- You don’t need to drink one (or several) cups of coffee every day to wake up.
- There are many science-backed ways to be more awake using just your mind, body, and environment.
Even after a good night’s sleep, all it takes is a rough commute or a frustrating meeting to make us feel down.
That’s probably why countless people reach for a cup of coffee, tea, or—God forbid—little bottles filled with nasty-tasting herbs and a mega dose of caffeine.
But there are many science-backed ways to be more awake using only the mind, body and environment. And some of them are really funny.
Below we review the tips and tricks that can help you get through the day awake without having to resort to caffeine.
Look away from the screen
Staring at the same point for a long period of time, such as a computer screen, can damage your eyes. and make you strive to keep them open.
Up to 95% of Americans are at risk for the so-called computer vision syndrome, especially those who work in an office. All that screen time causes eye irritation and dryness, eye fatigue, blurred or double vision, headaches, and shoulder and neck pain.
You can minimize the risk of eye damage by reducing the brightness on your screen, upgrading to an LCD screen, blinking frequently, correcting your posture, and looking at a distant object every 20 minutes.
Thanks for reading, now look away!
Snack on something healthy
Low blood sugar can make you feel dazed and mentally lethargic. Large meals can have the same effect, because digestion requires energy (what we in the Spanish call modorra). If you try to mask this effect with sugary foods and caffeine, you will get a momentary peak before quickly falling.
Eating something light packed with certain nutrients and good fats is one way to get the benefits naturally. One study found that a high-fiber breakfast provided the best stimulus for alertness, and high quality proteinssuch as those found in eggs, are also important. But there are a variety of foods that can help keep your energy levels high throughout the day.
Some of our favorite suggestions are avocado toast, peanut butter and celery, or carrots and hummus. Foods like spinach, beans, and lentils are also great. They are excellent sources of ironand iron deficiency is often a source of fatigue. Combining these iron-rich foods with others rich in vitamin C will help increase iron absorption.
Drink water
Dehydration consumes a lot of energyIt can cause fatigue, confusion, palpitations and fainting, according to a YouTube video from the American Chemical Society.
This is because up to 60% of the human body is water. In addition to lubricating joints and removing waste from the body, the bloodstream uses water to transport nutrients like oxygen and carbohydrates to various parts of the body, including the brain. A 2009 study by researchers at Tufts University shows that even mild levels of dehydration (a loss of 1-2% of the water in your body) are associated with fatigue and confusion.
Read more: 7-Day Routine to Become Richer, Improve Your Health and Be Happier
Go out on the street
If you’re struggling at work, a quick walk in the sunshine may be all you need to recharge. Several studies indicate that exposure to blue light during the day (a type of visible light that comes from natural sources like the sun and artificial sources like TVs, laptops, smartphones, and LED lights) Immediately improves alertness and performance.
But to keep us awake during the day, we need more than just a slightly bright screen (which can be enough to keep us awake when we’re trying to sleep at night). That’s why a dose of sunlight is ideal.while dimmer indoor lights are not enough to prevent you from falling asleep at your desk.
In a 2014 study, subjects exposed to special forms of blue light reported feeling less tired and had faster reaction times and fewer lapses in attention during memory tests.
Bright light also activates the hypothalamus, a part of the brain that controls our circadian rhythmsThese are the ones that regulate sleep and wakefulness, establishing a normal schedule for our bodies and minds.
Dance or take a quick spin
Going outside or running or quickly running up and down the stairs in your building is a great way to stay awake. One study showed that when participants exercised “during peak levels of sleepiness, “Subjective fatigue appeared partially alleviated.”
Getting up and moving around also gets your endorphins flowing. These feel-good neurotransmitters They help relieve stress and fatigue and increase feelings of euphoria.
And if you dance to your favorite songs, you’ll get the added benefits of energy-boosting music.
Take a deep breath
Calm and relaxed employees are productive employees.Breathing transfers more oxygen to various parts of your body, which can boost your energy levels and help you feel zen.
Deep breathing also decreases stress and anxiety, which in turn helps strengthen the immune systemkeeping you healthy and strong. But be sure to practice deep belly breathing to reap the benefits. Try some exercises here.
Listen to music
By giving it your all with your favorite songs, You release multiple chemicals that make you feel good and that can give you a boost.
A 2011 study found that when people listened to music — as science writer Virginia Hughes describes it — “shivers or shivers” for 15 minutes, their brains were supercharged with dopamine, a brain compound that’s linked to pleasure and reward. Your favorite tunes also trigger other feel-good chemicals, like serotonin and oxytocin.
Some studies on drowsiness have also found that music, especially loud music (that’s what headphones are for), can help keep people alertthough the effect may not be long-lasting. And certain playlists are probably better than others: “The more varied the music,” noted one 2004 review, “the more stimulating it is.”
Read more: A sleep expert explains why naps can be harmful to your health
Chew gum
Keeping your mouth busy seems to keep your mind alert, too. Some studies suggest that Chewing gum may be an effective way to reduce daytime sleepinessperhaps because the act of chewing somehow increases circulation and activates certain regions of the brain.
Recent studies have also shown that chewing gum can help people to concentrate on exams, reduce anxiety and increase reading comprehension. Just make sure you don’t make too much noise if you’re around your coworkers.
Watch funny animal videos online
Cats can be very lazy, but some people find that their furry antics provide not only a way to not only boost mood, but also combat drowsiness. Videos of other animals might also help, according to a 2012 study.
In a study published in June 2015 that surveyed 7,000 cat video enthusiasts, respondents said that watching cat videos online boosted their energy levels, improved their mood and minimized their negative feelings, LiveScience reports.
Fans of these videos reported feeling “significantly lower levels of exhaustion and significantly higher levels of energy after watching them than before.” One important caveat: The study did not measure whether the videos actually had these effects, only whether participants felt they had them.
Increases in oxytocin, a neurotransmitter that increases feelings of trust and excitement, and a decrease in cortisol, a compound linked to stress, have been linked to our in-person interactions with animalsThere’s a possibility that similar effects could be at play with our reactions to cute animal videos, but more research is needed to clarify exactly what’s going on.
If all else fails, take a nap
As long as it’s not for too long or too close to bedtime, take a nap of about 5 to 25 minutes 6 to 7 hours before bedtime normally. It’s a great way to recharge your energy.
Spending much more time than that means that post sleep grogginess will kick in, leaving you inactive after you wake up. Longer naps, up to an hour, can sometimes be worth it, as long as you can afford to spend that moment afterwards groggy.
A 2008 study found that An afternoon nap was better than sleeping more at night and using caffeine to overcome a midday slump. Other studies have shown that sleep improves learning, memory and creative thinking, and even quick six-minute naps help people retain information better than if they hadn’t slept at all.
“Naps, in contrast to caffeine, have been shown to improve not only alertness and attention, but also some forms of memory consolidation,” say researchers at the University of California-San Diego.
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