We have all had those days when we want to use our desk as a pillow and count down the seconds till the end of the day. This is caused by a number of factors such as late nights and interrupted sleep all which can slow you down at work and ruin your mood throughout the day. Tired of feeling groggy and having grumpy days, try these tips to avoid daytime sleepiness.
SLOW DOWN ON THE CAFFEINE
At work it can sometimes become a habit or a social ritual to have a coffee break. However, this can affect your sleeping pattern so a great tip is to slow down on the caffeine. Although it will keep you going in the morning to tackle the rest of your day, it can also keep you up at night. Avoid drinking caffeine within 4 to 6 hours of going to bed in order to reduce your chances of feeling drowsy.
KEEP YOUR BED A DISTRACTION FREE ZONE
Most of us have got into a habit of laying in bed on our phones, tablets or laptops whether it’s checking out the latest trends on our social media news feeds, chatting till late hours to friends or watching late night movies. The brightness of your screen can have an impact on you having a decent night’s sleep. The light prevents our brains from releasing a hormone called melatonin which tells our bodies it’s time for bed. So power down for the night.
CREATE A SLEEPING SCHEDULE
Our bodies like to stick to a routine so maintain a schedule of going to bed and waking up at the same time. Your body will be able to recognise this pattern and know when it needs to sleep and when it is time to wake up. On the weekends we may feel tempted to slip from this routine, but in order to get a decent night’s sleep, stick to the routine throughout the weekends too.
WORRY LESS, SLEEP MORE
If you’re like me, as soon as your head hits the pillow all these thoughts rush to your head. In these instances, keep a notepad near your bed to take a note of all your worries. This will ease your anxiety levels of forgetting important things and allow your mind to relax and go to sleep.
STAY HYDRATED
Keep hydrated throughout the day as dehydration can make you feel tired. You can try experimenting with your water by adding a slice of orange, lemon or cucumber to your water. This will leave you feeling refreshed and energised.
KEEP YOURSELF ENGAGED
Once boredom kicks in, tiredness usually follows. So switch between tasks in order to keep your mind motivated. Focusing on one task for ages can lead to your brain burning out and giving you that drowsiness feeling.
The above tips are some of the ways I deal with getting out of that slump and keeping awake through the day. It comes down to maintaining a routine which your body clock will recognise, keeping hydrated and your mind alert at work.
