How to Fight Drowsiness

So, you have been feeling sleepy and lethargic all the time! You are not alone. More and more people are joining this ever increasing community of drowsiness. This sleepiness during the day can make you irritable and hamper your normal routine. Most of the people look for coffee and energy drinks to fight off drowsiness. Caffeine may help you stay awake for a while but what about all those side effects that it brings on with it? You are becoming unhealthy by fighting your drowsiness this way, with caffeine! Let’s find out the healthier ways to fight drowsiness. But stop! Let’s first have a look at causes of drowsiness.

Causes of Drowsiness :

These are the common causes of drowsiness in daily life:

• Sleeplessness (due to stress, depression or other medical condition or any other reason)
• Sleep disorders (such as sleep apnea and narcolepsy)
• Insomnia
• Hypercalcemia (too much calcium in blood)
• Hypothyroidism
• Hyponatremia (low blood sodium)
• Diabetes
• Odd working hours (night shifts, working at weekends or for continuous long hours)
• Migraine
• Other body pain
• Medicines (such as tranquilizers, sleeping pills, antihistamines)

Apart from the above causes of drowsiness, there are certain serious causes too that need immediate medical attention such as head injury, hypovolemic or hemorrhagic shock, meningitis, stroke etc.

Get sunlight or bright light :-

1. 1. Sunlight regulates your biological clock; it makes your body alert about work time.
   2. However, it might not be always possible for you to get sunlight, thanks to your ever shifting duty times.

1. In such times, keep your workplace brightly lighted.
2. This will fight off drowsiness and keep you alert.
3. Circadian rhythms or the body’s internal clock control our sleeping and waking cycle.
4. These rhythms are in turn, controlled by a part of our brain which is influenced by light.
5. However, on the way home from work, you should try to avoid bright light so that you may fall asleep easily once you reach home.
6. Also, use blackout blinds or heavy curtains so that sunlight gets blocked when you sleep during the day.
7. Uninterrupted quality sleep is essential to fight off drowsiness.

Exercise to avoid drowsiness :-

1. 1. Get some exercise daily, preferably in the morning.
   2. The adrenaline rush will help you stay more alert.
   3. One of the major causes of drowsiness is not getting sufficient physical activity.
   4. Our body is made to work and rest and not to rest always.

1. When you do not move your muscles and all that’s inside your body, you become sluggish.
2. So, make it a habit to exercise daily for at least 30 minutes.
3. This will also make you sleep better at night.

Avoid exercising close to bed time though! This will hamper your sleep and make you more sleepy the next day. But what exercises to do?

• Walk for 30-40 minutes daily
• Jog for half an hour or hit the gym and use an elliptical trainer
• Swim for 20-30 minutes
• Running is a good exercise
• Cycling too can help
• Do aerobics or yoga
• Dance to your heart!

In short, do whatever you feel like but move your body for at least 30-40 minutes a day.

Use Acupressure Points for Sleepiness, Drowsiness :-

When you feel sleepy and need to become alert, you may also take help of acupressure along with right breathing. This stimulates your nervous system and makes you alert almost instantly.

Press GV 26 Acupressure point :

It is situated at philtrum- the vertical groove between the base of your nose and the border of the upper lip.

• Press the center of this point with your index finger firmly
• While holding the point, inhale deeply, hold for a couple of seconds and exhale slowly.
• Repeat this three times.

Rub B 23 and B 47 Acupressure points :

These points are situated at lower back.

• Take your hands to your lower back.
• Now briskly rub the points at your lower back with your thumbs, up and down
• Do this for a minute

Press and Rub St 36 Acupressure points :

It is located four finger widths down from the bottom of the knee cap, along the outer boundary of your shin bone in the leg. This is also called the energy point and rejuvenates you.

• Hold the point with both your hands and press firmly.
• Using your knuckles, briskly rub up and down.
• You can do either of the above.

You need not stimulate all the acupressure points discussed above. Do any one or two, or all, whatever makes you alert and fights your drowsiness. You can do them in any order.

Splash Cold Water on your Face :-

1. 1. Whenever you feel drowsy, splash some cold water on your face.
   2. The sudden change in temperature helps dispel that sleepy feeling and improve your energy level as well as mental focus.

1. After splashing your face with cold water, stand in front of the cold draft from an air conditioner to make this water therapy even more effective.
2. You can even take a cool shower in the morning to help drive out sleepiness and also improve your blood circulation.

Drink Green Tea after Waking Up :-

1. Green tea gives you a boost of energy and stamina that last for hours and prevent drowsiness.
2. It is even effective at fighting fatigue and stress while improving mental focus.
3. In addition, the polyphenols in it help promote better sleep.
4. Drink a cup of green tea after waking up and a few more cups throughout the day. To make green tea:
5. Add 1 teaspoon of green tea leaves to a cup of hot water.
6. Cover and steep for 5 minutes.
7. Strain, sweeten with honey and drink it.

Drink Lemon Water :-

1. Drinking lemon water in the morning is another excellent way to get rid of daytime sleepiness.
2. It helps keep the body hydrated and flush out harmful toxins.
3. Dehydration affects the oxygenation of the brain, making you feel more tired and sleepy during the day.
4. Drink a glass of lemon water first thing in the morning on an empty stomach and another 1 to 2 glasses during the day.
5. To make lemon water, squeeze the juice from ½ lemon into a glass of purified, lukewarm water.
6. If you want, you can add a little honey.
7. To keep your body hydrated, also consume foods that naturally contain water, such as yogurt, broccoli, carrots and juicy fruits like watermelon, oranges and grapefruits.

Enjoy Aromatherapy :-

1. 1. Some of the best essential oils for aromatherapy include rosemary, basil and peppermint.
   2. Aromatherapy can help reduce daytime drowsiness as well as irritability, low energy, fatigue and headaches.

1. Place a few drops of your favorite essential oil on a napkin and sniff it from time to time to keep you alert and awake.
2. Aother option is to add a few drops of an essential oil of your choice to your bathwater.
3. You can even diffuse the oil throughout your office or living room for sustained results.

Don’t skip breakfast :-

1. This is the most common reason of feeling drowsiness due to low energy levels.
2. You don’t eat for almost 10-12 hours after your dinner and if you skip breakfast in the morning, how’s your body going to get its fuel! However, don’t just overload yourself with heavy foods.
3. Have a balanced breakfast consisting of fruits, cereals, lean protein and some really energetic foods such as nuts.
4. All this will help you get the required energy to survive the day without sleepiness!

Avoid having heavy lunch to fight drowsiness :-

1. Always have healthy and balanced diet
2. Junk food, spicy and fatty foods make you feel sleepy.
3. They are also harmful for your health. Have healthy foods always.
4. Include more fruits and vegetables in your diet. Cut back on simple carbohydrates like refined flour and white rice.
5. Instead of these, have complex carbohydrates like whole grains and brown rice and that too in limited amounts.
6. Your snacks should also be healthy. Have nuts, fruits, peanuts, dry fruits, salads, sprouts and other such healthy foods as snacks.
7. Make it a point not to have a heavy lunch.
8. This will help you in a major way to avoid drowsiness.

Stretch your body :-

1. This is not similar to your daily exercise.
2. Stretching your body when you are feeling sleepy in the office will instantly make you alert.
3. You don’t need to get a yoga mat or to go outside to do these stretches.
4. Just do simple stretches while sitting on your chair or standing for a minute or two.