So, It’s The Afternoon And You Feel Sluggish

At some point in your life, you’ve likely experienced what is commonly referred to as a “mid-afternoon crash”, and you may experience this regularly.

The first thing we’d like to address is that you’re not alone. This is actually a very common occurrence, for a few different reasons.

The first reason is likely the fact that all our bodies follow a circadian rhythm. Your circadian rhythm describes the cycle through which your body naturally feels tired and more alert. You may be familiar with its effects in the evening when you’re getting ready for bed. But your body actually likes to slow down in the afternoon as well - and you guessed it, it’s likely during that time in the afternoon when you feel tired.

You could feel tired for a few other reasons as well though. These reasons can include:

Lack of proper nutrition or carb-heavy meals for breakfast and lunch
Dehydration
Stress
Consistently less sleep than necessary

Lack of Sleep and Stress Makes You More Tired

If you’re not getting enough sleep, your circadian rhythm is likely not in a good place. The amount of sleep an adult needs typically ranges from 7-9 hours a night. And while there may be some outliers to this rule, it's not common. You’ll want to get enough deep and REM sleep during the night to help your body physically reset so you don’t feel the need to sleep during the day.

The same goes for stress. An increase in cortisol levels can lead to a spike in energy exertion, leaving you feeling exhausted. Now, imagine how consistent stress can affect you. It can also be the reason you’re having a hard time sleeping at night, so you’ll definitely want to keep your stress levels in check.

Cortisol, like most hormones, is usually released in a pattern. The pattern for cortisol is supposed to follow a circadian rhythm with a spike in the early morning and then a gradual taper. For those who are chronically stressed or who have circadian dysfunction this is not the case; cortisol is often adversely elevated later in the day. This is obviously a problem.

It’s Important To Eat Well and Hydrate For Your Brain

Dehydration can lead to a lack of blood flow to the brain making it more difficult to concentrate than usual! You’ll want to make sure you’re tracking your water and getting plenty of it throughout the day. Water alone is good, but with electrolytes is better. Some even advocate for a pinch of salt with a glass of water when feeling sluggish. Often, it is a mineral and fluid deficit that the brain does not like, rather than true ‘tiredness’.

If you have a carb-heavy breakfast or lunch it can create an insulin spike that doesn’t last long and can leave you feeling more sluggish than before. Basically, many people feel tired after lunch and wonder why, but they are simply having a sugar crash. Sugar is hidden in most processed foods, particularly in refined and processed carbohydrates. Beware hidden sugar and the following sugar crash. Many advocate for a more ‘keto’ style lunch to reduce the insulin spike associated with our more common American-style meals.

Also, not eating the proper nutrients you need can leave you feeling physically and mentally tired. If you have a hard time getting all these nutrients into your diet, then you may want to supplement to avoid feeling that crash in the afternoon.

Well Theory Supplements For Energy

If you’re looking for an all around energy supplement, you’ll want to try Dr. Warner’s Brain Booster Energy. Not only does this supplement contain ingredients that help you in the moment, but it also has some longer-acting ingredients that work better when built up over time. So each time you take this energizing supplement, you’ll feel the benefits more and more.

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Well Theory’s B-Complex Gummies contain the entirety of the B vitamins for better energy and mitochondrial function. Each B vitamin works in different ways, but you know with them and the added Schisandra Berry, you’re stepping off on the right foot each day. Schisandra is historically known to reduce hunger, and thirst, and to prevent exhaustion.

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Vitamins D3 and C are also important on a daily basis. These vitamins are often a part of multivitamins because they’re so important to your general health, on top of improving your energy. Dr. Warner has a couple different options for you with a combination of both these vitamins. Perhaps the most popular is her Daily Multi with PEA, because it helps you get these essential nutrients while reducing pain with PEA. PEA (palmitoylethanolamide) is a natural painkiller that reduces inflammation about nerves.

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