Topic: 4pm BLAHS.

[wannabe4x4ing]

I have an issue with 4pm being the cut-off time for any kind of motivation I may have started with that day.

At work, I work my butt off and find myself really gung-ho and driven and then 4pm comes and, like magic, I'm totally zapped of energy. I tried having a snack, drinking some juice, having some coffee... nothing's working. I take a quick walk around the building on my coffee break... still nothing.

I get off work and I'm so tired I want to nap but I still have two kids to look after. I'm in bed by 9:30pm so I get plenty of sleep before my 5:30am wake-up. I'm eating healthy... I can't find a single excuse for this sudden shut-down.

Any advice?

[tpl]

What time do you get up at weekends and do you have the same symptoms?

[dr_spock]

Maybe a power nap between 2pm and 3pm?

[Zoo]

Maybe that is just how you are "wired". I am more of a night person so I can be tired and lethargic around 8 P.M. or so then when 10 P.M or so rolls around I am full of energy etc. A real pain in the butt when I need to get to sleep by midnight or so. I used to work a 3-11 P.M. shift in the 1980s and it was perfect for me.

Maybe I need to get out of sales and find an evening shift factory job!

[ArticSteve]

I agree with Zoo, it might just be how your wired.  I don't like 5-5:30 p.m. all that much which is about half way thru my day/night.

5:30 a.m. wake-up, then dealing with little kids and then a full day of work; that would make anyone lethargic by 4 p.m. 

[UmroAyyar]

Its your biological clock, whatever that maybe.

I had varying jobs, night shifts 8pm-4am and early morning shifts 5am to 1pm. for over 8 years.

I can't work very productively between 1pm and 5pm. I just do something entirely brainless, (read false idignant postures at CTC ) play a game, take a break outside the work environment. That reboots me and I can do some real work.

I think its really the break from the environment that does the trick for me, if absolutely necessary.

[initial_D]

A girl BLAHS at 4 is better than a guy not BLAHS at 6:30 AM ...

Try a 10 minute Yoga after 4:00 PM, if time and space permitts. 2 kid(s)? Riley & BF? 

[PJungnitsch]

I'm at my best when I can nap for 15 min after lunch. Then I do another 30 min at 5.00 when I'm done work. If not, then another power nap. Strangely enough if my eyes start tearing, I know it's been long enough for the 'brain reset' that I seem to need.

[safristi]

"snack,juice & coffee"...............3 No No's right there....prolly the snack is a Fat/carbo laden crapolla....Yo Yoing yer system man........get thee to a GOOD nutritionist.....and sell tha KIDS.... ......

[wannabe4x4ing]

What time do you get up at weekends and do you have the same symptoms?

I didn't really think about it. My kids sleep like teenagers but I'm up by 7:30ish on weekends. Then around 6pm after we've eaten, I plug in some Sponge Bob and nap on the couch before baths because I'm so exhausted. So I guess yeah, I get the same symptoms just a little later because I get up a little later.

2 kid(s)? Riley & BF? 

Riley and his little brother. I had another baby last December.

"snack,juice & coffee"...............3 No No's right there....prolly the snack is a Fat/carbo laden crapolla....Yo Yoing yer system man........get thee to a GOOD nutritionist.....and sell tha KIDS.... ......

I have fruit for a snack. I'm trying to drop the last of my baby weight so I've been really keeping an eye on what I'm eating. I do need to cut down on caffeine though.

I've tried closing my office door for fifteen and taking a cat nap. But I end up more groggy than I was before.

Maybe I'll just have to cope.

[barrie1]

I would suggest having your sugar level checked as sometimes after a pregnancy you can become slighthly Diabetic which would account for the feelings you are having of tiredness. Its something that you should know anyways wether you are or not for you healths sake alone. 

[ArticSteve]

I would suggest having your sugar level checked as sometimes after a pregnancy you can become slighthly Diabetic which would account for the feelings you are having of tiredness. Its something that you should know anyways wether you are or not for you healths sake alone. 

Stop scaring the girl.    Women can develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy and like everyone whose becomes significantly overweight they can develop diabetes.  But if you come thru a pregnancy and are not significantly overweight then your not going to be come even "slightly" diabetic.

Check your blood pressure throughout the day and evening.  I may be low.  But I really think it's from having a full time job, 1 little kid, and one baby.  That is enough to do anyone in.   

[Trainman]

wanna, this almost same thing happened with my wife after the second kid came along although ours are about 2 1/2 years apart.

She found that eliminating caffeine and getting as much exercise as possible helped a lot, as did trying to get some rest away from the kids when possible.  For you, this will mean some sort of baby sitter or maybe grandparents to take over looking after the kids for a night.  Me (well, you) time is very important.

[rrocket]

5 Hour Energy rules!!!  WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

[dorin]

I have the same problem at around 3pm...

[quadzilla]

For you, this will mean some sort of baby sitter or maybe grandparents to take over looking after the kids for a night.  Me (well, you) time is very important.

Or maybe the father could take care of the children?

Stop scaring the girl.    Women can develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy and like everyone whose becomes significantly overweight they can develop diabetes. 

You don't have to be fat to get diabetes.

[initial_D]

I have the same problem at around 3pm...

.. then maybe it is time to get up? 

[wannabe4x4ing]

For you, this will mean some sort of baby sitter or maybe grandparents to take over looking after the kids for a night.  Me (well, you) time is very important.

Or maybe the father could take care of the children?

Stop scaring the girl.    Women can develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy and like everyone whose becomes significantly overweight they can develop diabetes. 

You don't have to be fat to get diabetes.

The father is not an option.


I was tested for gestational diabetes when I was pregnant, and it came up negative. I do have a gestational heart condition, but since Devon is going to be 6 months on Friday, it should have remedied itself (what with me no longer being pregnant and all).

I went to a nutrionist. Who told me to ween myself off caffeine (I drink WAY too much coffee), and gave me a list of foods I should avoid (who knew that eating fruit could effect you negatively?!?!) and a grocery list. Also, I've been ordered to take a multivitamin.

I feel like if I could just get more sleep I'd be okay. I have a 'moving-away' party for a couple of my friends on Saturday night and my parents are taking my boys until Sunday at noon. I think I'm going to skip out on the party early and get a full night of sleep. It hasn't been helping that Dev's starting getting teeth so I'm up every couple of hours.

Thanks for the tips, everyone. Good call on the nutritionist, Saf.

[quadzilla]

The father is not an option.

Should have thought of that before. 

[ArticSteve]

You don't have to be fat to get diabetes.

O gee quad, thanks for that info.    In the context of this thread type 1 diabetes is not worth mentioning.

who knew that eating fruit could effect you negatively

Other than raising blood sugars eating fruit is a benefit to one's health unless one has a specific allergy.

As far a "Nutritionists" are concerned that is one line of work where $250. can get you an instant profession.  The title is completely unregulated in Canada.  The only ppl licensed to disseminate ppl diets are "Registered Dietitians".  Walk into any Jenny Craig or Herbal Magic and you will find a wall plastered with "Nutritionist" diplomas.   There are "Public Health Nutritionists", but those ppl are Registered Dietitians that do civic planning.

Nutritionists are not regulated in most provinces or by any federal bodies. For most of Canada, there is no formal degree of training required to use the designation, though many nutritionists do pursue training. You must ask the practitioner directly what his or her background and training is.

dietitian
This term is protected by law, whether or not the prefix "Registered" accompanies it. Only members of the provincial regulatory bodies Associations can use the term and the designations RDN, RD, PDt, RDt, or Dt.P. (See Accreditation.)

Dietitians require a master's or bachelor's degree in dietetics, nutrition or a related field such as food and nutritional science or biochemistry and one to two years of supervised practical training. Licensure with a regulatory body is required in all provinces for dietitians.
Membership in the national association, Dietitians of Canada, may be required for dietitians. Registration with the national association, Dietitians of Canada and/or a provincial regulatory body is available for nutritionists who have the same education and practical training as dietitians.
Dietitians may opt to further their education and pursue a Masters Degree.