Morning!
Here’s a familiar scene: you start your day feeling sharp, coffee’s (or tea’s) doing its thing, your brain is firing on all cylinders, and then, suddenly, it all tanks. Your eyes glaze over, your motivation vanishes, and even a simple task feels monumental. It’s not laziness, and it’s not burnout.
It’s an energy crash. And today, we’re going to break down what’s really happening when this happens and what you can actually do about it, no 14-step morning routine required.
CORE
So, What Exactly Is an Energy Crash?
An energy crash is a sudden, steep drop in physical and mental energy, a biological slowdown that tends to hit out of nowhere, usually in the late morning or mid-afternoon. Unlike chronic fatigue or hormonal issues, which feel like a dimmer switch on your whole day, this is more like your brain pulling the emergency brake without warning.
You might feel groggy, irritable, unfocused, and heavy, mentally and physically. Some describe it like hitting a wall. Others just say: “I need a nap or I’ll cry.” Both are valid.
And despite the dramatic nature of energy crashes, they’re rarely caused by something serious. Most of the time, they come down to timing, nutrients, hydration, and blood sugar balance. Let’s break it down.
The Common Culprit: Meal Timing
Your body likes routine, especially when it comes to food. If you skip meals, delay them, or go too long without a proper snack, your blood sugar dips and your brain starts rationing energy.
You might think, “But I ate breakfast.” Sure. But if that was at 7 a.m. and now it’s past noon, your internal power grid is running on fumes. Unless you’re an experienced intermittent faster (and doing it on purpose), skipping fuel signals the body to slow everything down.
And that slowdown? That’s your crash.
Be sure to check out our Intermittent Fasting Guide to safety endure fasting if you’re looking to start one!
No Magnesium, No Energy
Now let’s say you’re eating regularly, but still crashing. That’s where your minerals come in.
Take magnesium. Most people know it helps with sleep or stress, but what they don’t know is that magnesium is essential for turning food into usable energy. It’s a cofactor in over 300 biochemical reactions, including the Krebs cycle, your body’s energy factory.
Without enough magnesium, your mitochondria (the tiny engines inside your cells) can’t do their job efficiently. You eat food, your body tries to convert it into ATP, and instead of high-octane fuel, you get a sluggish trickle. Result? You’re wiped out by 2 p.m. and wondering what you did wrong.
Spoiler: probably nothing. But you may be low on the minerals that keep your energy systems running.
That’s why we highly recommend high absorption sources like OmniBlue Original, a complete, ocean-sourced mineral formula designed to refill your body’s mineral reserves and help you actually use the food you eat to power your day. One serving fulfills your day’s worth of magnesium, in a natural, pure way.
Try it today, or restock using Sub & Save for 10% off!
Caffeine Is Helpful Until It’s Not
Nearly 75% of Americans drink coffee, and over half drink tea (with the majority drinking black tea). So, while your morning cup of joy might be sacred (trust us, we’re not trying to take it away), it’s important to know what it’s doing.
Caffeine works by blocking adenosine, the chemical that makes you feel tired. But the adenosine doesn’t go away. It builds up in the background, and when the caffeine wears off, it hits all at once. That’s why you can feel great in the morning and completely tank by late afternoon, especially if you didn’t sleep well, eat enough, or over-relied on that second or third cup.
The other way that caffeine can alter our energy levels throughout the day is by creating a dependency, so you only feel energized when you have your dose of coffee or tea, when the effect wears off about 8 hours after the first cup you will go back to feeling lethargic until you re-up again.
Read our Caffeine edition to find out more!
The Sugar Spike-Crash Cycle
As the ol’ Wall Street phrase goes, “The higher they fly the harder they fall”. This is especially true when it comes to blood sugar levels.
Your blood sugar levels are largely shaped by the kinds of carbs you eat, and more specifically, their glycemic index, which tells us how quickly they’re absorbed.
Low-glycemic carbs, like whole grains, legumes, or anything with fiber, break down slowly. That means a gentler rise in blood sugar and steadier energy. Refined carbs, on the other hand, white bread, pasta, pastries, sugary snacks, absorb quickly, spiking blood sugar fast.
Here’s how that plays out in real life:
You eat a donut. Within 15–30 minutes, your blood sugar surges. Your pancreas jumps in, releases insulin to move that sugar into your cells, but often it overshoots. Now your blood sugar dips too low. Suddenly, you're foggy, tired, maybe even a little cranky. Your brain doesn’t like this drop, so it tells you to fix it, usually by craving more sugar.
This spike-crash-repeat cycle is exhausting. And it’s why meals with protein, fat, and fiber are so important, they help keep your energy even, your cravings quiet, and your body out of survival mode.
ENDNOTE
Final Thoughts
Energy crashes usually have a clear cause, and once you know what to look for, they’re much easier to manage. Small changes, like eating more consistently, staying hydrated, and keeping caffeine and sugar in check, can go a long way in keeping your energy stable throughout the day.
Until next week!
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