When you feel sleepy but you need to stay awake, there are certain things you can do to avoid falling asleep.
Get a Good Night’s Sleep
The best defense against feeling sleepy during the daytime is getting a good night’s sleep. Simply not getting enough sleep is the most common cause of sleepiness. This sleep restriction will increase your desire to sleep and could cause you to fall asleep at the wrong times.
Take Frequent Breaks
When you have to pay attention and concentrate for long amounts of time, it can make you feel extremely tired. In fact, the quality of your work is likely to suffer and you will make mistakes more easily.
To keep this from happening, take frequent short breaks when working. Making time for short breaks will allow you to focus better when you get back to work.
Consume Caffeine
Caffeine is a very effective, inexpensive way to boost alertness. It is a natural stimulant. In other words, it boosts your energy and focus.
Besides water, caffeinated beverages are some of the most commonly consumed fluids in the world. Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and soda are popular options. Caffeine can also be found in certain foods, such as chocolate.
Eating or drinking too much caffeine may sometimes cause side effects such as a rapid heart rate, nervousness, or a withdrawal headache.
Alternate Your Activities
If you are having trouble staying awake, you may find it helpful to change up your activities. Breaking larger projects into smaller tasks and working at them in short, scheduled bursts may allow you to get more work done.
Trying to stay focused for a long time can be exhausting. By shifting your focus, you can be more attentive when tackling new tasks.
Get Some Light and Fresh Air
The right environment can greatly benefit our ability to stay awake. For everyone, our body’s circadian rhythm relies on exposure to natural conditions, most importantly light. So stepping out to get some fresh air when you’re feeling really sleepy may be helpful.
Take a Nap
If you are fighting excessive sleepiness, the simple relief provided by a nap may recharge your batteries. Studies have shown that naps are helpful in improving learning and memory. Experts believe that shorter naps lasting 15 to 20 minutes are the best way to get effective rest.
Have a Snack
Most people eat and drink fairly frequently throughout the day. Snacks eaten at the appropriate time may help you stay awake. It may be a good idea to choose light snacks and limit the portions.
Foods containing sugars and caffeine may give you a needed boost. But be careful of the additional calories. Those extra calories may creep up on you over time and lead to weight gain.
Exercise and Be Active
In most cases, you are likely to only feel sleepy when you are doing activities that require a lot of time in your seat. Taking a break from sedentary activities by exercising or doing other physical activities will help relieve sleepiness. When you go back to work, your thinking will be clearer. And you’ll hopefully feel less drowsy.
Keep the Environment Cool
If you have ever found yourself dozing off in a room that is a bit too warm, you definitely know the benefits of keeping things a little on the cool side. Our environment can greatly affect our sleep and our ability to stay awake.
Turning down the temperature will help you to stay alert.
Use Medications as a Last Resort
The last option should be the use of prescription medications called stimulants. These medications may include Ritalin (methylphenidate), Provigil (modafinil), and Nuvigil (armodafinil).
They act through various mechanisms on the brain to help you pay attention and remain alert. But they can be addictive, so they are rarely used to treat excessive daytime sleepiness.
Conclusion
When you’re having trouble staying awake during the day, it can make you feel miserable. But if you make a few simple changes to your lifestyle or the way you work, you may find that it helps to relieve your excessive sleepiness.
