Sleepy Head

I work during the night and the only problem I have encountered is staying awake at work. That alone is so hard for me. Maybe I am just starting to adjust my body clock because I used to work during the day for almost 4 months. In order to fight this weakness of mine, I surfed the Internet for tips and articles on how to stay awake at work.

Google search led me to these simple tips and found it quite fascinating. I was hoping that these pointers may help me on how to stay awake while working hours.

Sleep – If you know ahead of time that you will need to be up the whole night, then try to get some extra sleep the day before or even take a nap just before you have to go in. Even a little bit of extra sleep will go a long way.

Do not make yourself comfortable – Sitting in a cozy chair with your feet up and a blanket over your legs is a sure fire way to lose the battle against sleepiness from the start. Find an uncomfortable chair and do not prop your feet. You may even want to keep changing the settings on the chair every couple of hours.

Food and drink – Stick to high sugar and small meals with cold drinks. A warm drink or a full belly will put your lights out in a minute.

Stretch it out – Get up and walk around every couple of hours to increase your breathing and heart rate. Not moving will slow these and make sleepy time a matter of fact.

Cold vs. Warm – as a person who could do without winter as a whole, I hate this idea but it must be added. Keep yourself cold, turn down the temperature in the room. I can testify with a slight chill I will wake in the middle of any deep slumber. You lose most of your heat from your feet, hands, and head. Try not to cover them. Slip your shoes off under your desk and don’t sit on your feet.

Carbon dioxide – Short periods of increased carbon dioxide can and will wake you to your fullest. Do not do this if you currently are under any health concerns or risks. Breathing quickly into a brown paper bag for a minute will increase your carbon dioxide level, waking your brain while  releasing adrenaline.

Cold water – By washing your face with some cold water it will refresh you for a short time allowing you to keep working.

Taste – There are certain tastes that will keep your eyes open. Bitter, Mint flavor, or something tart will keep your senses stimulated. This could be as simple as sucking on a breath mint.

Loud – Loud music with a quick tempo will keep your ears and eyes open. Try to stay way from the elevator or symphony music that will lull you out for sure.”