Maybe you've been sleepy during the day while working to the point of not being able to open your eyes. The best way to prevent drowsiness is to get enough sleep at night. However, if you're still sleepy, try making lifestyle changes to increase your energy and take steps to keep you awake if sleepiness strikes.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Getting enough sleep
Step 1. Reduce caffeine consumption
Caffeine makes you feel fresher in the morning, but keeps you awake at night. Do not consume caffeine 4-6 hours before bed so you can sleep at night.
Step 2. Quit smoking
Nicotine keeps you awake, so don't smoke if you want a good night's sleep. In addition, the desire to smoke keeps you awake or sleep deprived at night.
Step 3. Check the medicines you are taking
Certain medications keep you awake, such as antidepressants and asthma medications. Consult a doctor if you cannot sleep because of taking medication. Doctors can prescribe other drugs so that you can sleep soundly.
Step 4. Get used to exercising
Research shows that athletes tend to sleep more soundly. However, the movement of the body during exercise will trigger the hormone cortisol which keeps you awake. Therefore, you should exercise earlier in order to sleep soundly.
Step 5. Don't eat too much before bed
To make it easier to fall asleep, avoid eating too much just before bed because it will cause indigestion that keeps you awake. If you want to eat a lot, eat at least 2 hours before bedtime.
Step 6. Create a sleep schedule
Our bodies will feel comfortable if we get used to doing routines. If you go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time every day, your body will be programmed when to sleep and when to be awake. Run a sleep schedule including on the weekends so you can sleep soundly.
- One way to implement a schedule is to set an alarm or reminder that will sound when you need to sleep. That way, you don't stay awake when you should be asleep.
- If you're often sleep deprived, go to bed earlier each night until you can get the 7-8 hours recommended by experts.
Step 7. Turn off the light
Before going to bed, try to keep no light in the room, including sunlight or light from a street lamp. Close the windows by pulling the curtains so that outside light does not enter and close the clock beside the bed so that there are no lights in the room.
Step 8. Turn off all sounds
Turn off the radio and TV, including the small sounds from the computer. If the sound cannot be removed, use earplugs.
Step 9. Keep pets away
If your cat likes to curl up at the foot of the bed, you'll wake up if the movement startles you. If you wake up frequently because pets are in your room, move them outside before you go to bed.
Step 10. Take a break before going to bed
Turn off phone and computer screens an hour before bed. The light from electronic devices keeps the brain active, rather than returning to calm when you fall asleep.
Step 11. Write down tomorrow's plans
If you lie down thinking about who to call or what to do tomorrow, take notes before bed, including your plan of action. This method makes your mind calm and ready to sleep.
Method 2 of 3: Practice Healthy Ways to Stay Awake
Step 1. Drink plenty of fluids
Dehydration makes you feel tired, so drink water regularly, especially if you feel thirsty.
To meet fluid needs, you can drink coffee, tea, and fruit juices. To add flavor to the water, add a squeeze of lime or lemon
Step 2. Eat vegetables, protein, and complex carbohydrates at lunch
Even if you want to eat candy after lunch, sugar will trigger daytime sleepiness. Instead, choose a lunch menu that contains complex carbohydrates, for example: whole grains, vegetables, fruits, plus fat-free protein in fish or chicken meat.
Protein will keep your body awake, so eating protein-rich foods will keep you energized and awake. Protein will trigger tyrosine in the body, which is an amino acid that makes your body more energetic
Step 3. Improve your posture
Try to pull your shoulders back a little so that your body is straighter because you tend to fall asleep more easily if you bend over.
Choose another position that requires balance. For example, you could sit on a large ball that you use to practice balance while exercising. This method keeps you awake
Step 4. Don't do one activity for too long
Completing one task for hours makes the brain very tired and sleepy. Instead, do something else if you're tired and keep you awake.
Method 3 of 3: Using Other Ways to Get Rid of Sleepiness
Step 1. Consume caffeinated beverages
Caffeine keeps you awake by blocking adenosine, the neurotransmitter that tells cells throughout the body to rest. However, caffeine is no longer effective if consumed regularly. Therefore, drink it once in a while, not every day.
Start by consuming a drink lighter than caffeine, such as green tea. If you want something stronger, drink black tea and coffee which contains more caffeine
Step 2. Do muscle stretches
If you don't have the flexibility to stretch your muscles at work, do some easy moves.
- Interlace your fingers behind your back while pulling your shoulders back and pushing your chest forward. Breathe deeply for a few seconds and then release your fingers. Do this movement 2 times.
- Do a hip stretch. Rotate the chair so that you are sitting facing left. Lift your right leg while trying to straighten your knee. Try to sit up straight. Repeat this movement 2 times then do the same movement with the left leg.
Step 3. Use air freshener
Put on a candle-based fragrance or essential oil with a peppermint, eucalyptus oil, or lemon scent to keep you awake.
Step 4. Work standing up
There is an office that provides a work desk so you can work while standing so that it is easier to move and not sleepy. If you work more while sitting, leave your desk and take some time to walk while resting to keep yourself awake. It would be better if you can walk outdoors to get sunlight as a signal to wake your body from sleep.
Step 5. Take energy-boosting supplements
Many supplements provide calorie intake, stimulants, or nutrients that affect the body's processing of energy. Your body will get energy intake from lunch and caffeine as a stimulant. However, if you still need additional energy, take supplements that contain creatine, CoQ10, B vitamins, and taurine to activate the body's metabolism.
Step 6. Get some sleep
If workplace conditions allow, take 10-20 minutes of sleep during your afternoon break to restore your brain without causing drowsiness. In fact, daytime sleepiness is normal. After waking up in the morning and doing activities for about 7 hours, your body gives a signal of the need to rest. This need can be met with a short nap during the day.
