slump is hardwired into the human body. Dr. Brandon Luu, a respirology fellow trained at the University of Toronto, explained that most people experience a natural dip in alertness between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., driven by circadian rhythms rather than laziness or lack of willpower.
Luu said the body’s morning surge of cortisol, the hormone linked to alertness, begins to taper off in the early afternoon, while melatonin levels subtly rise, making sleepiness almost unavoidable. Even accident data, he noted, shows a secondary spike in errors and crashes during this window.
While biology can’t be defeated, it can be managed. Luu recommends starting the day with bright light exposure to signal wakefulness to the brain, whether from sunlight or artificial lamps. The same strategy can help in the afternoon, particularly in darker months, with light therapy shown to boost mood and performance.
Consistency, he added, matters more than sleep duration. Irregular bedtimes can cause “social jet lag,” leaving people sluggish even after a full night’s rest. Luu also advised lighter, protein-heavy lunches, short walks or stair climbs, and limiting carb-heavy meals that worsen post-lunch fatigue.
For those working from home, a brief power nap may help, but only if it’s capped at 30 minutes to avoid grogginess and nighttime sleep disruption.
Ultimately, Luu said managing energy is about respecting the body clock: bright mornings, dark nights, regular sleep schedules, and habits that work with — not against — human biology. The insights were originally reported by GQ.