energy · 3 min
The afternoon slump: 3-minute letting go meditation, after bad news
When the afternoon slump shows up after bad news, this 3-minute letting go session gives you somewhere to put it down.
Press start. This is a quiet space — no music, no ads, just a voice and some room to breathe.
A quiet voice reads the session aloud in your browser — nothing is recorded. You can switch the voice off and follow the text instead.
About this practice
When the afternoon slump shows up after bad news, this 3-minute letting go session gives you somewhere to put it down. A guided session of about 3 minutes, suited to all levels. Nothing is recorded and no account is needed.
What this works on: the afternoon slump
The post-lunch dip is a normal circadian low, not a failure of willpower. Core temperature and alertness both dip in the early afternoon.
It tends to show up as:
- Heavy, foggy middle of the day
- Struggling to stay with anything
- Reaching for sugar or caffeine
The dip is temporary. A short practice gets you through the low without adding stimulants on top of it.
Doing this after bad news
- Do not make any decisions during it
- Let it be simple — you do not need to process anything today
- Tell one person where you are, even briefly
The first hours after bad news are not for planning. Deliberately doing nothing useful is the right move.
How letting go works
Letting go is about loosening grip rather than dropping things. It works on the effort attached to a problem — the holding, rehearsing and bracing — which is separable from the problem itself.
- Pick one thing you are gripping and loosen a single finger
- Release the effort with the exhale, not the issue
- Set down temporarily; you can pick it up again after
What happens, minute by minute
- 0:00If your legs are crossed, uncross them. Small changes count.
- 0:12Nothing here needs to be efficient.
- 0:22We'll start broad and narrow down. Nothing sudden is coming.
- 0:34Let the exhale fall out rather than pushing it.
- 0:45Let your belly rise first, then your chest, then the tops of your lungs.
- 0:59Feel your tongue sitting in the bottom of your mouth.
- 1:11You do not have to like the 3pm dip to breathe through it. Liking was never the requirement.
- 1:27Remind yourself, slowly: I am safe in this moment, even while the post-lunch fog is here. Safety and difficulty can share a room.
- 1:45Feel the air as it passes the back of your throat. It's cooler going in.
- 1:59Notice the space around the heavy middle of the day. It is there, even if it is small. Put your attention in that space.
- 2:18Notice any part of you that wants this to be over.
- 2:30There's no need to try harder than this.
- 2:41Let your breathing be completely ordinary again.
Questions people ask
What does this session help with?
The post-lunch dip is a normal circadian low, not a failure of willpower. Core temperature and alertness both dip in the early afternoon. The dip is temporary. A short practice gets you through the low without adding stimulants on top of it.
Where and when should I do this one?
Do not make any decisions during it. The first hours after bad news are not for planning. Deliberately doing nothing useful is the right move.
What actually happens during the 3 minutes?
Letting go is about loosening grip rather than dropping things. It works on the effort attached to a problem — the holding, rehearsing and bracing — which is separable from the problem itself.
Meditation is a practice, not a treatment. If you are dealing with ongoing distress, please also reach out to a professional.