Does sugar and carbs provide you energy?

I've been trying to better my diet because I'm pushing 32, and already feeling the effects of aging. Part my diet was limiting carbs and sugars to as little as possible (preferably none), with another part by removing caffeine entirely (body just can't seem to handle it anymore).

Alas, something I've been stricken with in the last few years is general tiredness. Nothing big, not dramatic, nothing all that debilitating. Just feeling more tired, and like going to bed more. I just chalked that up to getting older, but I recently tried sugary stuff for the first time in god knows how long, and felt the spurts of energy I haven't felt in a long time. I didn't even have that much, really. Just a bag of Skittles (that I didn't even finish entirely), and the occasional bottle of Gatorade/Powerade (I've only drank water this whole time).

But yeah, this is the first time I felt somewhat energetic. And whenever I Google sugar/carbs' effects on energy, it tends to give conflicting results. But if it turns out that sugar/carbs do provide the energy I was missing, then I feel like a complete fucking retard for not seeing this when it was staring in my face this whole time. I've always thought sugar/carbs sap you of energy, not the other way around.