The Blood Sugar Rollercoaster: Why You Feel Energetic One Moment and Exhausted the Next
True story: I used to go from feeling energized to completely crashing within 30 minutes–usually after lunch, but not always. I felt like I needed a pick-me-up, whether it was a cup of coffee or a sugar hit, just to make it through the afternoon.
That’s the blood sugar rollercoaster at work, and it’s extremely common. So common that I’d bet you experience it at least a few times a week. These blood sugar swings can lead to brain fog, energy crashes, intense cravings and constant hunger. Not to mention, they also accelerate hormonal imbalances, worsening symptoms of perimenopause and menopause.
Today I’m taking you back to the basics–breaking down the most essential things to know about the blood sugar rollercoaster and summarizing the most effective solutions that I’ve discovered after working with tens of thousands of clients, for stabilizing your energy levels all day long.
Blood Sugar 101: Why It Matters for Everything
Blood sugar, or glucose, is the body’s primary source of energy. Every cell in the body is designed to produce energy from glucose, but how efficiently this happens depends on metabolic health and insulin sensitivity. Every time you eat, your blood sugar rises, triggering the release of insulin to help your cells absorb and use that energy. Normally, insulin–a hormone produced by the pancreas–efficiently moves glucose into your muscles for energy. However, If you flood your body with meals or snacks that are imbalanced (meaning they have more starches or added sugar without enough protein, healthy fats and fiber), you’ll experience a blood sugar spike, followed by a crash within 1-2 hours later that causes energy to plummet.
Think of insulin as a school bus driver, and glucose as the students. After a meal, the bus picks up students (glucose) and delivers them to school (your cells) where they can be used for learning (energy). But if you have an influx of too many students needing a ride all at once–like a blood sugar spike from processed carbs, added sugar or imbalanced meals–the bus gets overwhelmed and your body then produces more insulin (calling for extra buses).
After years of eating these imbalanced meals, coupled with high stress, and physical inactivity, your cells become resistant to insulin’s signal–as insulin resistance builds–like a school security guard, your insulin receptors and GLUT-4 transporters, stop recognizing the students and refuse to let them in. Insulin resistance is typically accelerated with age and during perimenopause and menopause unless you make targeted nutrition and lifestyle changes.
As a result, glucose has to be rerouted elsewhere—to fat cells or the liver. When it’s sent to the liver, some of it is stored as glycogen, but excess glucose is converted into free fatty acids and repackaged as triglycerides, which increases triglyceride levels and risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
When you are on this blood sugar rollercoaster for years, health problems popup–increasing risk of insulin resistance, chronically high blood sugar, pre-diabetes and metabolic dysfunction.
This cycle leads to:
- Fatigue
- Brain fog
- Cravings
- Hunger shortly after eating
- Mood swings
- Hormonal Imbalances
- Increased inflammation
Insulin resistance and chronically high glucose is at the root of almost every disease from heart disease to pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes, cancer, autoimmune disease, and even Alzheimer’s disease.
Struggling with your weight? There’s a good chance insulin resistance could be a contributor. When your mitochondria detect high insulin levels, they shut off fatty acid oxidation, and because insulin stimulates fat storage, it leads to weight gain—especially around the abdominal area, where visceral fat accumulates.
Blood Sugar and Sleep: The Missing Link
On a deeper level, imbalanced blood sugar also decreases quality of sleep which further perpetuates problems with fatigue. Blood sugar fluctuations, especially large spikes and crashes, can lead to disrupted sleep by triggering nighttime wake-ups, restless sleep, and difficulty falling asleep.
In a 2020 report from the National Sleep Foundation, 72% of people reported feeling sleepy 2-7 days per week with impacts on mood, mental acuity and daily activities. Only 16% reported they don’t feel sleepy at all. The blood sugar rollercoaster is absolutely at play here.
A large epidemiological study found that eating ultra-processed foods that spike blood sugar was significantly associated with chronic insomnia. This is also supported by my clients sleep data–eating high glycemic meals throughout the day leads to worse sleep scores.
The opposite is also true–a diet that supports blood sugar balance is associated with improved sleep outcomes. A systematic review showed that greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with adequate sleep duration and several indicators of better sleep quality. This is also why people report significant improvements in sleep quality and duration within just one week of following my nutrition plans. By stabilizing blood sugar levels with whole foods, balanced meals, and mindful eating, you can improve your daytime energy and maximize your nighttime recovery.
Real-Life Scenarios: Are You on the Blood Sugar Rollercoaster?
Let’s walk through a few real-life scenarios that I hear about regularly from both clients and friends.
1. The Breakroom Temptation
You walk into the office breakroom and see a box of warm donuts calling your name. You grab one–and then maybe another, and within minutes, you feel an incredible rush of energy. But by mid-morning, you’re sluggish, your concentration is shot, and you’re reaching for another snack to keep going. That initial sugar spike caused a surge in insulin, leading to a rapid drop in blood sugar—cue the crash and cravings.
2. The Stay-at-Home Parent’s Snack Trap
Between taking care of your kids, getting them fed, doing laundry and getting the house organized, you may not make time for a real meal. Instead, this means grazing on your kid’s leftovers—some crackers here, a few bites of a granola bar there—without ever sitting down for a balanced meal. This leads to blood sugar increases followed by crashes and a higher chance of reaching for coffee or sugar midafternoon to make it through the day.
3. The Rushed Morning Routine
You grab a coffee and a protein bar (often with too much sugar) as you rush out the door. Between meetings, errands, or school drop-offs, breakfast is an afterthought. By mid-morning, you’re starving, jittery, and dreaming of a carb-heavy lunch. This is when willpower is thrown out the window because you’re physiologically set up for less optimal decision making. That skipped meal sent your blood sugar on a wild ride, leading to an energy crash and cravings.
The Path to Balanced Blood Sugar
Learning to eat whole, real foods and balance my blood sugar completely changed my life. It was the first time that I truly felt healthy, energized and alive. Breaking free from the blood sugar rollercoaster doesn’t mean eliminating all carbs, giving up your favorite foods or obsessively restricting. It’s about strategically building your plate, making swaps that support your health and restoring the body’s natural ability to use glucose efficiently.
After helping people improve their blood sugar levels using nutrition and lifestyle interventions for the last 10 years, here’s the most significant ways to stabilize your energy and avoid crashes:
- Eat Whole, Real Foods: Foods in whole food form as the foundation–ex: almonds versus processed forms–ex: almond flour crackers as much as possible.
- Prioritize Protein: Aim for at least 30g of protein per meal to keep blood sugar steady and to fuel your muscles which soak up glucose from your bloodstream.
- Eat Fiber-Rich Foods: Fiber is king! Fiber slows glucose absorption, keeps you full longer and helps balance your hormones.
- Eat Three Balanced Meals & Avoid Grazing: Consistency is key—skipping meals or eating imbalanced meals is the fastest ticket to less steady blood sugar, a higher likelihood of grazing and overeating.
- Move After Meals: Moving your body is critical. A short walk after eating can help your body use glucose efficiently.
Take Control of Your Blood Sugar
If you’re tired of energy crashes and constant cravings, let me help you get off the rollercoaster! Join me for the Spring 2025 Blood Sugar Reset to learn how to fuel your body in a way that promotes stable energy, better focus, fewer cravings and long-term metabolic health.
What’s Included:
- A 10 day blood sugar balancing meal plan
- Detailed shopping list & meal prep instructions
- Live daily coaching
- Support from my team of Registered Dietitians
- Private group support
- Science-backed strategies to help you build habits
Wins from My November 2024 Blood Sugar Reset
- Janel: I used to have afternoon crashes every word day before BSR, now I have solid sustained energy all day (unless of course I eat less optimal food or go too long without eating) so I really notice the difference! I spent years trying to balance hormones without having this baseline knowledge of blood sugar.
- Heather: I am feeling very refreshed. I have more energy than I have had in a very long time.
- Kristin: I went from needing an afternoon nap every day to now being able to be awake from 5am until 9pm without naps! Life changing!