If your lunch usually happens at your desk while scrolling emails, or you’re fighting that 3pm energy slump with coffee after coffee, listen up — a few simple tweaks could totally change your afternoons. According to dietitian and nutritionist Laura Tilt, giving lunch the attention it deserves doesn’t just help your body, it helps your brain.
"There’s a natural dip in our alertness between 2pm and 4pm," she says. "But what you eat — and how you eat it — can either make that slump worse or help you power through it."
Most of us rely on quick fixes: a sandwich grabbed on the way to a meeting or a snack at our desk.
"Carbs are our main energy source,” Tilt says, “but not all carbs are created equal. Foods like white bread or pastries give you a fast spike, but then your blood sugar crashes and you feel sluggish.”
High Glycaemic Index foods spike your blood sugar, while low-GI foods like fruit, vegetables, beans, lentils, nuts, and wholegrains release energy slowly, keeping you full and focused for longer. Adding a protein source, like falafels or hummus, helps balance it even more.
Now here’s where it gets juicy: Tilt's '37-minute lunch formula' is all about timing, and it’s more than just what you eat. “I broke it down into three parts: 20 minutes to eat, ten minutes to move, and seven minutes to mentally reset,” she says.
“Twenty minutes gives your body time to feel full, ten minutes of movement gets your blood flowing, and seven minutes for a mental reset can actually boost your focus for the afternoon.”
A little mindfulness, a quick scroll-free pause, or just staring out a window is enough to reboot your focus. Bonus points if you can step into a green space — nature is basically a free mood booster.
Tilt is big on what goes on your plate, too. "We fall short on fibre, vitamins, and plants in general," she says. "Supermarket meal deals or ready-to-go options often look convenient, but they don’t hit the nutrition marks."
Her advice is to build your lunch around a high-fibre carb, a protein, a big pile of vegetables, and a piece of fruit. "For example, brown rice or mixed grains, four falafels with hummus, and a colourful salad hits the spot,” she explains. “It’s satisfying, energising, and gut-friendly.”
Taking lunch seriously also means stepping away from your screens. Even 20-30 minutes away from your desk can calm stress and refresh your focus.
Tilt suggests picking one non-negotiable element for your break — whether it’s your meal, a short walk, or just a mental pause — and building around it. Once you nail that, it’s easy to add layers: stretch, breathe, soak up a bit of sun, or even jot down a few thoughts.
Following the 37-minute formula doesn’t just make lunch nicer — it transforms your whole afternoon. By eating mindfully, moving, and resetting, you’ll avoid the dreaded crash, feel sharper, and be far more productive. And if not — at least you know what to blame it on now.
Featured Image Credit: Liubomyr Vorona/Getty
Lara Owen