If you tend to have an afternoon energy crash, this tip is for you. Even a little bit of movement can combat that slump by promoting circulation, regulating stress hormones, and boosting feel-good chemicals in the brain.
Afternoon Energy Crash? Some Ideas:
Take a 10-minute walk outside
Stretch or do some desk yoga
Try 20 bodyweight squats or jumping jacks
Use a standing desk for part of the afternoon
Remember: We weren’t meant to sit at desks and computers all day!
Why Movement Helps More Than You Think
Physical activity doesn't have to mean spending an hour at the gym. In fact, even a few minutes of movement throughout the day can help interrupt the body's stress response. Walking, stretching, or changing positions signals your nervous system that you're safe, helping lower stress hormones while improving circulation and mental clarity.
If you spend most of your day sitting, consider setting a reminder to stand up every hour. Small habits practiced consistently often have a bigger impact than occasional intense workouts.
Let's Talk About Stress
Most doctors don’t ask about stress—because they don’t have any way to “treat” it.
While we also don’t “treat” stress as a disease, we have a deep functional medicine toolkit to help your body become more resilient to stress.
Questions To Ask Your Practitioner
If you suspect stress might be affecting your health—but aren’t sure where to start—here are some questions you could ask your practitioner.
1: Do I need stress hormone testing?
If you're experiencing ongoing fatigue, burnout, poor sleep, or afternoon energy crashes, evaluating your cortisol patterns may provide helpful insight into how your body is responding to stress.
2: Could stress be affecting my gut?
The gut and brain are closely connected. Chronic stress may contribute to digestive symptoms such as bloating, constipation, diarrhea, reflux, or changes in the gut microbiome.
3: What nutrients do I need when I’m stressed?
Periods of prolonged stress can increase the body's need for nutrients like magnesium, B vitamins, vitamin C, and other key nutrients involved in energy production and nervous system health.
4: Could stress be affecting my hormones?
Absolutely. Stress can influence cortisol, thyroid function, reproductive hormones, and blood sugar regulation, all of which affect how you feel every day.
These are things we always consider when working with our patients. If you’re feeling more stressed than usual and don’t want it to take a toll on your health, we are here to help.
Stress Affects More Than Your Mood
Many people think stress only causes anxiety or emotional overwhelm, but chronic stress can affect nearly every aspect of your health. Elevated cortisol levels over time may contribute to fatigue, blood sugar imbalances, digestive concerns, poor sleep, hormone changes, lowered immunity, and inflammation.
Because these symptoms often develop gradually, they're easy to dismiss as simply "getting older" or having a busy schedule. Looking at stress through a whole-body lens allows us to better understand how different systems are connected.
Your Body Was Designed to Adapt
Stress is an unavoidable part of life, but living in a constant state of stress doesn't have to be your normal. When you understand how stress is affecting your body, you can take meaningful steps toward improving your energy, digestion, hormones, sleep, and overall well-being.
At Hope Natural Health, we don't simply ask whether you're stressed - we work to understand how stress is affecting your body and develop a personalized plan to help restore balance. Whether through lifestyle changes, nutritional support, functional testing, or targeted supplementation, our goal is to help you build resilience so you can feel your best again.
Feeling more stressed than usual and want support before it takes a toll on your health?
My go-to supplement duo for stress support and adrenal balance:
Dr. Erin Ellis, ND
Dr. Erin Ellis, ND, is the founder of Hope Natural Health and a licensed Naturopathic Doctor with more than nine years of clinical experience specializing in women's hormone health. After overcoming cancer, Dr. Ellis made it her life's mission to help women find the root cause of why they don't feel like themselves. She believes "normal" lab results are only the beginning of the conversation - not the end - and is known for taking a deeper, investigative approach to hormone, thyroid, gut, and metabolic health.