How Sugar Can Make Some People Sleepy

It’s no secret there are several consequences of consuming too much sugar. Though it’s hard for us to resist, our sweet tooth can have a long-lasting effect on our health and can even impact sleep. And it even turns out sugar could be the reason you’re feeling fatigued throughout the day. Not to mention, it could hurt the quality of your sleep and mess up your sleep schedule.

In this article, we’ll take a look at why sugar may be making you feel fatigued. We’ll also suggest a couple of ways you can avoid sugary snacks and make healthier decisions before bed.

Sugar and Its Effect on Sleep

Many people believe sugar gives you an extra burst of energy, however, the sedative effects of sugar are more powerful than the initial boost of energy you feel. High sugar intake stops the production of orexin, a neurotransmitter responsible for stimulating wakefulness. So, the more sugar you eat or drink, the more exhausted you feel.

Along with causing you to feel fatigued, consuming sugar has also been linked to restlessness and interrupted sleep. When you fall asleep, your body goes through three stages, and the most restorative stage is called REM sleep or deep sleep. Eating sugar, especially before bedtime, can cause you to spend less time in deep sleep and result in frequent wake-ups throughout the night.

Additionally, diets high in sugar can stimulate your appetite, causing you to crave those midnight snacks. Eating sugar activates your body’s reward system, causing the brain to release the hormone dopamine. Dopamine delivers powerful feelings of pleasure, and the more sugar you eat, the less sensitive your brain becomes to this sugar rush. This causes your body to crave more sugar, and you may feel hungrier than usual. These sugar cravings can lead to sleeping interruptions, such as insomnia and snoring.

Glucose Sensitivity and Fatigue

Many individuals with diabetes or glucose sensitivities may also feel a bit fatigued after eating sugar. Typically, those who suffer from these issues have low amounts of beta-endorphins and serotonin—two chemicals essential to the regulation of sleep and wakefulness—causing them to feel lethargic. Some symptoms of diabetes include headaches, hunger pangs, increased thirst, and tiredness.

Insulin Resistance

For most individuals, it’s quite common to feel sleepy after eating sugary foods or even a big lunch. However, you may be experiencing a symptom of insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is a condition where cells fail to respond normally to the fat-storing hormone insulin. To make up for this, your pancreas makes more insulin and causes your blood sugar to increase over time.

Insulin resistance typically does not present symptoms until diabetes develops, so most individuals do not know they are suffering from the condition. As a result, insulin resistance can cause the formation of dark patches on the neck and armpits or other health issues such as heart disease. Fortunately, taking small steps, such as eating a balanced diet and exercising consistently, may help reverse insulin resistance.

Blood Sugar Crash

Indulging in a sweet treat or even drinking a soda may cause your glucose levels to spike. Though our bodies need sugar, we need to consume it moderately to prevent serious health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, and kidney disease. When we eat or drink excessive amounts of sugar, our bodies release more insulin to regulate your rising blood sugar. As a result of the extra insulin in the body, your blood sugar drops, and you begin to feel tired—this is known as hypoglycemia or a sugar crash.

In addition to low energy, blood sugar crashes can cause uncomfortable side effects such as hunger, anxiety, headaches, and difficulty concentrating. Common symptoms of blood sugar crash also include, frequent wakes-ups, irritability, or discomfort at bedtime.

How To Avoid Consuming Sugar

Cutting back on your sugar intake is the easiest way to keep your body energized and prevent blood sugar spikes. However, it can be difficult for individuals to find healthy alternatives to junk foods and drinks loaded with sugar. Luckily, in our next section, we provide some options you can look to so you won’t be tempted to reach for those sugary snacks.

Add Protein to Meals

Eating high protein foods can help your body produce more orexin to keep you awake. Protein-based food like eggs, tofu, and lean white meats slowly release energy and recharge your body. Some lean meats like turkey and chicken have a reputation for making you feel sleepy because they contain the sleep protein tryptophan. However, small amounts of lean white meats can still give your body the extra boost to get through the day.

Diets high in protein also help stabilize your glucose levels. Research suggests eating protein lowers the amount of neuropeptide Y, a hormone known to stimulate your appetite for sugar. Additionally, protein consumption has minimal effects on blood glucose levels and slows down the digestion process, preventing post-meal blood sugar spikes.

Eat Healthy Fats

It may come as a surprise, but eating food with high amounts of ‘healthy’ fat may help lower your sugar intake. Many individuals are tempted to reach for low-fat salad dressing or yogurts in an attempt to lose weight. However, more often than not, low-fat alternatives contain more sugar and calories than full-fat food items.

Foods with healthy or unsaturated fats contain omega-3 acids and play an important role in helping you fight off fatigue. They also work to help your body slow down the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream. Some foods containing healthy fats you can add to your diet include:

• Avocados
• Chia seeds
• Flaxseeds
• Yogurt
• Soybeans
• Pumpkin seeds
• Fatty fish
• Olive oil
• Black beans

Drink More Water

Increasing your water intake is one way you can help your body flush out excess glucose. Drinking water not only helps keep your glucose levels stable but also reduces hunger. Additionally, dehydration can cause your blood pressure levels to rise.

When you’re dehydrated, the amount of blood circulating in your body decreases, but your blood glucose remains the same. This means more of your blood consists of sugar, making your glucose levels higher than normal. To keep your body hydrated properly, increase circulation, and stabilize your blood sugar, we suggest drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day.

Swap Out Junk Food and Sugary Drinks

Junk foods like chocolates, chips, or sugary drinks are highly processed and low in nutrients. Though these foods can be enjoyable to eat, they do not add much value to our bodies and deplete our energy. Not to mention the more you eat these foods, the more you begin to crave them. Luckily, simple ways you can swap out your favorite treats to reduce your sugar intake and keep you feeling energized.

• Use natural flavoring. Cutting back on sweeteners (including flavored syrups) is a great way to minimize sugar consumption when you’re drinking tea or coffee. Gradually eliminating refined sugars will help your taste buds get used to less sweetness. You can also try using herbs like cinnamon, citrus, mint, or nutmeg to add some flavor to your beverages.
• Skip the condiments. Condiments like salad dressings, ketchup, tomato sauce, and barbecue sauce are highly processed and can have high amounts of added sugars. So, if you want to lower your sugar intake, it is a great idea to leave them off your plate now and again.
• Skip dessert and eat fruit. When you’re craving something sweet, instead of reaching for a cookie or brownie, try munching on some fruit. Fruits like bananas have a natural sweetness and are a healthy alternative to feed your sweet tooth. Keep in mind, some fruits like mangos and pineapples can have high amounts of natural sugars. Eating these fruits or drinking their juices excessively can also contribute to increased glucose levels. It’s best to consume fruits in moderation, limiting yourself to 1 to 2 servings a day.
• Bake with sugar alternatives. Cutting out desserts completely can be unrealistic for some individuals. So we recommend baking your desserts from scratch and using alternative sweeteners like stevia or monk fruit. You can also try unsweetened applesauce as a replacement to lower the amount of sugar in your favorite recipes.

FAQs

Does low blood sugar cause fatigue?

Low blood sugar can also cause fatigue because your body is working harder to stabilize your glucose levels. Fatigue caused by low blood sugar is commonly experienced by those diagnosed with diabetes. Along with fatigue, individuals with diabetes may also suffer additional symptoms including; frequent urination, excessive thirst, extreme hunger, unexplained weight loss, and blurred vision. Though all of these symptoms account for fatigue directly, many of them may contribute to an overall feeling of sleepiness.

How do you know if your blood sugar is too high?

More often than not, most individuals do not even know they have high blood sugar. This is because high blood sugar usually doesn’t have any symptoms unless it is severe. In serious cases, you may experience nausea, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, and dizziness. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s best to contact your doctor for further recommendations. Other ways you can keep an eye on your blood sugar include using a blood sugar monitor at home or getting check-ups regularly with a physician.

Does consuming sugar cause you to snore?

Eating sugar can increase the natural production of phlegm and restricts your passages, causing you to snore. Furthermore, sugar increases the production of cytokines, a cell protein known to restrict airflow in your nasal passages. It’s best to avoid food with high amounts of sugar and try eating healthy dishes before bedtime to prevent snoring.

Will sugar keep me awake at night?

Eating too much sugar throughout the day can often lead to less restorative rest come nighttime. This is because sugar stimulates parts of your brain related to metabolism and appetite. Experiencing cravings at bedtime may cause late-night eating to disrupt your sleep. Additionally, research suggests individuals who consume large amounts of sugar often experience pain or stiffness caused by inflammation, making it harder to fall asleep.

How do I prevent my blood sugar from getting too high?

One of the best ways to keep your sugar at a healthy level is to eat balanced meals. Eating meals with high amounts of fiber helps slow down carb digestion and sugar absorption. This allows your body’s glucose to rise gradually rather than spiking to dangerous levels. It’s also best to drink plenty of water to prevent your body from becoming dehydrated. Drinking at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water has been proven to help your kidneys flush out the sugar in the body.

Can eating sugar before bed cause anxiety?

Consuming high amounts of added sugar can contribute to overall anxiety. When you eat sugary snacks in excess, your body’s blood sugar may rise and drop suddenly. These inconsistent glucose levels make it difficult for your body’s blood sugar to stabilize. As your body works to get your blood sugar back to normal, you may experience extreme fatigue or have feelings of worry, irritability, and general sadness.

Conclusion

Consuming sugar throughout the day can make you feel sluggish, and it may become hard for you to focus or stay on task. Though you may feel an initial boost from a sugary drink, it actually causes you to feel fatigued shortly after. It’s best to look to fruits and veggies as an alternative to processed foods because their sugars are naturally occurring and keep your energy levels high without causing a crash. You can also try cutting back on using sugar with your tea or coffee and incorporate natural alternatives to add flavor. This way, you won’t have to sacrifice taste or worry about your blood sugar increasing.