A year ago, we incorporated Ayurveda into the work we were already doing with yoga therapy. He had just turned fifty and noticed something that was bothering him: he didn’t have the energy he felt he should have at this age. Something wasn’t quite right, he felt.
During the initial assessment, some physical tension and stiffness came to light which we hadn’t been able to resolve with yoga therapy either, but the biggest problem was his afternoon slump. His mornings were fine – he was at his best around eleven o’clock – but in the afternoon he would crash. He had no energy and found it hard to concentrate, right up until dinner. For a creative entrepreneur like him, that was a problem that directly affected his work.
During the initial consultation, we set out to find out what was going on, and one of the most obvious issues, from an Ayurvedic perspective, was that he wasn’t eating lunch.
When you’re tired and your concentration wanes, the first question is always: what are you feeding your body? Lunch is one of the best times to nourish your body, because according to Ayurveda, your digestive fire – your agni – is at its strongest when the sun is at its highest.
It wasn’t an easy change for him, as his working environment wasn’t set up for bringing in cooked food. But on the days that he did eat an easily digestible dahl, that afternoon slump simply didn’t happen.
His energy levels remained more stable throughout the day, and he felt more grounded. He also began to recognise his appetite more clearly.
So, in his case, it wasn’t about a lack of sleep, supplements or complicated changes, but simply about eating when his body was most ready for it, whether he was aware of that or not. The beauty of Ayurveda is that this logic is universally applicable; whether you have a major (autoimmune) diagnosis or your batteries are running low because of the life you lead, it looks at where the imbalance lies, not at the label.
If you recognise that 4-hour afternoon slump, the question isn’t always about how to get more rest. Sometimes the question is simply: have I already nourished my body today, or lately, with something it can digest, at the moment it asked for it?
We’ll be discussing these kinds of situations, and more, during the webinar Tiredness – An Ayurvedic Perspective
It takes place on Wednesday 19 August 2026 at 18:00 CET, live on Insight Timer.
The Dutch-language edition is on Sunday 23 August at 10:00 CET, via Zoom.
If you’re curious, you’re very welcome to join us.
much love,
Rianne
