The sweet secret to getting rid of the afternoon slump

Many professionals have been attacked by the vicious afternoon slump - a period of struggle after lunch where employees try to work while feeling lethargic.

While one way to solve that problem is allowing employees to take a quick power nap, it might not be feasible for every company.

Thankfully, a recent study published in the journal NeuroRegulation has found a pretty inexpensive and sweet way of beating the afternoon slump - eating chocolate.

ALSO READ: 10 ways to battle the 3.30pm slump

The study found feeding professionals with a piece of high cacao (60% cacao) chocolate helps to make the brain more alert and attentive.

Using electroencephalography (EEG) technology to measure the amount of brain activity when a piece of chocolate,  Larry Stevens and his colleagues from Northern Arizona University (NAU) found such type of chocolate is especially important when hitting that midday slump.

“Chocolate is indeed a stimulant and it activates the brain in a really special way,” said Stevens, a professor of psychological sciences at NAU. “It can increase brain characteristics of attention, and it also significantly affects blood pressure levels.”

"A lot of us in the afternoon get a little fuzzy and can’t pay attention, particularly students, so we could have a higher cacao content chocolate bar and it would increase attention," he added.

He explained however, that a regular chocolate bar with high sugar and milk content won’t be as good, as "it’s the high-cacao content chocolate that can be found from most manufacturers that will have these effects."

A Hershey's bar, anyone?

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