This Is Making You Tired, Anxious and Depressed | From an Anxiety and Depression Therapist in Minnesota

I've been wearing a WHOOP band for several months now. It tracks my body's recovery, my HRV, my sleep, a million other things. It's basically my nervous system's report card every morning. Some mornings I'd wake up in the green. Rested, calm, and ready to go. Other mornings I'd wake up in the yellow or the red and have no idea why. Before even looking at my report card, I knew I was in the tank because I felt tired and irritable right from the get-go.

I was doing everything right. Low lights in the evening, wearing amber lenses to block blue-lights, whether at home or out. Breathing. No screens before bed. All the things. And I was still waking up feeling like crap some mornings. I was so confused.

But when I'm on a mission, I refuse to give up.

I started noticing a pattern. And honestly, I was surprised by what it was.

It was the food.

More specifically... it was the ultra-processed foods. The UPFs. The cookies, the crackers, the "healthy" granola bar... And, oh... get this: the protein shakes! I thought I was being so careful and conscientious. Yet... on the nights I ate them, my sleep tanked. Every time!

And when my sleep tanks, I usually wake up tired, anxious, and cranky. This doesn't go well for anyone... and it makes my job extra hard. I pretty much need to warn my family, "Hey, I didn't sleep well. Don't take things personally..."

Now my family is pretty encouraging and supportive when it comes to protecting my sleep. If they see me reaching for something that could disrupt my sleep, they might say, "Are you sure you want to risk it?" Seriously...

What ultra-processed foods actually do to your sleep and mood.

I've spent over 15 years as a therapist helping people work through anxiety and depression. And I will tell you honestly, I had underestimated just how much of an impact food truly has on our mental health.

It's been one of those things where you think, "Yeah, yeah... I know. It helps... blah blah." But let me tell you. There's a big difference between knowing something intellectually because you've learned about it and knowing something in your bones because you lived. it.

Here's what I know now -- in my bones. Ditching UPFs is a game changer. Eating UPFs can spike your blood sugar (blood glucose) out of healthy range. Your body is most insulin resistant in the evenings, which means a glucose spike at night is much harder on your body than the same meal at noon. That spike disrupts your sleep and nervous system regulation, even if you don't fully wake up. You wake up tired. Tired leads to low mood. Fatigue and low mood make you more susceptible to anxiety and depression. A dysregulated nervous system can increase anxiety.

And I'm not even scratching the surface.

The cycle nobody talks about.

And here's the thing... when you wake up depleted, you're more likely to reach for UPFs to get a dopamine hit just to push through the day. Which sets you up for another bad night. Wash, rinse, and repeat.

There's a whole book on this worth reading when you're ready... and if you want to dive deep into the weeds of brain science (not for everybody, I know). Dr. Christopher Palmer's Brain Energy theory makes the case that metabolic health and mental health are far more connected than we've ever been told. There's tons of research to back it up. I won't go deep on the science here. But I will say: after reading it, a lot of things clicked for me.

If you're interested in this angle but don't want to read the science-laden book, just stick with me (make sure you're subscribed) and there will be more to come on this in the future.

What happened when this anxiety and depression therapist made the switch.

Here's where I've landed after several months of experimenting... My sleep is far more predictable now. Aside from life stress that can throw me off, I can count on sleeping well when I skip UPFs during the day. I wake up feeling rested, calm, and ready for the day. Heck, I can even tolerate a little caffeine now and still wake up in the green. That used to be unthinkable.

If you want to start tracking your own recovery data, I use and love my WHOOP band. You can get your first month free with my referral link here.

These changes have drastically improved my mood. I'm still shocked that this is my life now. I'm not perfect at it. Avoiding UPFs entirely is nearly impossible in this American life. But, it's cleaned up significantly compared to a year ago and the reward of restful sleep and feeling good is enough to keep it up.

Here's what you can do now to get started...

One small change. One week. Start here.

I'm not asking you to overhaul your diet (yet... wink, wink). That's not realistic and it's not the point.

I'm just asking you to try one thing, for just a week, in the evening. And pay attention to how you wake up the next morning.

Level one: Swap your post-dinner treat for berries with a dollop of mascarpone. That's it. Just that one swap. Try it for a week.

Level two: Skip the starchy and grain carbs at dinner. Protein and cruciferous vegetables only, one night to start, then build from there. Try it for a week.

Notice what happens the next morning. Notice your mood by mid-morning. The data might surprise you.

Let me know how it goes.

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About Minnesota based Therapist, Sherri M Herman, MA, LPCC

Sherri is a licensed therapist in Minnesota who works with high-achieving leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals struggling with burnout, anxiety, perfectionism, and people-pleasing. If you're the one who holds everything together for everyone else, and you're exhausted by it, you're exactly who she works with. She sees clients virtually across Minnesota. Learn more.

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If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call the NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 available Monday through Friday, 10a - 10p, ET OR text "HelpLine" to 62640 or email NAMI at helpline@nami.org. Learn More. You can also call or text HELP to 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org