New Survey Finds the Most Common Time of Day to Hit an Afternoon Slump

When the afternoon hits and you find yourself falling into an energy slump that's slowing you down, just know you're far from alone. Findings from a recent survey commissioned by Second Nature Snacks and conducted by OnePoll show that the dreaded afternoon slump typically hits at 3 p.m. for most people, causing a lack of motivation and energy that can last for about 29 minutes. 

Interestingly enough, it doesn’t seem as though people experience this energy lull—at least not to the same extent—every day of the week. According to the survey, one day, in particular, had the highest rate for decreased energy and enthusiasm come the afternoon: Tuesday.

Almost half of participants who took the survey agreed that they're most likely to hit a productivity wall on Tuesday afternoons. It makes sense, too—on Mondays, we may feel refreshed after the weekend or at least anxious to tackle our busy to-do lists for the week. But come Tuesday, our energy can dwindle, especially if the day before was especially trying. Having the rest of the week looming ahead doesn't help things much

Top Causes for an Afternoon Slump

The survey found that 74% of participants experience an afternoon slump at least once a week, (looking at you, Tuesday!), but what's behind it? People reported several common reasons for running out of steam around 3 p.m. The primary culprits appear to be not getting enough caffeine ( 56%), closely followed by issues like plain-old feeling bored and lacking energy (53%). People also blamed not eating enough food (51%) and not getting enough sleep (41%) for inducing their post-noon crash.

Survey respondents also said that winter in particular, with its cold temperatures and minimal sunlight, increases their chances for a slump. Lastly, the survey showed that those who are sedentary for too long throughout the day (23%) and who are not taking needed breaks (20%) are very likely to experience an afternoon crash slump.

Strategies for Getting Through an Energy Crash

Once an afternoon slump hits, it can feel really hard to get motivated to pick up work (or whatever you need to do) again. But survey participants shared some of their favorite ways to power through.

The findings showed that 67% didn’t experience difficulty getting out of a slump, thanks to having the right tools to push through. For example, three-quarters of respondents shared that they rely heavily on a particular routine to keep them on track.

The most effective activity for people (58%) was getting up and going for a walk, which is a great way to perk up both your mind and body. Others said eating a meal (55%) worked well, while some choose to get more exercise (49%) for a boost of energy. Other participants take a nap (47%) to reset or grab a quick snack (45%).

As for the snackers, they reported going for a high-protein snack, such as nuts or trail mix (56%). Peanuts are most popular (67%) along with walnuts (64%) and Brazil nuts (55%). As for the trail mix, most seem to enjoy something with chocolate (63%) along with seeds (50%) and granola (48%).

Taking a break to eat a healthy snack seems to be the best slump-buster: Sixty-four percent said they felt more motivated after noshing on something in the afternoon, 68% had more energy, and 63% could power through with a more positive attitude. A healthy snack apparently also helped improve their afternoon productivity by 52%.