Feeling the slump mid-afternoon?

If you regularly hit a mid-afternoon wall, the heavy eyes, the brain fog, the cravings, the feeling that you could lie down on the floor, you’re not alone. My danger point for years was always the drive home from work and the service station. Yes! Hello Chocolate! 😮‍💨

Most people assume this is just “normal tiredness”, lack of sleep, or that they need more caffeine.

But very often, that afternoon crash is your body giving you a clue about how it’s regulating energy and blood sugar.

And the good news - it's totally fixable! 🎉

🧡 Why the 3pm crash happens

An energy crash is rarely random.

In many cases, it’s a sign that your body is struggling to regulate blood sugar and energy steadily throughout the day.

When blood sugar rises quickly (often after a carb-heavy breakfast or lunch, eating on the go, or not enough protein), the body responds by releasing insulin to bring it back down.

If blood sugar then drops too far or too fast, the result can feel like; 📉

• Sudden fatigue

• Brain fog

• Shakiness or irritability

• Cravings for sugar or caffeine ☕️

• Feeling “flat” or low mood

• Difficulty concentrating

• Feeling hungry again shortly after eating

• An increase in anxiety

And this is one of the reasons people feel like they are constantly chasing energy.

💛 What many people do next (and why it backfires)

When the crash hits, most people reach for something quick:

• Coffee

• Chocolate

• Biscuits 🍪

• A “healthy snack” that is mostly carbohydrate

• A second lunch

• A sugary drink

And it makes sense as your body is asking for fuel. But the problem is that quick fixes often restart the same cycle, a spike, followed by another dip.

So by the end of the day, you can feel like you’ve been on a rollercoaster… and your appetite, mood, diet, anxiety and motivation go with it. 🎢

💚 The real issue isn’t the crash, it’s what happens before it

This afternoon crash is often the result of what happened earlier in the day, in the hours leading up to the event.

Common causes can include;

1. Skipping breakfast or only eating a light or carb-heavy breakfast

Many breakfasts look healthy, but don’t provide enough protein or fats to keep blood sugar stable. What you eat in the morning typically affects your biochemistry all day, and if you don't eat anything, the dip in blood sugar and the rise in stress hormones can start you off on that cycle of peaks and troughs.

2. Lunch that’s mainly carbohydrate or contains insufficient protein 🥗

A sandwich, wrap, pasta salad, sushi, cereal bar, fruit, can all be digested quickly and lead to a dip in blood sugar in a few hours time.

3. Going too long between meals

Skipping breakfast, working through lunch, or grabbing something later can increase stress in the body, push you into a heightened stress response, and make cravings and symptoms stronger later.

4. Stress and cortisol

Stress doesn’t just affect your mind, it affects how the body handles blood sugar. Even if you’re eating “well”, stress can amplify crashes.

5. Poor sleep 🛌

Poor sleep increases hunger hormones and reduces glucose tolerance. It’s a perfect setup for cravings and fatigue the next day. After a poor night’s sleep, even ‘safe’ foods can spike your blood sugar.

💛 What to do instead (simple changes that actually work)

You certainly don’t need perfection, restriction, or a full diet overhaul straight away.

Think small steps to get big results! ✨

Start with one or two shifts.

1. Add protein to your breakfast

Aim to include a solid protein source early in the day. This helps reduce blood sugar spikes and keeps energy steadier.

Some examples:

• Eggs (any kind) 🍳

• Greek yoghurt, nuts/seeds

• Smoothie with sufficient protein

• Salmon 🍣

• Mackeral

• Leftovers from dinner (yes, really - I never used to be one for this - but it's great!)

2. Build lunch around protein & fibre

A simple rule for lunch - Include Protein, veg, & healthy fats, & carbs as an add-on (not the base). This keeps energy stable.

3. Don’t wait until you’re starving

If you’re regularly going long stretches without eating, you're risking increasing stress in your body and will most likely compensate with cravings and overeating later on!

A mid-afternoon crash can be your body’s way of saying: “Please stop making me run on fumes.”

4. Swap the snack

If you snack mid-afternoon, aim for something that stabilises rather than spikes.

5. Reduce caffeine

If your first coffee is late morning and your second is early afternoon, you may be adding to the stress response without realising, and if you rely on caffeine to function, it’s often a sign your body is underpowered, not lazy.

So! 👇

If you crash mid-afternoon, it doesn’t mean you’re weak, lazy, or lacking discipline.

It often means your body is struggling to regulate energy effectively.

And once you support that foundation, everything else becomes easier, appetite, mood, cravings, habits… even sleep will start to improve.

It can take a couple of weeks for your energy to rebalance, but once it does, you’ll likely notice:

• More stable blood sugar (fewer crashes after meals)

• Better sleep quality and easier mornings

• Improved digestion and less bloating

• Better workout performance and recovery

• Fewer headaches and less brain fog

• More consistent mood and less anxiety

• Reduced inflammation (less puffiness, joint aches)

• Easier fat loss because hunger is more controlled 💫

If this resonates, you may find my free guide helpful 👇 You can download it below.

Why Energy, Appetite & Habits Feel Hard to Manage, designed to help you understand what’s going on in your body and where to focus first.

Download

Here

And of course!

✨ If you need any help, have any questions or feedback, be sure to get in touch below.

I would love to hear from you.😊

    Julie x

Helping you live a healthier, happier life

mBANT, CNHC Nutrition & Lifestyle Coaching Specialising in Metabolic Health, Energy Regulation and Chronic Health Conditions.

https://www.julie-hodgson.com/contact