How to treat a food coma

Postprandial somnolence, better known as the food coma, has struck again. It’s the day after Thanksgiving (in Canada at least), and I’m still feeling the effects of two army-sized dinners. There was no way of sitting or sleeping comfortably this weekend.

For your gluttony, you shall be punished with extreme lethargy, or the unexpected impregnation of a food baby.

For a few months when I was eight years old, I would log into my neglected Neopets account every so often and go straight to the Soup Kitchen to bulk-feed my Neopet. I fed it quickly multiple times within a few minutes and watched its hunger level go from ‘Famished’ and pass ‘Very Full’. It was at that age that I learned what the word ‘bloated’ meant. The poor thing was cringing, begging me not to force it to eat anymore. This is exactly how I’ve been feeling post-Thanksgiving, and I can only imagine this is how my Neopet felt so many years ago.

If I fed real pets the way I fed my Neopets, this is would be the result. This is why I can't have pets.

How does a food coma happen?

As your seemingly endless mouthfuls of turkey, potatoes, and other carbs start to move into your small intestine, your parasympathetic nervous system (responsible for the “rest and digest” reaction) slows your heart and increases intestinal activity. Essentially, your nervous system is conserving energy to focus on digesting your meal.

While the amino acid tryptophan, commonly found in pumpkin and turkey, has sedative effects, it’s more likely your lethargy is a result from too many carbs. High-carb foods, with lots of fats and sugars, take longer to digest. Your pancreas secreted insulin to allow your body to absorb blood glucose, which kicks in that “rest and digest’” neurological reflex.

So how do you take care of yourself in a food coma?

Drink Water

Yes, we know we’ve talked about the importance of water before and we’re starting to sound like a broken record. But you really do need to drink extra water to digest all that food. It can flush out the toxins in your body and make your system more efficient. Drink often throughout the day to make up for the extra salt intake from your holiday indulgence.

Exercise to get out of that lethargic lump

Get back on track by staying active. Add in an extra day of exercise this week or boost your intensity while you’re working out. Raising your metabolism will help you burn more calories and digest your food as well.

Eat lighter meals

For the next few days, try eating smaller, but more frequent meals that are lower in carbohydrates than your Thanksgiving dinner. Stick to proteins and veggies. Avoid foods high in starch and sugar, which tells your body to store fat and causes blood sugar and insulin spikes. Those mashed potatoes and pies made your body retain water, which caused the Neopet bloated feeling.

Overeating, especially during the holidays, is hard to avoid, especially when your mother is forcing your to eat a fourth helping of that casserole she slaved over for six hours. Make sure you follow up your indulgent high carb dinners with low carb meals, extra exercise, and water for the following days.

It’s okay, we’ve all been there, and we’ve all regretted overeating at one point. Some of us learn experience that regret sooner than others, i.e., this adorable kid below.