Fight 3:20! Survey Finds Nearly a Quarter of Canadians Are Fighting 3 PM Workday Weariness

Progressive Analyses National Workplace Fatigue Fuelled by Poor Snack Choices

TORONTO, Sept. 16, 2019 /CNW/ - Working 9-5 is hard enough for Canadians balancing family, life and relationships … but a recent survey conducted by Progressive Nutritional has revealed that Canadians may be partially responsible for their own sleepiness at work.

Key findings of the survey:

1) 3:00 PM Sucks for most Canadians

Asked when they feel the most tired at work (in a range from 1-3pm), nearly a quarter of Canadians (24.6%) said 3:00 PM.

Angela Ysseldyk, nutritionist at Progressive Nutritional speculates that the 3 PM drain may trigger Canadians to crave a snack or coffee and that could lead to a bad choice. "Many Canadians are inclined to grab food or caffeine for energy when they feel tired," said Ysseldyk. "If it's a bad choice, filled with sugar – they'll crash even harder by 3:20, hence the 3:20 phenomenon."

Interestingly, it seems the closer to the end of the workday, the more energy Canadians can muster. Respondents reported being significantly less tired at 4:00 PM (15.7%) and 5:00 PM (17.9%.) 

2) A lot of Canadians are using caffeine as a crutch

Nationally, many Canadians reported fighting afternoon work fatigue with caffeine (33.3) over snacking. 37.8% of respondents in the Prairies prefer a hit of caffeine, followed by BC (35.2%), Atlantic Canada (35.0%) and Ontario (29.5%)

"Habitual caffeine use leads to tolerance, which dulls several of caffeine's effects (and we consume more). High consumption can also cause us to crash later in the afternoon.  (caffeine's effect typically lasts about 5-6 hours in the body).  If we do grab for a caffeinated beverage or food such as chocolate later in the day, it could leave some of us too alert affecting our sleep that night and the cycle continues," adds Ysseldyk.

3) Desk sleeping is an unsustainable strategy

Nationally 8.3% of Canadians say that they "sleep at their desk but pretend to be awake." Ontario respondents selected this option to fight workplace weariness the most at 10.0%. Progressive does not support this as an option.

4) BC Surprisingly more likely to Snack

Asked what they do when tired at work, BC respondents were significantly more likely to go for a snack (16.0%) over Ontario (12.1%,) the Prairies (9.3%) and Atlantic Canada (7.6%.)

5) Your snack might not be a 'hack'

On the positive side, nearly as many Canadians claim that they would grab an apple (24.5%) or Chocolate (26.5%.) Canadians also cherish chips, (17.5%) but are much less likely to have candy (10.5%,) brownies (8.8%) or donuts (8.3%).

So, what's a tired Canadian worker to do?

"To seriously fight 3:20, eating fruits and vegetables is a great way to keep higher, more balanced energy levels all through the afternoon," added Ysseldyk. "Consider superfoods in a powder like VegeGreens that pack the concentrated nutrients of a variety of plants and vegetables, and fits in your desk drawer and taste amazing."

''Superfoods will have a lasting effect (and you get more bang for your buck). It is like giving back to the bank after ''borrowing'' from caffeine's effect on your energy for the first half of the day. The benefit from superfoods is that they not only satisfy that energy dip, but they also support your organs and glands so that your body can make its own energy (vs borrowing adrenaline, cortisol etc.) with caffeinated energy drinks," said Ysseldyk

Please credit this as a Progressive Nutritional survey in all media coverage.

About Progressive Nutritional
Progressive Nutritional understands that wellness is a journey made up of a series of healthy choices. The brand's comprehensive line of natural health products is designed to help make those choices easy at all life stages. Progressive's scientifically proven, great-tasting products include probiotics, collagen, multivitamins, proteins, fish oils and more. Progressive products are manufactured in Canada by Body Plus, a division of Jamieson Wellness Inc. For more information and to locate your nearest retailer, please visit progressivenutritional.com.

About VegeGreens
VegeGreens® contains a wonderful array of vegetables from around the world. Each small scoop makes a great tasting drink that offers the antioxidant equivalent of 6 to 8 servings of fresh veggies. It helps to increase dietary energy, renew mental clarity, aids liver function and supports a healthy pH balance.

SOURCE Progressive Nutritional

Patrick McCaully, [email protected], 416-948-5654