Why Am I So Tired at 3 PM? What Changed for Me at 50

Why Am I So Tired at 3 PM? What Changed for Me at 50

By Susie Rosas, founder of VIVZA

Breaking news: Uber Mom is back in service. 🚗

For years, I had it made. Three older siblings that drove meant somebody else was on pickup duty. Soon they had all packed up for college, my youngest was finishing up middle school, and just like that, my drivers were gone. Back to the carpool line... Five-star rating. Zero tips. Snack daily to be ready for practice.

Here's the plot twist nobody warned me about: I'm doing it all again at 50. Somewhere around 49, my body started making it harder to feel like me. By January 2026, I had had enough. There was no dramatic makeover. Just small changes I could actually keep.

A day in the life of Uber Mom

  • Wake up: a glass of water before anything else. New habit. I'm very proud of it.
  • 20-minute walk, just for me. No passengers allowed - except for Gussie, he loves these walks as much as I do.
  • Then coffee. Let's be honest, coffee is a love language in my house.
  • Drop-off, then work.
  • Between 12 and 2, I break my fast with a protein bowl, because I'm on a mission to get more protein in.

The part I kept skipping? Water. Which I was reminded because every time my pee smelled like coffee. Confession: I don't like plain water. Never have. Some days I'd hit 3 p.m. and realize the only thing I'd had to drink was coffee and more coffee.

Meet my "concoction"

So I turned pickup into my water ritual. Before I head out, I grab my 40 oz Stanley or my Hydro Flask, fill it up and go full mad scientist: creatine, L-leucine, electrolytes (mostly for the flavor), fiber, collagen and inositol, all stirred in. I take my multivitamin, NAD, and vitamin D. Then I sip my way through the carpool line and the rest of the afternoon.

Over those months, I changed several habits: walking, eating more protein and making time for my afternoon concoction. I started feeling more like myself. I can't separate what each change contributed.

Quick but important: this is what works for me, not a plan for you. Talk to your doctor before you start any supplement.

The honest part: it's a whole production

Half the time, I'm late to pickup. Why? Because I waited until the last minute, and now I'm in the kitchen scooping powders like I'm on a cooking show with a countdown clock. Six tubs. One bottle. One teenager waiting.

But I don't skip it. That's how I know it matters.

And because plain water and I are not friends, I bought flavored versions of everything. If it tastes good, I keep sipping. If it doesn't, it's like pulling teeth to drink it.

Why 3 p.m. hits so hard (it's not just you)

While I was building my concoction, I got curious about why 3 p.m. feels like a wall. Turns out it's a team effort:

  • Your body clock. Sleep experts say our internal rhythm naturally dips after lunch, and the "sleep pressure" we've built since waking piles on.
  • Short sleep. Most adults need 7 to 9 hours. If you're not getting them, 3 p.m. is when the bill comes due.
  • Not enough water. The one I was ignoring.

In a small 2012 study of 25 healthy young women, mild dehydration averaging 1.36% of body weight was associated with more fatigue, headaches and difficulty concentrating, although most objective thinking tests were unchanged. It wasn't a study of midlife women or VIVZA, but it got me thinking about my own drinking habits.

How much do we need? Mayo Clinic puts total daily water for the average healthy adult at about 11.5 to 15.5 cups (2.7 to 3.7 liters), from food and drinks combined, and says needs vary from person to person. My 40 oz Stanley alone is about 5 cups. Not bad for one carpool line. Coffee counts toward fluid intake, too. I just wanted more variety and a consistent water habit.

Why creatine rides shotgun

The more I learned, the more I understood how much muscle matters as we get older. That's why creatine is in my bottle every day, and it's why it's in VIVZA.

A 12-week Texas A&M study in adults aged 45–65 examined 10 g of creatine monohydrate daily and reported improvements in lean tissue and strength. These early findings need more research. This study tested creatine, not VIVZA. The study used 10 g daily; VIVZA's current formulation target is 5 g per serving.

Your 3 PM ritual, made simple

Want to try the water part? Start here:

  1. Water before coffee. One glass when you wake up. Then coffee. Everybody wins.
  2. Set a 3 p.m. alarm and name it "Where's your water?" It works. It's also a little rude. Perfect.
  3. Prep your cup/bottle before you need it, so you're not scooping powders while you're already late. (Ask me how I know.)
  4. Make it taste good. You'll sip more of something you actually like.
  5. Move a little. My 20-minute walk is the one thing nobody else gets to schedule.

That's it. No 30-day challenge. Just 1% better every day.

Why I'm building VIVZA

All those tubs on my counter? That's the origin story. I wanted several parts of that routine in one convenient packet I can tear open in the car, in flavors that taste like home instead of homework.

VIVZA is hydration + creatine + wellness support for women, made simple, in Latin flavors we grew up loving. It includes creatine and inositol, an ingredient researched in women's health. Piña, mango and sandía are in the running right now. The final lineup isn't confirmed, and yes, I'm taste-testing batches every week. Somebody has to.

VIVZA isn't a cure for being tired, and nothing replaces sleep, real food and your doctor's advice. If you're tired all the time, not just at 3 p.m., please talk to your doctor.

Join the First Sip Club

We're not selling yet, but you can be first in line (a much better line than carpool).

See you in the carpool line. Honk if you're hydrated. 💧

Con cariño,
Susie

Sources

This post shares my personal experience and is not medical advice.