Lots of people find it difficult to function through out the day simply because they didn’t get enough sleep the night before. It’s hard to stay focused at work, difficult to get tasks done around the house, and impossible to stay motivated for the rest of the day. Here are six easy enough tips to help perk you up and hopefully get you a better night sleep tonight.
Drink coffee or take caffeine supplements.
That doesn’t mean you should take the whole pot of it with you on the way to work this morning. About 2 or 3 cups maximum will give you an even level of alertness without risk of crashing later. If you don’t like drinking coffee, green or black tea will also give you the same boost of energy. Other options include caffeine pills and energy drinks, but should still be taken with caution since that can affect people differently.
Stay away from sugar.
If you want throw in a soda or candy bar with your lunch that’s fine, but relying on it to keep you awake wont work as well as you might think. Energy from sugar doesn’t last very long and can easily start an unhealthy craving for the entire day. Make sure other foods you eat have fruits and proteins to give your body natural energy, as well as taking in fewer carbs so your body doesn’t burn all of its energy digesting your meal.
Take a break.
Don’t push your body to stay focused on a task for long amounts of time. Taking a break will keep your mind fresh and make it easier to focus when you get back to working. Even a short nap can make a huge difference on how you feel for the rest of the day. Going out and talking a slow walk can also be helpful since we get natural vitamins from the sun.
Simplify your day.
Try to cut down on your workload for the day. It will help lower your stress if your day isn’t crammed to full of tasks. Take some extra time for yourself and don’t push through your work if you feel like you wont be able to do a good job.
Avoid driving if you can.
Driving while drowsy or sleepy after a restless night is dangerous and causes more accidents than people realize. See if you can take a buss or if a friend can drive you to work that day. If you do have to drive, try not to wear your sunglasses. The bright light will boot your energy and stimulate you.
Turn in early tonight.
Last thing you can do to help make sure you get a better night sleep is to simply go to bed earlier tonight. You know you need it and so does your body. Hopefully your body will take the extra one or two hours and let you wake up at a normal time so you can catch up on however many hours you missed the previous night. See if maybe changing your sleeping position or listening to soft music will help you sleep any better if your still having trouble.
For more tips for healthy living go to WebMD.com.
-Dan Schmidt (Intern)
