Energy levels often go up and down through the day. When your body is in balance, you wake refreshed, have consistent energy through the day, and are tired enough at night to fall asleep easily. Unfortunately, this isn’t the norm for most people. We get too little sleep, run on coffee and energy bars, and need to make the most of the second wind we get in the evening. This can make getting a restful sleep difficult!
Common causes of mid-afternoon energy slump:
- Poor quality sleep at night
- It goes without saying that not getting enough zzz would make you more tired as the day goes on. If this is the case, you are likely tired all day and do not get a second-wind.
- Low blood sugar
- If your skip lunch or aren’t getting enough protein and healthy fats in the afternoon, your blood sugar could drop. This leaves you feeling tired and hangry. There is a simple solution for this; vegetables, protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates will keep your blood sugar levels stable until your next meal. Try adding avocado, olive oil, quinoa, or some chicken to your lunches to fuel your afternoon.
- Food sensitivities
- Have you ever noticed that you are particularly tired after eating certain foods? This often means that this food doesn’t agree with you or is not nourishing. For example, if you have a sensitivity to dairy and have cheese with your lunch every day, you may tend to be very tired after lunch. This is because your immune system is overreacting and mounting a response to the cheese….which is exhausting to the body.
- Long-term stress (cortisol imbalance)
- Cortisol is a naturally-occurring hormone made by the adrenal glands. It regulates sleep/wake cycle, blood sugar, and of course stress and fear response. When your body is exposed to stress, it releases cortisol as part of the “fight or flight” reaction. Prolonged periods of stress can lead to adaptation, where your body no longer releases as much cortisol, so you feel tired. If you tend to be very tired in the afternoon and get a second-wind in the evening, your body is sending you a strong signal that it isn’t coping well with long-term stress.
While coffee or sugary snacks are a quick-fix for low energy, they are not sustainable solutions for fatigue.
If you are looking to get your energy back, let’s work together to get you feeling your best!
Our Program the Hormone Code starts January 21st and we want you to join us.
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