It is noon and you are already feeling exhausted. You're struggling to stay awake but nothing seems to work, and you don't know what to do to avoid falling asleep at the wrong time. If you want to learn some tricks to help you stay awake and have more energy, read on.
Steps
Part 1 of 5: Stimulating the Senses
Step 1. Stimulate the senses
The easiest way to stay awake is to stimulate your senses. There are many things you can do to make sure your ears, eyes, and even your nose are alert and active. The more parts of your body you are alert, the less likely you are to fall asleep. Here are some things to try:
- Turn on as many lights as possible. If you can't control the lights, position yourself as close to a light source as possible.
- Suck on candy or chew gum to keep your mouth active
- Smell peppermint oil to awaken your sense of smell;
- If you are in a place where you can listen to music, listen to jazz, hip-hop or light rock. Choose something that makes you feel more alert without piercing your eardrums.
- If your eyes hurt, take a break and look at a wall or out the window;
- Sprinkle cold or lukewarm water on your face;
- Meditate while sitting for 15 minutes.
Part 2 of 5: Keeping the Body Vigilant
Step 1. Keep your body alert
In addition to stimulating your senses, you can trick your body into being more alert than when you feel. Moving around, touching your earlobes or rubbing your hands together can make you feel more awake and active. Here are some things you can do to keep your body more alert:
- Wet your face with cold water. Try to keep your eyes open while doing this;
- Gently pull down your earlobes;
- Pinch yourself on the forearm or below the knee
- Close your hands into fists and open again. Repeat ten times;
- Tap your foot lightly on the floor;
- Stretch your wrists, arms and legs;
- Roll your shoulders;
- Go outside and fill your lungs with fresh air;
- Massage your hands.
Step 2. Keep your body active
You don't have to run a marathon to be active. A little physical activity will be enough to awaken your body. There are ways to increase your activity level even at school or work, and even just a few minutes of exercise can have a big impact on your body's wakefulness. Exercising is a way of telling the body that it's not time to go to sleep yet. Here are some things you can do:
- Take the opportunity to walk whenever you can. If you are at work, take the longer way to the bathroom, or cross the street to get coffee. If you are in school, take the longer route to class, or take a tour of the cafeteria before sitting down.
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator when you can. Unless you need to reach the 50th floor, taking the stairs will give you more energy than standing in the elevator. You will speed up your heart rate and stay alert.
- Make time for a ten-minute walk when you can.
- Even if you can't train at a certain time, make it a habit to train at least thirty minutes a day. Daily exercise is proven to improve your energy levels and help you stay alert.
Part 3 of 5: Staying Awake with Food
Step 1. Start the day with a healthy breakfast
Eat eggs, turkey, and some light toast. Or try oatmeal with yogurt. Add vegetables to your breakfast, such as spinach, celery, or kale. If it's not the best for you to eat so many vegetables for breakfast, make a smoothie or buy one on your way to school or work.
Step 2. Eat well
Eating the right foods can help you improve your energy levels, make you more alert, and give you the energy to keep going for a few hours. The wrong foods can make you feel sluggish, bloated, and more tired than you felt before you ate. Here are some tips for eating well, improving your energy and feeling less tired:
- Avoid foods high in sugar and simple carbohydrates.
- Don't eat too large meals. Instead, eat a few measured meals, and snack lightly throughout the day when you're hungry. Avoid eating heavy meals, eating starchy, high-fat tops and avoid alcohol. All of these substances will make you feel more tired and strain your digestive system.
- Don't skip meals. Even if you are so tired that the idea of eating does not appeal to you, not eating will tire you even more.
Step 3. Bring protein-rich snacks, such as almonds or cashews, with you
Take fruit with you wherever you go. Not only is it healthy, but that way you'll avoid indulging in high-sugar snacks.
Snack on peanut butter and celery or yogurt
Step 4. Get some caffeine if you need it
Caffeine will certainly help you stay awake, but if you overdo it or drink it too fast, you'll get a headache and relapse. Drink a cup of tea or coffee when you need it, and drink it quickly, to avoid relapse or stomach pain.
- You can also get some caffeine by consuming dark chocolate.
- Avoid energy drinks. While they will offer you a slight boost, in the long run they will make you feel tired and affect your ability to sleep, making you more tired the next day.
Step 5. Drink cold water
A lot. Staying hydrated will help you stay awake.
Part 4 of 5: Keeping the Mind Alert
Step 1. Keep your mind alert
Keeping your body awake and alert won't do much if your mind is always wandering. To keep your mind alert, you will need to think actively, while holding a conversation or while listening to your teacher. Here's what you can do to keep your mind alert:
- If you are in class, make an effort to pay attention. Write down everything your teacher says and reread it to stay focused. Raise your hand and answer the questions. If you don't understand something, ask a question. You probably won't fall asleep if you're in the middle of a conversation with your teacher.
- If you're at work, talk to a colleague about business matters, or start a conversation about history or politics, or even your family if you're on a break.
- If you can't stay awake at home, call a friend, write an email, or listen to an interesting show on the radio.
- Change activity. To keep your mind active, try to change activities as often as possible. If you are in school, you can do this by writing with a new pen, using a highlighter, or getting up to drink some water. If you are at work, stop typing on the computer to make photocopies or rearrange your cards.
Step 2. Take a power nap
If you are at home or at work, do a quick power nap for 5-20 minutes to give your body the boost it needs to keep going. Sleeping for a longer period will make you feel more tired for the rest of the day and make it harder for you to sleep at night. Here's how to do it:
- Find a comfortable place. If you are at home, a sofa is ideal, and if you are at work, recline your chair.
- Avoid distractions. Turn off the phone, close the door and do what you have to do to let everyone know that you are sleeping.
- Close your eyes and sleep.
- When you get up, take a deep breath, drink some water and caffeine to feel full of energy. Take a three-minute walk for an extra boost.
Step 3. Watch flashing colors
Download an app on your smartphone that displays bright and brilliant colors; this can activate receptors in the brain that warn you to stay awake. This is also why using tablets and smartphones before sleep can hurt your chances of getting a good night's sleep.
Part 5 of 5: Changing the Lifestyle
Step 1. Avoid the problem in the future
While these tips can help you in a difficult time, your best bet is to develop a lifestyle that helps you have no trouble staying awake from fatigue. Here are some ways to do it:
- Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day to form a healthy habit.
- Start the day right with a good morning routine that makes you feel alert and ready for the rest of the day.
- Be responsible. Don't stay up late if you know you have to go to school the next morning.
- If you are tired from having to study all night for an exam, try to prepare a study schedule that doesn't force you to stay up next time.
- If you have regular problems falling asleep and are always having trouble staying awake throughout the day, you should see your doctor to see if you have a sleep disorder.
Advice
- Reading boring things will make you feel even more tired. Try to avoid it if possible.
- Don't tell yourself "I'll rest my eyes for a while." You will end up falling asleep!
- Don't lie down on something too comfortable, like a bed, armchair, or your favorite chair. Sit in a metal chair or on the floor.
- Watching television doesn't take a lot of effort and will make you fall asleep. If you're trying to stay awake, turn on the radio instead of the TV.
- A cold shower can help you stay awake, while a warm shower will help you fall asleep.
Warnings
- Continuous sleepless nights are not good for your health. Prolonged sleep deprivation can cause hallucinations, difficulty speaking, dizziness and clumsiness.
- If you are falling asleep while driving, pull over. Driving while sleepy is as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol, and the effects can be just as fatal.
