If your energy suddenly drops…
If your heart races, mood tanks, or you get shaky or panicky out of nowhere…
If you wake drenched in sweat at 3am, or crash hard after lunch…
It might not just be stress.
It might be your blood sugar crashing.
🔄 What is reactive hypoglycemia?
Reactive hypoglycemia is a blood sugar crash that happens after a spike — usually 1–4 hours after eating.
It’s different from diabetic hypoglycemia. This happens in people without diabetes, often early in the development of insulin resistance or metabolic dysregulation.
🧠 Symptoms of blood sugar crashes:
Shakiness or trembling
Sudden irritability or snapping
Fatigue or foggy thinking
Intense hunger or carb cravings
Racing heart or palpitations
Nausea or chest tightness
Feeling panicked or disconnected
Night sweats or waking up overheated
Mood dips that feel out of proportion
Needing caffeine or sugar to “feel normal” again
If any of these show up 1–4 hours after eating — or during long fasting windows — your glucose may be dipping too low, too fast.
🍽️ Common causes of crashes:
Skipping breakfast or going too long without food
High-carb meals without enough protein or fat
Drinking caffeine on an empty stomach
Eating mostly fast-digesting carbs (smoothies, toast, fruit alone)
Stress or lack of sleep (which increases insulin and cortisol)
Early insulin resistance that hasn’t shown up in your A1C
🧪 What we test when symptoms suggest this:
Fasting insulin
HOMA-IR (insulin resistance score)
Glucose curve or CGM (continuous glucose monitor)
A1C and blood sugar variability
Cortisol rhythm (especially if night symptoms are strong)
🩺 How we treat it:
Eat within 60–90 minutes of waking
Include protein, fat, and fiber in every meal
Avoid caffeine before food
Cut long gaps between meals — no “hangry fasting” if you're symptomatic
Reduce fast carbs until glucose stabilizes
Add magnesium or adaptogens if stress is a trigger
Use movement (especially walking after meals) to improve glucose handling
Consider CGM to see real-time patterns
This isn’t about restriction. It’s about balance and knowing what your system needs.
🧠 Why it matters:
When blood sugar crashes, the body panics — and floods you with stress hormones.
That can feel like:
Anxiety
Panic attacks
Mood swings
Morning dread
Craving cycles
Insomnia
Hormonal imbalance
Night sweats, especially in perimenopause or PCOS
If we only treat the symptoms, and not the metabolic root, you keep spinning your wheels.
💡 Bottom line:
If your body keeps reacting like something’s wrong — but your labs say you’re “normal” — it might be your blood sugar trying to keep you safe.
And the good news is: with the right changes, this gets better.