Health & Wellness - India Herbs Blog

With more and more of us getting less and less sleep, it’s tempting to reach for a Red Bull or an espresso when we feel sleepy at work. But consuming caffeine to combat sleepiness can lead to a vicious cycle.

Caffeine can reduce your sleep time, alter the normal stages of sleep, and decrease the quality of your sleep.

How can you stay awake naturally? Try some of these 12 jitter-free tips to take the edge off sleepiness.

1. Get Up and Move Around

Studies has shown that walking energizes you better than having a candy bar. Walking pumps oxygen through your veins, brains and muscles. If you work at a desk, get up frequently for short walks. At meal breaks, walk to a restaurant or, if you bring your lunch, head for a nice spot to eat it. Whether you take a walk outside or just in the building where you work, it will make you feel more alert and refreshed.

2. Take a Nap to Take the Edge Off Sleepiness

Two important rules to take note of: Don't take more than one and don't take it too close to your bedtime. It’s best to nap about six or seven hours before you would normally go to bed. If you must take a late nap close to bedtime, make it a short one.

Napping at work may be sensitive. If you need to nap at work, do it during your break and use a vibrating alarm clock, if necessary, to make sure it doesn’t spill over into your work time. Sleeping at your desk is usually not a good idea, but many companies now provide nap rooms for employees.

Studies has suggested that even a 10 minutes eye rest will help.

3. Give Your Eyes a Break to Avoid Fatigue

Continuous fixation on a computer screen can cause eyestrain and worsen sleepiness and fatigue. Look away from the screen for a few minutes periodically to relax your eyes.

4. Eat a Healthy Snack to Boost Energy

Have fresh fruits or an energy bar. Sugary snacks give you a quick energy boost followed by the sugar “lows,” when low blood sugar produces mental fogginess and lethargy.

5. Start a Conversation to Wake Your Mind Up

Engaging in a conversation can get your mind moving again. It help stimulates behavioural, especially if it is politics related.

6. Turn Up the Light to Ease Fatigue

Environments with dim lighting aggravate fatigue. Studies have shown that exposure to bright light can reduce sleepiness and increase alertness. Try increasing the intensity of your light source at work.

7. Take a Breather to Feel Alert

Deep breathing raises blood oxygen levels in the body. This slows your heart rate, lowers blood pressure, and improves circulation, ultimately aiding mental performance and energy.The idea of deep-breathing exercises is to inhale to the abdomen, not the chest.

8. Switch Tasks to Stimulate Your Mind

At work or home, try to reserve more stimulating tasks for your sleepy times. Or switch to more engaging work responsibilities when you feel yourself nodding off. Research has proven that monotonous work is as harmful as sleep loss for alertness.

9. Drink Water to Prevent Tiredness