Still Tired, Even Though Summer’s Coming? Here’s What Could Be Draining Your Energy

Still feeling sluggish despite the brighter days? Discover five surprising reasons your energy is low this spring and the practical steps to reset you

The days are getting longer, the sun’s out more often, it’s been the warmest spring in a long while, and we’re inching toward summer. But instead of feeling energised and motivated, you might still be waking up sluggish and dragging yourself through the day.

If that’s you, you’re not alone. I’ve spoken with so many women lately who say things like:

“I thought I’d feel better once the clocks changed, but I’m still shattered by 3pm.”
“I’m sleeping 8 hours but wake up feeling like I’ve hardly rested.”
“My brain is foggy and I just can’t find my spark.”

One client recently shared that she’d started skipping her morning walks because she just didn’t have the energy to get out the door. Another told me that her afternoon sugar cravings had crept back in, despite her efforts earlier in the year to improve her eating habits.

Sound familiar? Let’s talk about what might be behind this lingering exhaustion, and what you can do to support your body and mind.

1. You’re starting the day with sugar, not sustenance.

A sweet breakfast might give you a temporary high and can feel easier to grab and go, but it’s usually followed by a crash. That crash often shows up around 10–11am, right when the biscuits or second coffee start calling your name.

Try switching to a breakfast that includes protein, healthy fats, and fibre. This might look like:

Eggs with avocado and a handful of greens on seeded toast
Greek yoghurt with chia seeds, berries, and a spoonful of nut butter
Overnight oats with flaxseed and a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds
A protein-rich smoothie made with nuts and berries (I have a great recipe you can try here)

Even small tweaks here can make a huge difference to how steady your energy feels throughout the morning.

2. You’re not moving enough (or doing too much for your current energy levels).

Exercise supports energy, mental clarity, and hormone balance, but it has to be the right kind for you.

I’ve had several conversations with clients recently who love high-impact workouts for the mental boost, but when we reviewed their blood test results, we saw signs of inflammation and poor blood sugar regulation. That combination means their bodies were actually under more stress from those workouts.

Why? Because high-intensity exercise raises cortisol, your stress hormone. If your blood sugar is already unstable, this can leave your system overstimulated, depleted, and inflamed. In these cases, I often recommend strength training, walking, and gentle movement while we work on rebalancing blood sugar and reducing internal stress.

It’s not about doing more. It’s about doing what works for you, right now. Even a 10-minute walk outdoors or gentle stretching between meetings can be more restorative than another punishing HIIT class.

3. You’re running on caffeine instead of fuel.

A morning tea or coffee is fine, but if caffeine is propping you up all day, it’s worth exploring what’s really going on.

Caffeine increases cortisol and adrenaline, great for short bursts of energy, but not ideal if you’re already stressed or struggling with sleep. It can also disrupt the natural build-up and clearance of adenosine, the brain chemical that promotes sleepiness. This process takes around 90 minutes after waking, so diving into coffee too soon may interfere with your natural energy rhythms.

And here’s something you might not know: caffeine on an empty stomach can be irritating to your gut and amplify your stress response.

Try this instead:

Wait 90 minutes before your first caffeine
Eat something before your coffee
Start the day with hot water, lemon, or herbal tea

These small shifts can reduce the likelihood of a mid-afternoon crash.

4. You’re relying on quick snacks that don’t sustain you.

The 3pm slump is real. But if you’re reaching for chocolate, biscuits, or pastries, your body is likely crying out for more stable fuel.

Think of it like a blood sugar rollercoaster. When your meals aren't balanced, your brain senses a lack of steady glucose and activates your internal safety officer, cue the megaphone screaming, “Give me sugar now!”

Here are some better options:

Apple slices with peanut butter
Oatcakes with hummus
A boiled egg and cherry tomatoes
A protein smoothie if you're on the go

These snacks help keep your blood sugar balanced and your energy more consistent.

5. You’re under more stress than you realise.

Even “background stress” from work, family life, or health worries can deplete your energy without you noticing until it shows up as brain fog, irritability, or fatigue. Over time, high cortisol levels, can affect everything from sleep and digestion to immunity and mood.

Stress might be your body whispering through fatigue what it can’t shout aloud.

Simple steps like deep breathing, getting outside, writing things down, or talking things through can help. One of my clients started journaling for just five minutes each morning with a cup of tea. She told me it was the first time she’d felt calm in weeks.

Feeling low on energy doesn’t have to be your summer story.

You don’t have to fix it all alone. That’s exactly why I’m running my Summer Reset Workshop on Friday 5th July at Waterloo Court in Tiverton.

We’ll spend the morning together exploring practical ways to boost energy, support hormone balance, and reset your wellbeing using my 5-pillar approach: nutrition, sleep, stress, mindset, and movement.

It’s not about perfection, it’s about helping you feel better in your body, with the tools to keep going.

You’ll leave with:

A seasonal breakfast
A workbook to personalise your energy reset
A 12-week action plan
Access to my 30-Day Energy Reset e-course for ongoing support

If you’re thinking “this sounds like what I need,” you’re probably right.

Only 12 spaces are available, so early booking is recommended. You can book here.

Final Thought:
If you’ve lost your spark, you can get it back. It doesn’t take extreme measures. Just the right support, the right tools, and the right next step. Let this be yours.

About Claire
Claire Thomas is a Nutritional Therapist, NLP Practitioner, and Phlebotomist with a background in Children’s Nursing. She specialises in supporting ambitious women who feel exhausted, burnt out, or stuck in survival mode. Through personalised nutrition, mindset coaching, and functional testing, Claire helps her clients increase their energy levels, find clarity, and feel like themselves again. Based in Tiverton, Devon, she works both in-person and online through her clinic, Nourish to Soar.

Categories: : boost your energy, energy, exercise