Fatigue And Low Energy
Sugar is easily absorbed and digested, so if youre feeling fatigued, it could be due to the amount of sugar youre getting in your diet.
Sugar is a very quick energy source, so regardless of how much you eat, in 30 minutes youre going to be hungry again, low on energy, or looking for energy again, Stoner-Davis says.
Large swings of blood sugar and insulin can also cause energy levels to plummet and affect your overall energy level, Li says.
RELATED: Why Exercise Boosts Mood and Energy
Pair Sugar With Another Type Of Food
If you have consumed sugar, says Clara Lawson, RDN with USAHemp and expert in personalized nutrition and dietary plans, then I would suggest eating a handful of nuts such as almonds, walnuts, pistachios, or cashews. Nuts contain magnesium and zinc that collectively promotes better sleep and prevents sleeplessness.
Lawson also recommends dates as an alternative to artificial sugars.
Negative Effects Of Sugar On The Body
Per Harvard Health Publishing, when we eat sugar, most of it gets broken down and absorbed in the small intestine. Specialized enzymes attack larger molecules and convert them into three simpler sugars: glucose, galactose, and fructose. The liver and muscles store some of the glucose as glycogen, a molecule that can be turned back into glucose when your body needs it.
When glucose enters the bloodstream, however, levels of blood glucose rise. In response, the pancreas secretes insulin to help glucose get where it needs to go in your body. If youre consuming large amounts of added sugar, the cells can become resistant to insulin over time a risk factor for systemic inflammation, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic conditions.
According to a study published in November 2016 in the journal Nutrients, consuming too much added sugar has also been linked to weight gain and obesity, risk factors for heart disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and cancer.
Excessive intakes of added sugars impact our energy, mood, weight, and disease risk, Cording says. Across the board it can impact our physical and mental well-being.
In order for us to function as smoothly and as normally as possible, we need our blood sugar to be operating in the Goldilocks zone of energy, says William W. Li, MD, a physician in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and author of Eat to Beat Disease.
RELATED: 7 Foods With More Sugar Than You Think
Read Also: What Foods Help Lower Sugar
What Happens To All That Sugar
Your body doesnt just flush out excess sugar. Youve got to use it or you wont lose it. We all understand that adding food to our systems without using it for anything will add weight to our bodies, but what is that mechanism exactly? If you can understand that, you can get to the core of weight loss and low energy in your daily life. Demystifying the processes of your body will allow you to make more informed decisions about your health.
Fat cells are more formally known as adipose tissue, and theyre most easily understood as your bodys savings account. We understand the urge to rid your body of it, but you have to admit they have their place, and their function is incredible.
Fat cells keep your body warm, they create crucial hormones, and they keep you dropping dead and crumbling into dust. Youll never truly be rid of your fat cells, and thats a blessing. You need your fat cells for a plethora of functions inside of your body and in a different world, fat cells were how humans carried energy around when they couldnt guarantee a meal from one day to the next.
Fat cells insulate your body just like insulation in your home or your bedsheets. They create a buffer layer between the inside of your body and the cooler air on the outside of it. Your body needs to maintain a regular temperature to keep itself operating properly.
Can Low Blood Sugar Cause Sleep Problems
Low blood sugar, called hypoglycemia, can cause sleep problems. Hypoglycemia can occur in people with or without diabetes. Nocturnal hypoglycemia is a form of hypoglycemia that occurs at night.
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, low blood sugar during sleep can cause the following symptoms:
Don’t Miss: What Can I Use To Replace Brown Sugar
Practice Healthy Sleep Habits
Your daytime drowsiness may be worsened by poor nighttime sleep. Make sure to:
- Sleep in a dark room. Use heavy, lined curtains and block out as much light as possible. Get blackout curtains if not feasible.
- Avoid using electronic devices before bed, even the tiny amount of light from a phone or alarm clock can delay your circadian rhythm ! The best way to make sure this happens is to put your device on airplane mode before bed.
- Limit eating at night. Eating too close to bedtime activates the digestive system, which is likely whats keeping you up later than usual anyway! Avoid eating after 7 PM if possible and be aware of how your body feels after eating late at night.
- Exercise regularly, but not too close to bedtime . Exercise helps burn off sugar throughout the day and is shown to improve sleep quality as well!
- Avoid caffeine after 2 PM if possible, caffeine can last in your system longer than youd think! And being awake when it wears off can induce grogginess.
When Is It Good To See A Healthcare Provider
Its usual to feel exhausted now and again, but if fatigue persists longer than 2 weeks, it can be a good time to visit a healthcare provider. For people who also experience signs of blood glucose spikes like an enhanced thirst, urinating often, nausea, drowsiness, or fatigue could be an indication that they have developed or are at risk of developing diabetes. For people who already are diabetic, regular appointments for regulating their blood glucose and managing their diabetes are very vital since these signs can indicate that their current treatment plan is no longer effective.
Diabetes fatigue management is very important for those with both type 1 and types 2 diabetes. It might be troublesome to manage the condition, particularly at first, but not unfeasible. The best approach to manage signs or complications of the medical condition is to book an appointment with a diabetes specialist as they can aid in tacking fatigue and other signs by including certain lifestyle changes.
Summary
High glucose levels in the blood can have dangerous consequences if left untreated. Diabetics already are aware of the outcomes of high blood sugar all too well, but for those who are unaware, it may be difficult to pin down the risk of developing the condition or illnesses that follow it like fatigue.
Read Also: How Do I Control Blood Sugar
How To Keep Sugar From Ruining Your Sleep
Are some sugars betteror at least less bad than others? Can you pair sugar with another type of food to offset its negative effects on sleep? Are there alternatives to sugar and sugar-sweetened junk foods that will satisfy your sweet tooth without ruining your sleep?
Heres what top nutritionists had to say about mitigating the negative effects of sugar on sleep:
How To Feel Less Tired After Eating
Carbohydrates are an important part of a balanced diet. They are your bodys preferred source of energy, and many foods high in carbohydrates are great sources of important vitamins and minerals.
But as weve seen, not all carbohydrates affect you in the same way. Choosing the right sources of carbohydrate may help you to feel less tired after eating.
If youre looking to avoid drastic blood sugar spikes and crashes, focus on eating high-quality complex carbohydrates.
You May Like: What Level Of Blood Sugar Is Dangerous Low
Sugar Reduces Sleep Quality
There is evidence that consuming more sugar is linked to more restless, disrupted sleep. A 2016 study included healthy volunteers who were placed into one of two groups. One group was fed a controlled diet that limited added sugars and fats, and emphasized fiber. The second group was allowed to eat whatever they wanted, in whatever amounts. Researchers found that the second group consumed significantly more sugar and fatand their diet had an impact on the quality of their nightly rest. The volunteers who consumed diets with more sugar spent less time in deep, slow-wave sleep. This sleep stage is essential for the bodys physical restoration and healing, as well as for maintaining healthy metabolism and immune function. The volunteers who ate more sugar also took longer to fall asleep. And they experienced more restless sleep, with more frequent awakenings throughout the night.
Some sugary treats also contain caffeine, which will undermine your sleep, especially if you consume it in the evenings. Ever snacked on some dark chocolate and had a fitful night of sleep follow? Thats a one-two combination of sugar and caffeine interfering with your rest.
Eating Commercial Baked Goods Is Linked With Depression
Muffins, croissants, pastries, and other commercially prepared baked goods may taste good, but they may also trigger depression. Spanish researchers found that individuals who ate the most baked goods had a 38 percent higher risk of depression than individuals who ate the least number of baked goods. The researchers suggested the intake of trans fats may play a role. This type of unhealthy fat leads to inflammation and increases your risk for cardiovascular disease and heart attack. Its commonly found in commercial baked goods.
Trans fats were banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration . American food manufacturers have until mid-2018 to remove all trans fats from their foods.
You can read food labels to find out if the food youre eating contains trans fats. You can also focus your diet on whole foods that do not contain artificial ingredients like trans fats.
You May Like: How To Get Rid Of Sugar Ants Home Remedy
What Are The Signs & Symptoms Of High Blood Sugar Levels
Signs of high blood sugar levels include:
- Peeing a lot: The kidneys respond by flushing out the extra glucose in urine. People with high blood sugar need to pee more often and in larger amounts.
- Drinking a lot: Someone losing so much fluid from peeing that often can get very thirsty.
- Losing weight even though your appetite has stayed the same: If there isnât enough insulin to help the body use glucose, the body breaks down muscle and stored fat instead in an attempt to provide fuel to hungry cells.
- Feeling tired: Because the body canât use glucose for energy properly, a person may feel unusually tired.
page 2
Dont Miss: Does Smirnoff Have Sugar
Nutritional Therapy To Restore Energy
Begin by eating foods that are low on the glycemicindex.
Avoid flour and bread, which cause blood sugar to peak faster,sugar and all other refined carbohydrates, including alcohol,and caffeine. Reduce dairy foods, fried and fatty foods, fast foods, pastries, preparedmeats, and saturated fats. Eliminate preserved foods and redmeats unless they are range free from your health food store. Keep fruit at a minimum.
Glycemic Index of Common Foods
Include in the diet as much fiber as possible fromfresh vegetables and small amounts of whole grains. Grain consumptionshould be minimal. Small amounts of millet, quinoa, amaranth,or wild rice no bigger than the palm of your hand at mealtimeis adequate. Meals should be small and frequent in order tokeep blood sugar at a normal level. Protein should be includedwith each meal.
Whenever possible buy organically grown produce. Salad and lightly steamed vegetables should be included in atleast two of your meals a day. Eating close to the zone dietwould be a good building diet to get one on track. It is especiallygood for people with blood sugar disorders.
Green superfoods such as spirulina, barley grassjuice, and wheat grass juice are good for between meal snacksas they help to keep the blood sugar level. Superfoods Described Snacks between mealscan include nuts and seeds. Parsley, wheatgrass, carrot and celery juices, along with green vegetables buildthe blood.
Also Check: How To Monitor Blood Sugar
If A Person Is Unconscious
If a person loses consciousness because of severe hypoglycaemia, they need to be put into the recovery position and given an injection of the hormone glucagon . The injection will raise their blood glucose level.
The injection should be carried out by a friend or family member who knows what theyre doing, or by a trained healthcare professional.
You should dial 999 to request an ambulance if:
- a glucagon injection kit isnt available
- theres nobody available whos trained to give the injection
- the injection is ineffective after 10 minutes
Never try to put food or drink into the mouth of someone whos unconscious as they could choke.
If youre able to give a glucagon injection and the person regains consciousness, they should eat some longer-acting carbohydrate food, such as a few biscuits, a cereal bar or a sandwich.
You should continue to monitor the person for signs of recurring symptoms in case they need to be treated again.
Tips For Cutting Back On Added Sugar
If youre used to regularly eating sugary foods like cake, ice cream, sweetened breakfast cereal, candy, and cookies and regularly drink sugar-sweetened beverages, it may take time to reduce your reliance on added sugar.
For some people, cutting all forms of added sugar from their diet is helpful. However, others may find this method too extreme.
Fortunately, even making small changes to your sugar intake can significantly affect your overall health. Follow these helpful tips to slowly reduce your added sugar intake over time.
Summary
The tips above can help you slowly cut back on added sugar and improve the quality of your overall diet.
Here are some tips to help you beat the side effects and avoid or at least limit some of the symptoms related to cutting sugar out of your diet.
Also Check: What Is Lower Sugar Levels
How Does Hyperglycemia Happen
Insulin is a hormone that lets your body use the sugar in your blood, which comes primarily from carbohydrates in the food that you eat. Hyperglycemia happens when your body has too little insulin to use the sugar in your blood.
People with type 1 diabetes can have episodes of hyperglycemia every day. Although this can be frustrating, it rarely creates a medical emergency. Not taking enough insulin can lead to hyperglycemia .
Other things that can cause hyperglycemia include:
- Having trouble seeing or concentrating
- Experiencing stomach pain, nausea, or vomiting
- Having sweet-smelling or fruity breath
- Cuts or sores that do not heal, infections, and unexplained weight loss may also be signs of long-term hyperglycemia.
If you notice any of these symptoms, you should check your blood sugar. If your blood sugar is very high, you should also test for ketones in either your blood or urine.
Dont Miss: What Should You Do If Your Blood Sugar Is High
Can Undiagnosed/uncontrolled Diabetes Cause Fatigue
Undiagnosed and uncontrolled diabetes can cause fatigue. Earlier in this article, reactive hypoglycemia was mentioned, which is when your body tries to make too much insulin to keep up with the sugar intake and causes a sugar crash. There are approximately 7 million people with undiagnosed diabetes in the world. Fatigue is the most common symptom of diabetes and hopefully leads to people seeing their doctors and being diagnosed to get control of their blood sugar.
Uncontrolled diabetes causes fatigue for many reasons that were also mentioned previously in this article. First of all, blood sugars that are either too high or too low do not deliver fuel to the cells for the body to operate. Secondly, complications that are caused by uncontrolled diabetes such as kidney disease and nerve damage also cause fatigue. The most important thing to do is to control blood sugar.
Don’t Miss: What Happens With Low Blood Sugar Levels
Why Do You Get So Tired After Eating Sugar
You are what you eat. Everything from your skin to your blood had to be sourced from your food in one way or another. Youre a meat machine, and you need salt and fat and sugar and a million other things to insulate your nerves and transmit signals and power your cells.
Its a complicated system, and if you shovel trash into your tank, then youll find your energy levels on the floor. Most things are fine and good in moderation, and you can compensate for a touch of sugar here and there with exercise, physical activity, and modulating your diet accordingly.
One weird thing you might have noticed as a sugar fan is a drop in your energy levels. If youve ever felt sluggish after a huge soda, felt a nap coming on after a huge cookie binge, or maybe you feel like your diet is keeping you from being as alert as you have been in the past.
Were going on a deep dive to find the root of this issue. Youll learn how to keep your cravings in check, how to ingest an appropriate amount of sugar, and how to master the mysterious inner workings of your body.
Lets Look At The Ways Sugar Wrongs Us
- suppresses your immune system
- Excess sugar consumption is linked to cancer and tumor growth
- promotes weight gain and obesity
- disrupts the mineral balance
- contributes to depression, anxiety and mood swings
- promotes gut dysbiosis and fungal overgrowth in the gut
- contributes to insulin resistance and diabetes
- can cause hormonal imbalances
- increases risk for Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis
- disrupt the bodys pH balance
- can cause hypoglycemia
- will reduce good HDL cholesterol and increase bad LDL cholesterol
- prohibits weight loss
Some people are more sugar sensitive than others, and part of that depends on your genetics. Regardless, you can bio-hack your diet by manipulating certain macronutrients, like protein and fat, to balance your blood glucose levels and ward off cravings.
Heres an example: Lets say you start your morning with coffee and a pastry. You probably feel pretty good because that sugar is plugging up feel-good receptors in your brain, and maybe you get a little high as your blood glucose levels spike. But a few hours later, you crash when your blood glucose plummets again, and then youre hungry, jittery, anxious, moody, irritable. You eat lunch, probably too much because youre starving and you miscalculated your hunger needs, and then you may feel tired as all your energy is diverted into digestion. You may crave sugar in the afternoon, because your body knows it gives you a quick energy boost. Does that rollercoaster sound familiar?
Don’t Miss: How To Make Blood Sugar Go Down Fast