Brain Patterns, Part 1
The Two Hidden Chemistry Loops Sabotaging Your Energy & Mood
Last week, we kicked off this series with a promise:
”Over the next four weeks, I’ll break down each of the six patterns with more depth, nuance, and clarity — so you can finally understand what’s running your system and where the first domino of healing begins.”
Because if you’ve been feeling more overwhelmed, more tired, more snacky, or more “why did I just walk into this room?” than usual…
It’s not self-sabotage — it’s neurochemistry.
And December is the ultimate stress test.
This week, we’re diving into the first two patterns because they tend to flare hardest during the holidays:
Pattern 1 — The Sluggish Brain (aka: The Mitochondrial / Low Energy Pattern)
Pattern 2 — The Sugar-Sensitive Brain (aka: The Glucose / Blood Sugar Pattern)
Both patterns mess with your energy, memory, resilience, and mood — but they do it through different biochemical pathways.
Think of them as cousins: related, but with very different personalities.
Let’s decode them so you can recognize the one you’re running… and start shifting the chemistry behind it.
PATTERN 1 — THE SLUGGISH BRAIN
(A Mitochondrial Drain Pattern)
If your brain feels like it’s buffering…
If your words come out slower…
If your motivation is on “airplane mode”…
Your mitochondria are waving a white flag.
Why this pattern flares in December
Mitochondria run the show when it comes to energy, focus, neurotransmitter production, and the capacity to handle stress.
But holiday life piles on: sugar, disrupted sleep, artificial light at night, more social decisions, more noise, more everything.
All of that increases oxidative stress, which directly slows mitochondrial ATP output.
Less ATP = a brain that operates like your WiFi when too many people are on the network.
(You’re the WiFi. December is “too many people.”)
The Neuroscience Behind It
The brain consumes roughly 20% of the body’s total energy despite being only ~2% of body mass. Mitochondria in neurons — especially in the prefrontal cortex — must produce constant ATP for memory consolidation, attention, mood regulation, and synaptic plasticity.¹
When mitochondrial ATP drops, the brain compensates by reducing firing speed, pruning nonessential tasks, and heightening fatigue signals. This isn’t laziness; it’s survival physiology.
How This Pattern Shows Up In Real Life
If you’re running The Sluggish Brain Pattern, you might notice:
Starting tasks but losing steam fast
Feeling mentally “foggy” or slow to process
Needing more caffeine to function
Forgetting what you were saying mid-sentence
Feeling “fried” after social events
Getting irritable when asked simple questions
Waking up tired even after “a full night of sleep”
If your brain was a phone, this pattern is the low battery mode that turns off background apps and dims the screen. Yes — even your personality feels dimmer.
What Actually Helps
Because this pattern is mitochondrial first, you need mitochondrial-first solutions:
1. Morning bright light
Helps reset circadian rhythm → improves ATP production via enhanced mitochondrial biogenesis.²
2. Protein within 60–90 minutes of waking
Stabilizes neurotransmitter precursors so your brain stops running on fumes.
3. 10–15 minutes of movement after meals
Improves mitochondrial glucose handling and lowers post-meal inflammation.³
4. Magnesium + B-complex
Direct cofactors for ATP production. (Always personalized for the individual.)
5. Reduce evening blue light
Artificial light suppresses melatonin, and melatonin is one of the mitochondria’s most powerful antioxidants.⁴
This pattern isn’t fixed by “willpower.”
It’s fixed by getting energy back into the cells that run the entire show.
PATTERN 2 — THE SUGAR-SENSITIVE BRAIN
(A Glucose + Insulin Pattern)
This is the pattern that turns December into a roller coaster.
If your mood swings, cravings hit hard, energy spikes then crashes, or you feel irritable when hungry…
You’re not “emotional.”
You’re glucose-unstable.
Why This Pattern Flares in December
Holiday food is basically designed to dysregulate insulin.
Combine that with stress hormones (which raise glucose), poor sleep (which increases insulin resistance), and festive snacking every 30 minutes… and you’ve built the perfect blood sugar storm.
When glucose volatility becomes chronic, the brain suffers.
The Neuroscience Behind It
The brain is exquisitely dependent on stable glucose because it cannot store its own fuel. Even mild glucose instability reduces:
Prefrontal cortex communication (decision-making, emotional regulation)
Serotonin synthesis (mood)
Dopamine signaling (motivation + reward)
Mitochondrial ATP output (energy)
In fact, research shows that mitochondrial function is strongly tied to glucose stability — both too much and too little glucose impair ATP production and increase reactive oxygen species.⁵
This is why a “blood sugar brain” feels chaotic, moody, foggy, or impulsive.
How This Pattern Shows Up in Real Life
People running The Sugar-Sensitive Brain Pattern often say things like:
“I get hangry — like actual danger to others hangry.”
“If I eat carbs alone, I feel high for 10 minutes and useless for 2 hours.”
“I crave sweets after dinner even when I’m full.”
“My brain shuts down at 3pm.”
“I feel anxious in my body, but I can’t explain why.”
“I get irritable when I’m hungry or tired.”
This is not a personality flaw.
It’s neuro-glucose instability hijacking your neurotransmitters.
What Actually Helps
To calm this pattern, you need insulin-sensitive strategies:
1. Protein + fiber first, carbs last
This one habit can cut post-meal glucose spikes by 30–40% depending on the study.⁶
2. Daily 10–20 minute walk after your largest meal
Shown to improve glucose disposal and mitochondrial efficiency.³
3. Increase omega-3s
Supports neuronal membrane fluidity and insulin signaling.
4. Prioritize sleep like it’s your side hustle
Even one night of poor sleep can impair insulin sensitivity by 20–30%.⁷
5. Stabilize meal timing
Glucose-sensitive brains hate unpredictability. Rhythm calms physiology.
This pattern often masquerades as mood issues, anxiety, irritability, “lack of discipline,” or “stress-eating.”
But the real driver is metabolic wiring that needs calming, not shaming.
Why Understanding Your Pattern Matters
Whether you’re Sluggish, Sugar-Sensitive, or a combo platter, what matters is this:
Your brain is not misbehaving — it is signaling.
Patterns give you language for the things you’ve been blaming yourself for:
“Why can’t I focus?”
“Why am I exhausted?”
“Why do I get overwhelmed so fast?”
“Why do I snap at my kids?”
“Why do I crave sugar at 9pm?”
“Why do I always hit a wall at 3pm?”
These aren’t random quirks.
They’re chemistry clues — and they are fixable with the right map.
Next week, we’ll decode Patterns 3 & 4 (The Wired Brain + The Inflamed Brain).
They’re the two patterns most people think they’re dealing with when in reality, Pattern 1 or 2 has been quietly setting the stage.
But now?
You’re learning to read the map.
With love & science,
Nikki
If you’re reading this thinking… “Um… that’s me” — you’re exactly who I built the Brain Pattern Self-Test for.
It’s free, takes 3 minutes, and reveals your dominant brain pattern so you know where your first domino of healing begins.
Be the first to know when enrollment for the 2026 NeuroFit Reset Program opens.
References
Attwell D, Laughlin SB. “An energy budget for signaling in the grey matter of the brain.” J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 2001.
Cajochen C et al. “Circadian and light effects on human sleepiness–alertness.” J Sleep Res. 2000.
Reynolds AN, Mann J. “Postprandial walking for the management of type 2 diabetes.” Nutrients. 2018.
Reiter RJ et al. “Melatonin as an antioxidant: biochemical mechanisms and pathophysiological implications.” Endocrine. 2003.
Sivitz WI, Yorek MA. “Mitochondrial dysfunction in diabetes: from molecular mechanisms to functional significance.” Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2010.
Shukla AP et al. “Food order has a significant impact on glucose and insulin levels.” Diabetes Care. 2015.
Spiegel K et al. “Impact of sleep debt on metabolic and endocrine function.” Lancet. 1999.