I’m a huge coffee lover and a huge part of this blog is centered around that. Not only does coffee kill drowsiness but it also has a lot of health benefits. Caffeine is a popular natural stimulant included in coffee and other drinks such as green tea, black tea (in smaller doses), and dark chocolate.
However, too much of a thing is not good and this can lead to several side effects such as making us nervous and creating headaches or tachycardia. Also, often people feel an energy crash after the effects of the caffeine pass through.
This is why we offer you some healthy ways to stay awake without having to increase your coffee intake and dependence:
1. Get up and stretch your body
Sitting for long periods causes drowsiness. This is why we should take frequent breaks, get up and walk around. Not only will it get your blood moving but it will help you feel more alert and awake. For better results, do some simple stretches like rolling the neck side to side, stretching the arms over the head, or twisting the torso. It will help us feel better and more energized.
It’s easy to forget so be sure to set a reminder every 30 minutes. This will help keep you from getting drowsy and also help you be more productive.
2. Start a conversation with a colleague
A conversation will help wake up your brain and save you from getting sleepy. Laughing can also give you a much-needed energy boost. It will increase productivity and light up the mood overall.
3. Listen to music
Listening to some music at work will help you stay active. The type of music is a personal choice, but something that is more live will set you in a good mood instead of something relaxing that can make you sleepy.
4. Keep the room bright and cooler
Dark and warm spaces can lead the body to fall asleep. So you should avoid it if you don’t want to get sleepy. Open some extra windows so the light and the fresh air get in, or light some more lights if you work the night shift.
5. Breathe in sharp smells
Some smells have the power to wake up our senses and make the person more alert. Aromatherapy can have different effects on our body, it can relax our body and lead us to quality sleep but it can also wake up our mind by inhaling essential oils such as peppermint, eucalyptus, lemon, bergamot, or camphor.
6. Create A Good Sleep Schedule
The solution mentioned above can help you battle drowsiness, but you can make some lifestyle changes that can help you feel less sleepy during the day. The most important thing to save yourself from daytime feeling sleepy is to get a quality night’s sleep. Try to go to bed at about the same time every night and get 7 – 8 hours of sleep.
You can make this easier if you start a bedtime routine such as reducing the light in the home one hour before sleep, taking a shower and reading a book before sleep, avoid blue light from screens at least one hour before going to bed. This way you’ll have a regular sleep schedule and the body will get enough rest during the night.
7. Take a nap
Sometimes even if we get quality night’s sleep, we still feel sleepy during the day. In that case, taking a short nap can refresh our brains and recharge our batteries. Studies show that quick naps lasting from 15 – 30 minutes improve learning and memory and, there is no better way to get effective rest.
8. Avoid high calorie meals and take healthy snacks
High-calorie meals digest slower and last longer than balanced meals. The body spends more energy to digest the high-calorie food and more blood is directed to digest that food. The brain gets less blood and that’s why we feel sleepy. We should get more balanced meals and healthy snacks to keep the body satisfied and energized during the day.
9. Drink more water
Staying hydrated is very important in many aspects and can also help kill sleepiness. Keep a bottle of water on your desk which will remind you to drink often and you’ll often have the need to urinate so it’ll keep the body active going to the bathroom. Dehydration from the other side can cause fatigue, bad concentration, and make you lazy.
10. Take fresh air outside
Spending time outside every day is very important for the circadian rhythm of the body which regulates the cycles of sleep and awakening. This rhythm depends on the exposure to daylight which is important to have a balanced sleep cycle. Try to spend some time outdoors every day, take your lunch break outdoors if your job allows you that or place yourself near the natural light in the room.