What Causes Energy Crashes?

One minute you're full of life and ready to run a marathon; the next, you feel ready for the world's longest nap. It's called an energy crash. 

Although they happen to all of us, some people experience energy crashes much more frequently than others, and there are various reasons why this might be the case.

Keep reading to learn what exactly energy crashes are, what causes them, and how to avoid them.  

Key Takeaways

• Energy crashes are characterized by a sudden drop in energy levels.
• There are many causes to energy crashes, including a bad diet, dehydration, mental fatigue, and many more.
• Eating a better diet, getting more sleep, and exercising are great ways to prevent energy crashes from occurring.
• Supplements like our TUNE IN powdered drink can help prevent energy crashes.

What are Energy Crashes?

An energy crash is when you feel a sudden drop in your energy levels.

One minute you feel bright and awake like you got the best night’s sleep, and the next you feel mentally and physically tired, like you spent all day studying for a calculus exam while competing in a triathlon.

You might feel a complete lack of motivation, fatigue, and general physical and mental tiredness.

This isn't just the same kind of tiredness that you might feel at the end of a long day; rather, it happens acutely and may significantly impact your ability to perform your daily tasks.

However, these sudden crashes or drops in energy levels don't just come out of nowhere; rather, they have barely specific causes.

What Causes Energy Crashes?

As we said above, energy crashes don't just happen; they are generally caused by a variety of issues, so let's take a closer look at what these might be.

A Bad Diet

One of the biggest causes of energy crashes is a bad diet. This is especially the case if you eat too many simple carbohydrates and sugars.

These could come in the form of sugary drinks, baked goods, white breads, white pasta, or anything else with high sugar levels.

At first, these foods cause a sudden spike in blood sugar levels, but these spikes are then quickly followed by extreme declines in blood sugar levels, which coincide with energy crashes.

Foods that have a high glycemic index release their sugars far too quickly into your bloodstream, which causes this effect.

Poor Hydration

Both metabolism and energy production, in part, rely on water. If you're dehydrated, your energy levels, cognitive function, and physical performance may all suffer. 

Without proper amounts of water, your body can't adequately process nutrients and calories, and those calories act as your body's fuel.

A Lack of Sleep

Poor sleep or low-quality sleep can quickly lead to energy crashes during the day. Although a lack of sleep may not exactly result in sudden energy crashes, if you're constantly not sleeping enough, you'll certainly feel fatigued persistently and will likely suffer from reduced cognitive and physical function.

Stress and Anxiety

As far as energy crashes are concerned, anxiety, stress, and related issues can also contribute. For instance, if you feel a sudden bout of stress, it may cause your body to release increased amounts of cortisol, a stress hormone.

Cortisol can, in turn, affect metabolism, sleep, which can cause fatigue. 

In fact, it's shown that high cortisol levels can cause tiredness and fatigue. Anxiety, depression, stress, and other such mental issues can also lower your energy levels, as they consume great amounts of energy.

Alcohol and Caffeine

We then have alcohol and caffeine, both of which can cause energy crashes in their own way.

Caffeine boosts adrenaline and blocks sleep-inducing chemicals in your brain, but as the caffeine wears off, it has the opposite effect, making you feel tired. 

Alcohol itself is also a depressant and will make you feel fatigued as well.

Nutrient Deficiencies

We already mentioned the well-balanced diet, but we were referencing sugar specifically, whereas here we are speaking on a broader basis. One of the most important vitamins associated with energy regulation and metabolism is vitamin B.

All of the B vitamins play an important role here. If you don't get enough B vitamins, your body can't convert dietary energy into the fuel it needs to perform properly, both physically and mentally.

A Lack of Exercise

It sounds funny to say that a lack of exercise can lead to decreased energy levels, but this is exactly the case.

In general, exercise is beneficial because it can help improve the health of your respiratory and cardiovascular systems, physical strength, and endurance, and can also consistently improve your energy levels.

Cognitive Fatigue

If you feel an energy crash, you might be suffering from mental fatigue, otherwise known as cognitive fatigue. Maybe you spend countless hours solving some kind of problem or concentrating on a specific thing that requires all of your attention.

You might not feel tired or sleepy while in the middle of it, but as soon as you're done concentrating, you realize just how tired you are, which is when the energy crash comes into play. 

Simply put, you used up all of your brain power, and now you feel tired.

How to Prevent Energy Crashes

Now that you know what causes energy crashes, you can take the appropriate steps to prevent them from occurring.

Balance Your Diet

Seeing as one of the main causes of energy crashes is a bad diet and blood sugar spikes, particularly due to a diet high in simple sugars and carbs, the solution is to eat a more balanced diet.

First, this means cutting out foods that are high on the glycemic index, which means cutting out white sugar and white flour.

Eating foods that are lower on the glycemic index, as well as low in fat, should help prevent these energy crashes from occurring. Supplements like lion’s mane mushrooms also have the ability to help control blood sugar levels. 

Lion’s mane and other mushrooms can also help increase energy and focus in other ways.

Stay Hydrated

If a lack of hydration is your problem, then drinking more water is the obvious solution. The general recommendation is to drink between 8 and 10 cups of water per day, which in most cases equals between 2 and 3 liters.  

If you don't like drinking plain water, there are plenty of low-sugar additions that you can mix with your water to make it taste a little better. These additions also have plenty of other beneficial ingredients.

Get Adequate Sleep

If your issue is as simple as a lack of sleep, then getting more of it is the answer. The official recommendation is to get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep every night. 

Sometimes, getting enough sleep can be a problem, as some suffer from insomnia and other such issues.

However, some techniques can help you fall asleep easier and stay asleep longer, as well as supplements that help promote and induce good sleep and rest. For instance, cordyceps mushrooms can help promote good sleep.

Manage Stress and Anxiety

Seeing as stress and anxiety can cause energy crashes, managing those symptoms is therefore essential. 

There are many great ways to manage stress and anxiety, including physical exercise, eating a well-balanced diet, therapy, medications, yoga and meditation, and much more.

However, there may also be various supplements that can help manage symptoms associated with stress and anxiety. 

Cut Out the Substances

If alcohol and caffeine are to blame for your energy crashes and fatigue, then the solution is obvious. Cut out the substances, whether we're talking about coffee, caffeine-filled sodas, and alcohol.

Instead, try drinking some regular water or other sources of natural hydration.

Consume More Nutrients

If a lack of nutrients is causing your energy crashes, then consuming a better-balanced diet, particularly with more minerals and vitamins, is essential.

As mentioned above, B vitamins are crucial for energy metabolism and preventing energy crashes. Therefore, it is vital to get more B vitamins in your system. 

Get Some Exercise

Another main cause of energy crashes and general fatigue is a lack of exercise. Therefore, getting more exercise would be an obvious solution. 

Studies indicate that there is a link between increased physical activity and reduced instances of fatigue and feelings of low energy.

Take a Break

If you feel drained because you spent all day concentrating and problem-solving, the most important thing you can do is get some rest.

Take a break, read a book, watch some TV, or just get some sleep.

Preventing Energy Crashes Using Supplements

If nothing else seems to help prevent energy crashes and you always feel fatigued, then using a variety of supplements could be beneficial. One of the best supplements on this front is TUNE IN.

This powdered drink is so beneficial in terms of preventing energy crashes because it contains many of the same ingredients we've discussed above.

Alpha GPC, lion’s mane, cordyceps, B vitamins, and ashwagandha have the potential to improve your energy levels and to prevent energy crashes from occurring in one way or another.

What's also beneficial about TUNE IN is that it doesn't contain any real sugars, so it won't cause blood sugar spikes, and it doesn't contain caffeine either, therefore preventing caffeine crashes from occurring. 

Final Thoughts

Feeling like you're about to crash at any given time is no way to live your life, but now that you know the main causes and solutions, you can work towards living a more comfortable and energetic life.

Getting some sleep, eating a well-balanced diet, and taking some supplements can really help as well.

FAQs

What Makes Your Energy Crash?

There are many causes of energy crashes, including dehydration, poor diet, mental fatigue, lack of exercise, and more.

What Causes a Sudden Energy Crash?

An extremely sudden or acute energy crash may be caused by issues with blood sugar, caffeine, substances, or medications.