Stop dreaming about a pillow! These simple tips will help you cheer up.
How to wake up here and now
1. Take a break
If you are nodding at the workplace, get up and walk, for example, to the buffet. No need to purchase a bun or a full meal; chill out. Boredom often leads to sleepiness. It's not in vain that we yawn with an annoying interlocutor and nod off while watching a boring movie. Therefore, we dilute the monotonous work with short breaks.
Read also: Why Does White Noise Help Us Fall Asleep?
2. Eat an apple
The right snack will also help to cheer up.
- apples
- spinach
- complex carbohydrates (oatmeal or buckwheat porridge, green beans, zucchini)
- bitter chocolate
- ginger
In the fight against drowsiness, experts recommend avoiding overeating and eliminating fatty foods from the diet.
Food in itself can increase the body's activity, especially if the diet is followed. Spices (ginger, pepper) and complex carbohydrates are more active than fatty, hard-to-digest foods. Long-known adaptogens such as ginseng and Eleutherococcus can also be included in the list of food stimulants. If you do not have allergies, then they may well enter the diet.
3. Take a nap
Daytime sleep improves performance. Georgetown University study found that while we doze, the brain's left hemisphere, which is responsible for memory and logical thinking, is less active; that is, it is restored. Therefore, after a day's rest, we become more active and absorb information easier.
The nap should be short. Experts believe that to recover; it is enough to take a nap of 15–20 minutes. Additionally, if you have a coffee before that, the result will be even better.
It is also important to consider the time of daytime sleep. Doctors advise not to doze in the evening. This can lead to nighttime sleeplessness. The fact is that in the dark, we produce melatonin, which is responsible for deep sleep. Therefore, if we sleep after sundown, the mode of production of this substance becomes confused. As a result, we toss and turn in bed all night.
4. Turn on the light
Increased sleepiness usually comes with reduced daylight hours. Sunlight, falling on the retina, regulates melatonin production, which is, in fact, sets our biological clock. So, to brighten your mood, open your curtains or blinds. And turn on the light if it is dark outside. The brighter, the better.
5. Open the window
Fresh air will instantly invigorate you. Just open the windows and ventilate the room. One of the causes of tiredness is a lack of oxygen. If you have the chance and the time, feel free to go for a short walk.
6. Wash your face with cold water
Washing with cold water will also help relieve fatigue. This is stressful for the body, so that you will find the energy for a while.
7. Have a cup of coffee
Staff at Cardiff University have proven that caffeine actually increases a person's activity level.
The fact is that the so-called adenosine accumulates in our brain - he is in charge of the fatigue. It turned out that caffeine is similar to this substance. And, getting into the bloodstream, it replaces adenosine. That is why coffee invigorates for a while.
What to do if you still want to sleep
1. Get enough sleep
Sometimes you can use coffee, but it is more effective and healthier to get enough sleep. Rest at night should be complete. The norm for an adult is 7-9 hours.
Experts recommend taking care not only of the duration of sleep but also of its quality.
Cut out stimulants (coffee, energy drinks) and think about the causes of daytime sleepiness. If it’s a lack of sleep, you need to get enough sleep on a regular basis, not on weekends. And of course, improve your sleep conditions. Here, everything matters: the bed, mattress, pillow, the bedroom itself, air temperature, humidity, air freshness, the presence of allergens and, of course, light.
Elena Tsareva, somnologist
2. Relax
Have you rested enough but still nodding off? Perhaps the point is overstrained; physical or psychological. Prolonged stress leads to tiredness and loss of energy. This is a type of bodily defense mechanism. In this case, experts advise to alternate between rest and work correctly.
Also read: How To Stop Snoring Fast And Permanently
3. Eat right
In order to increase your performance, you must establish not only sleep patterns and think about nutrition. Simply adhering to dietitians' basic recommendations is sufficient.
- Eat at the same time
- Don't overeat.
- Balance your diet: Include protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates in your diet.
- Eat seasonal fruits and vegetables.
- Drink plenty of water.
4. Make an appointment with a doctor
If you follow your sleep and diet regimen and play sports, but you still want to sleep all the time, the reason is deeper. Sleepiness can be a sign of pregnancy or a serious medical condition. So see your doctor.
Adapted and translated by The Cop Cart Staff
Sources: Life hacker