Disclaimer: this article is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as a substitute for medical advice. Consult with your doctor before making any changes to your diet, lifestyle, or health regimen.
We’ve probably all been there — struggling to get out of bed, slugging through the day, yearning for a nap in the afternoon, then when it finally comes time to go to sleep at night…
You’re wide awake.
This frustrating pattern isn’t just annoying, it’s your body trying to tell you something’s off. With some understanding and a few adjustments, you can start feeling like yourself again.
What’s Supposed to Happen with Your Energy?
Let’s start with the basics. Your body has an internal clock called the circadian rhythm. It runs on a 24-hour cycle and helps regulate your energy, hormones, and sleep/wake patterns.
One of the key players in this rhythm is a hormone called cortisol. You may have heard of cortisol as the “stress hormone,” but it actually has an important job: waking you up in the morning and helping you feel alert and focused throughout the day.
Here’s what a healthy cortisol rhythm looks like:
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High in the morning: Cortisol spikes within 30–60 minutes of waking up. This is called the cortisol awakening response. It helps you feel awake and ready to go.
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Drops throughout the day: Cortisol gradually lowers over the afternoon and evening.
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Low at night: Cortisol should be at its lowest around bedtime so you can wind down and fall asleep easily.
But sometimes this curve gets flipped. Instead of rising in the morning and falling by night, cortisol may start too low and stay too high, leaving you dragging in the morning and buzzing at bedtime.
What Throws Off Your Cortisol Curve?
A lot of things. And most of them are part of modern life. Here are a few things and what you can do to help them:
1. Irregular Sleep Patterns
Going to bed and waking up at different times every day confuses your internal clock. If you stay up too late, sleep in on weekends, or stare at your phone in bed, your body loses its rhythm. Over time, your cortisol production can get off track.
You probably already know the solution to this one, but a helpful practice is to leave your phone out of arm’s reach when you go to bed, and try to get to sleep and wake up at the same time every day — even on weekends. A consistent routine can help reset your natural energy rhythm.
2. Caffeine Timing
That extra cup of coffee in the afternoon might feel like a lifesaver…but it’s often a sleep-stealer. Caffeine can stay in your system for up to 10 hours, depending on how fast you metabolize it.
Plus, if your cortisol is already off, your body may rely even more on caffeine to get through the day, making the crash even harder later.
Stick to caffeine in the morning only, ideally before noon. If you need an afternoon pick-me-up, try light exercise such as a walk outside or stretching.
3. Blood Sugar Ups and Downs
When you eat a high-carb or high-sugar meal (especially without enough protein or fat), your blood sugar spikes…and then crashes. That crash signals the body to release more cortisol to get energy back up. If this happens multiple times a day, it puts extra stress on your system.
Over time, these swings can mess with your energy, your sleep, and your cravings. To help resolve this, balance your meals with protein, healthy fats, and fiber. Try not to go too long without eating, and avoid sugary snacks, especially late at night.
4. Stress and Stress-Eating
Chronic stress is one of the biggest causes of cortisol imbalance. And guess what a lot of us do when we’re stressed? We eat — especially high-carb, high-sugar comfort foods. This combo results in both emotional stress and blood sugar swings, which keeps your cortisol elevated longer than it should be.
Instead of reaching for food when you’re anxious, try finding stress-relieving activities to fill the time. Studies show that even deep breathing can lower cortisol levels (1).
5. Your Cortisol Rhythm Is Out of Sync
Sometimes, even if you’re doing your best, your cortisol is just...off. Maybe from months (or years) of stress, burnout, overtraining, or poor sleep habits.
Supporting your adrenals (the glands that make cortisol) with rest, balanced meals, gentle movement, and good sleep hygiene can help reset your rhythm.†
While lifestyle is absolutely key, in some cases, adaptogens and/or professional medical support may help.
For example, holistic healthcare professionals will often advise patients dealing with high cortisol to take an adaptogen called ashwagandha, as it is an ingredient that helps regulate stress naturally (read our deep dive into this superfood here). Multiple studies have proven that green tea has a similar effect (2). That’s one reason why our Ignite contains both of these ingredients.
When Do You Start Feeling Better?
Here’s the good news: you don’t have to wait to lose weight, tone up, or get in peak shape to feel better. Many people report feeling more clear-headed, calm, and emotionally steady just a few days or weeks after getting their cortisol, sleep, and blood sugar under control.
That means the brain benefits can come before the physical ones. You might sleep better, feel less anxious, or stop crashing in the afternoon — even if your body hasn't changed yet.
To recap, here’s what you can do every day to achieve a more regular sleeping schedule:
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Go to bed at the same time every night.
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Have a protein-rich breakfast to support morning cortisol.
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Avoid caffeine after 12pm.
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Balance your meals to avoid blood sugar crashes.
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If needed, implement natural cortisol-balancers like ashwagandha and green tea into your routine.†
If you find yourself tired all day and wired at night, you’re not alone. Your body may be running on a flipped schedule, thanks to stress, poor sleep, erratic eating, or just too much modern life.
But the body is smart. With the right support, it can heal and reset.
† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Works Cited
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Perciavalle, V., Blandini, M., Fecarotta, P., Buscemi, A., Corrado, D., Bertolo, L., Fichera, F., & Coco, M. (2017). The role of deep breathing on stress. Neurological Sciences, 38, 451-458. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-016-2790-8.
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Unno, K., Noda, S., Kawasaki, Y., Yamada, H., Morita, A., Iguchi, K., & Nakamura, Y. (2017). Reduced Stress and Improved Sleep Quality Caused by Green Tea Are Associated with a Reduced Caffeine Content. Nutrients, 9. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9070777.
