10 Tips to Not Feel Sleepy At Work Place

It’s already 11.00 AM, and your office is at its peak in completing a project before its deadline. And, here you are, trying to stifle yawning while still wishing to remain sleeping on your mattress at home.

Many have gone through the challenging stage of feeling drowsy at the office when there is a mountain of unfinished business.

You may wonder what makes you feel so tired during bright daylight, but it may be your old mattress, a bad dream, or a pet’s nagging for food the whole night. Whatever may be the reason, you try to stay awake and work in the office to avoid escalations while emptying those coffee cups one after another.

However, drinking those coffee cups may not be enough to keep you awake sometimes and make you more moody, lethargic, and have heartburn due to excessive caffeine consumption.

So we have gathered some best tips for you about how to stop falling asleep during office hours and attend those lengthy meetings without yawning.

Water is the key

Water makes up 60% of our body and works as a lubricant for joints and the spine. Also, it prevents you from dehydration and further feeling drowsy.

Drink water

So make sure to keep an adequate intake of water every day. According to research, men should drink around 3.5 litres of water a day, and women should intake 2.7 liters a day.

Divide water into several glasses and set a reminder to drink a glass of water every hour for better results.

Wash your face

Also, splashing cold water on your face works miracles by refreshing you. Try washing your face now and then if you are feeling sleepy. It also soothes your sore eyes after continuously looking at the computer screen.

Cold shower

If you work from home, consider taking a cold or lukewarm water shower. It rejuvenates your body by soothing tired muscles and rejuvenates your mood.

Constant working turns out to be tiresome. It drains you out to the level that you feel sleepy. So, taking a break of 5 to 10 minutes frequently rather than one long break works wonders to clear your mind, take away your sleepiness and increase focus and productivity.

Take a break

Italian Francesco Cirillo’s “The Pomodoro Technique” is an effective solution for many sleepy heads in the workplace.

According to the technique, the steps involved

• Select a project, set a timer for 25 to 30 minutes, and begin working
• As the set timer ends, take a short break of 2 to 5 minutes
• Work for 4 sessions like this, and at the end of the fourth session, take an extended break
• Repeat the process again

Chit-chat with co-workers

Humans are social animals who can’t stay alone or quiet for long. It makes them agitated, frustrated, and depressed if they don’t socialize for a long time, and their brain signals them to sleep or shut down after tiring themselves out from all this emotional chaos.

Chatting with co-workers or going on a break with them lifts your mood and keeps your mind awake. It also helps you get a new perspective on work and other general topics.

If you are working from home, try to connect with your co-workers via team meetings, calls, or possibly communicate with your family, friends, or neighbors.

Avoid suga

Eating sugar or food and drinks high in sugar surely helps your energy level get elevated in no time. However, many people don’t know that as quickly as your energy level rises, it drains down the same way, making you feel tired and sleepy.

And you already know that excessive sugar intake leads to an accumulation of fats which can further cause liver diseases, diabetes, and blood and heart diseases.

Avoid sugar or sugar-containing drinks and food as much as possible. Instead of that, eat other healthy food items.

Healthy food

Eating sugar and caffeine indeed helps you get instant energy, but in the long term, it has adverse effects on health.

Instead of that, eating healthy food and snacks provides you with the required vitamins and proteins. It also steadily improves your health and energy level and helps you stay energized throughout the day.

Some food and snack items that you can always munch on while in the office are;

• Almonds, nuts, and other dry fruits
• Bananas, Apples, and seasonal fruits
• Roasted peanuts and chickpeas,
• Seeds Granola bars

An insider: munching on healthy snacks during working hours also keeps you busy and away from sleepiness.

Listen to music

Music is a therapy that has solutions for many problems, including sleepiness during working hours. It helps you during happiness, and depression, helps you to sleep or stay awake, and so on.

Listen to music that helps you concentrate on work, such as instrumental or classics, or try some upbeat music to get you out of a sleepy trance.

Turn on the lights

Our circadian rhythm works in daylight, and our brain releases hormones related to sleep and wake; according to it, if you are working in darker surroundings, then the brain gets a signal to release melatonin which induces sleep.

Lighten up the area where you sit to work; it will signal your brain to release cortisol, an awakeness-inducing hormone.

If possible, sit near a window to get natural light to remain naturally awake.

Do stretches and walking

Exercise is the best option to increase body heat which keeps you awake. However, it becomes impossible to do a hard-core fitness regime during office hours.

Try some stretches in a chair and some sitting exercises. Go on a short walk to the office campus. Avoid moving in a chair to take a printout or photocopy; instead, get up and walk up to the machine.

Avoid chatting with a co-worker who is sitting a little further from you via teams or chatting apps. Instead, go to their desk.

Drink coffee, tea

Though many say to avoid caffeine product usage, a slight intake now and then won’t harm that much.

However, avoid drinking coffee or tea post afternoon as caffeine remains in our body for almost 9 hours more or less. And drinking it 9 hours before night can keep you awake during the night, further invoking sleepiness during working hours.

Try to get enough sleep at night

If you have completed your night’s sleep without any issues, you wake up fresh, remain in a good mood, and are energetic throughout the day. According to research, adults require an average of 7 to 8 hours of sleep. So ensure that you take it.

Also, don’t forget to maintain a sleep routine and hygiene to help you sleep better.

You can

• Low down bedroom temperature
• Turn off all the lights
• Use the best mattress according to your sleep position, height, and weight
• Use a pillow to support your head and neck
• Use comforters to keep you cozy and warm
• Keep cleanliness in the bedroom

Bottom Line

Remember, feeling sleepy in the office sometimes is normal and happens with almost everyone at least once in their lifetime. And, with the tips mentioned above, you can surely get back on track to finish your project in time.

But if the continuous occurrence of these is a sign that you need to take significant action and may visit a doctor.