We all love to catch up with some sound sleep at night after working for long hours throughout the day. However, at times, you cannot afford to sleep because of some urgent work at hand. If you are a working professional, then it could be the deadline that force you to stay awake.
On the other hand, students burn the midnight oil mostly during examination. There are some people who find it difficult to stay awake even during the day at workplace or while in class. In different sections of this article we have given tips on how to keep yourself awake in various situations.
How to Keep Yourself Awake at Work?
There are many people who complain that they feel sleepy after eating in their workplace. Some good ways to stay awake at work are as follows:
Eat Right
There are some foods that you need to avoid in your lunch as they induce sleep. They are: fatty foods, potatoes, white rice, pasta, dessert, sweets, etc. Overeating or one full meal can also make you sleepy. So, keep your lunch light.
Take a Walk
A short walk after lunch is the best way to control sleep at work. This will improve blood flow in the body which in turn will increase brain activity. Thus you can be more alert and focus completely on your work.
Make your Seat Uncomfortable
When you are seated on a soft, comfortable chair, you feel relaxed and that make you more sleepy. So, sit on a chair which has a firm and straight back. Position your feet uncomfortably. With so much of physical discomfort, you just cannot feel like falling asleep.
How to Keep Yourself Awake in Class?
You feel so helpless when you feel sleepy while attending your class. You have to involve yourself in any such activities, that do not catch attention of your teacher. Here are a few suggestions:
Sing a Song
Listening music can perk up your mood any time you know. But, it will be too risky inside the class as your teacher can easily notice the headphone and chord. So, why not you sing your favorite song yourself? Hey, don’t sing it loud okay? Sing the song in your head and tap your feet softly on the floor. I am sure you will enjoy!
Scribble on a Paper
Keep writing something on a paper. It could be a story, a poem or song lyrics. Even drawing sketches is not a bad idea! However, it needs a lot of attention and the chances of getting caught is much higher. So, do not forget to make a few eye contacts with your teacher to give an impression that you are listening to the class.
Be Attentive in the Class
On a serious note, you cannot ignore the importance of attending the class simply because you feel bored and sleepy. Try to have fun in learning new things. When you put all your attention on what is being taught in the class, then I personally feel that you do not have to try out any tricks to keep yourself awake.
How to Keep Yourself Awake all Night?
‘How to stay awake all night’ is the most common question that we come across. This is because staying awake all night is the most challenging. Falling asleep at night is a part of natural mechanism of the body. Try the following tips and tricks to stay awake:
Listen to Loud Music
Nothing can be more energizing than listening to some peppy numbers. To distract yourself from sleep, you are free to sing along the song. This way you can spend hours without even realizing that the night is over. This works really well particularly when you are on a long distance drive.
Splash Water on your Face
If you are a student and you plan to study all night long, then start your night by splashing some cold water on you face. You will feel fresh almost instantly. Keep a bowl of cold water on your study table and sprinkle it on your face from time to time as and when you feel sleepy.
Take Some Drinks
Caffeine works as an excellent stimulant and keep you alert. Have a cup of coffee when you feel sleepy. If you do not prefer coffee, then you can have a cup of tea to refresh yourself. Those who are more health conscious can replace tea or coffee with herbal tea and energy drinks.
How to Keep Yourself Awake for Days?
Staying awake for several days for double shift work or any other reasons is not at all easy. A few simple ways to stay awake are given below:
- When you know that you cannot sleep for next few nights, then catch up with some sleep in advance. On the previous night, sleep for 10-12 hours. Also try to get some afternoon nap before the start of consecutive sleepless nights.
- When you cannot sleep for long hours, then take small naps of short duration. Sit in a quiet and comfortable place and sleep for 20-30 minutes and not more than that. This will reduce constant drowsiness that you feel and make your mind fresh.
- To relax the fatigue muscles of your body, use acupressure. Exert mild pressure with the tips of your fingers on the top of the head, back of the neck, back of the knee earlobes and in between the fingers. This will improve blood circulation and keep your mind alert.
- We all know that peppermint has got a strong, refreshing smell which when inhaled can wake you up instantly. It also act as an excellent stress reliever.
Hope you got a clear idea from this article on how to stay awake. Do not expect that all the suggestions that are given in this article will work for you. It is your responsibility to find out which one works best for you.
