Why Do You Get Tired After Eating? “Postprandial sleepiness,” or a food coma, can affect all species. William Ja, Scripps Research Institute, via 'TIME' Experts say that all animals have
“vigilance signals,” which keep them alert
when hungry. After eating, the "vigilance signals" are replaced by feelings of exhaustion. Based on his research of fruit flies, Ja says that meal size is a “strong driver” of tiredness after eating. William Ja, via 'TIME' One study found that truck drivers who ate diets high in vegetables experienced less post-meal fatigue. Another study showed that high-fat, high-carb meals led to both fatigue
and inflammation. Ja says that his advice to avoid food comas is to “eat smaller meals.”