How to Keep Yourself Awake Even Though You're Tired

Lack of sleep at night will cause you to feel tired the next day. Fatigue makes it difficult to get through the day and to accomplish tasks with optimal efficiency. While you may be able to take a nap, it's not wise to do so because the nap could interfere with you going to sleep at a decent hour. The best thing you can do is to keep yourself awake when you're tired so that the cycle doesn't repeat itself the next day.

Instructions

• 1

  Get up from your desk and move around or go take a short walk. A 10-minute walk can increase your energy for up to two hours because it provides oxygen to your brain and muscles.

• 2

  Drink water and eat foods that have high water content such as fruits and vegetables. Water helps keep you awake because dehydration causes fatigue.

• 3

  Don't overeat. Eat smaller meals throughout the day to maintain your energy level. Big meals deplete your energy level and leave you feeling tired.

• 4

  Talk to someone. Go to a coworker's desk and start a conversation. Call someone on the phone if you're home alone. Stimulating conversation makes your mind alert so you don't feel as tired.

• 5

  Eat a healthy snack rather than a snack filled with sugar. Sugary snacks give you a burst of energy, but leave you feeling fatigued shortly afterward. Healthy snacks provide energy without the fatigue.

• 6

  Brighten the room. The body is conditioned to be more alert in brighter rooms just as it is conditioned to become drowsy when it is dark or gloomy.

• 7

  Perform deep breathing exercises at your desk by inhaling from the abdomen. Breathing improves your circulation, slows your heart rate and lowers your blood pressure. These functions contribute to your energy level and mental performance.

• 8

  Work on something else if possible. Monotonous work contributes to fatigue. Do something more stimulating during the times when you feel most tired.

• 9

  Play your favorite music to help you stay alert and energized.

• 10

  Get some sunlight to temporarily revive yourself. Sunlight regulates your sleep-wake cycle and refreshes you each time you expose yourself to it.

• 11

  Drink coffee or an energy drink for temporary burst of energy. However, relying on these items can become a habit and can negatively affect your sleep habits.

• 12

  Get out of bed. The longer you linger in bed in the morning, the more likely you are to go back to sleep. Avoid lying down at all during the day if you want to stay awake.