It is always tempting to sip a cup of hot coffee when you feel sleepy at work. In fact, one of the easiest ways to stay awake and alert is by consuming caffeine. If you rely on coffee to stay awake during work hours, you are not the only one. However, consuming large quantities of caffeine comes with its own risks. According to research by Mayo Clinic, consuming up to 400 milligrams of coffee (around four cups of brewed coffee) appears to be safe. Any extra caffeine consumption can lead to side effects like headaches, insomnia, frequent urination, and others.
Moreover, the energy boost from coffee wears off after some time, leaving you tired as earlier. Feeling sluggish at work but still want to stay at the top of your game is a common concern for all. Fortunately, there are plenty of natural ways to stay awake and perk yourself up. In this article, we have listed down 8 ways to stay awake without caffeine.
8 Tricks to Stay Awake Without Coffee Naturally
1) Stretch
When you feel sluggish, take a break from whatever you are doing and get some good stretching for yourself. Start with your eyes and neck, and then stretching your arms, wrists, and legs. A good stretch helps you unwind all your worries and relax your body. You should also practice a few conscious deep breathing steps and relax yourself. With this, you allow a greater supply of oxygen in your body, helping you stay awake and alert naturally.
2) Take a Power Nap
When you feel sleepy, coffee is the first thing that strikes your mind to help you stay awake. But alternatively, why don’t you actually sleep? A 20-minute power nap helps wonderfully to restore your energy. When you want to stay awake without caffeine, you can indulge yourself in a quick power nap. Your mind would receive great restorative benefits in the first couple of minutes, and you will wake up refreshed. You will be able to start your work with better concentration and improved alertness.
3) Try stimulating Breathing
Simple breathing exercises and yoga stimulates blood flow to your brain and body and signals them to increase your alertness. As an ideal practice, try some deep breathing exercises whenever you feel tired and lethargic. Close your eyes and mouth and breath rapidly through your nose. By inhaling and exhaling rapidly through your nose, you can give your mind a break and rejuvenate them. Once you get this into a regular practice, you will not need coffee every few hours to stay awake and alert.
4) Exercise
Exercising is a great way to boost your energy cells and keeps your blood flowing. Exercise triggers the release of norepinephrine that helps you stay awake and alert naturally. Whenever you feel tired while working, ditch your regular coffee and try moving around- a brisk walk across the garden, a light stretch, or some form of exercise. This will help you boost your physical and mental health and keep you alert naturally. In fact, it is highly recommended that you include an hour of exercise in your regular morning routine to stay alert throughout the day.
5) Stay under the sun
Sunlight exposure triggers the release of serotonin, a mood-boosting hormone, in your brain. It also reduces the production of melatonin, a hormone that makes you feel sleepy. This hormone secretion results in a positive and motivated state of mind. Hence, whenever you feel challenging to stay alert at work, get out of your desk and expose yourself to the sun. Moreover, sunlight also keeps your biological clock on track, maintaining a healthy routine of sleeping and waking up.
6) Get up and move around
Give yourself a break! Whether you are working from home or at the office, being constantly glued to your computer screens fades away your energy to work. Take your eyes off from the screen for some time and follow other eye strain home remedies to rejuvenate them. You can also go for a brisk walk to pump up the oxygen flow in your body, making you feel alert naturally. In addition, chatting up with your colleagues about matters other than work can also help you relax. Conversing with colleagues has a refreshing impact on your brain and boosts your mood further. Hence, it can help you stay awake even without caffeine.
7) Listen to music
Music has special soothing effects and energizing powers. Whenever you feel tired during the day, plug in your headphones, and listen to your favorite music. Bass and sound stimulate your mind and also has a calming effect on your mind. Moreover, some songs also keep you motivated to work harder in a relaxed state of mind, thereby improving your productivity.
8) Stay hydrated
Fatigue and lethargy is a common result of dehydration, so ensure that you drink enough water throughout the day. It is generally recommended to drink 6-8 glasses of water every day because watery fluids clean your circulatory system and get your blood flowing. This eventually helps you stay awake naturally, without resorting to caffeine. Moreover, for students who have a plethora of assignments to complete, it is advised to include drinking a glass of water in their college morning routine because staying hydrated and consuming water is one of the most natural ways to stay awake.
Some Alternative Morning Drinks
We are not asking to restrict your caffeine consumption completely; instead, try some alternatives for that. Here are four quick of coffee alternatives that can help you stay energized throughout the day without any adverse effects to worry about.
- Green Tea: Reduce your dependency on caffeine and switch to green tea for an energetic and healthy day. Green tea keeps away your lethargy without adding to your calories. Moreover, green tea contains natural antioxidants that prevent cell damage. Consuming green tea regularly helps you stay active and alert throughout the day.
- Kombucha: Made by fermenting black tea with bacteria, yeast, and sugar, Kombucha offers plenty of health benefits. It contains probiotics, acetic acid, and antioxidants that can boost your immune level, improve your cholesterol levels, and keep your energy intact.
- Coconut Water: Coconut water’s sweet taste offers a refreshing alternative to the bitter taste of coffee. It is packed with nutrients and helps you stay alert. Consuming a glass of coconut water in the morning can help you stay awake without any lethargy. Moreover, coconut water is known to improve blood pressure, boost your immunity, preserve kidney function, and give a reliable energy boost.
- Turmeric Milk: Popularly known as Golden Milk, it is made with Indian spices like ginger, turmeric, black pepper, cardamom, and cinnamon. It offers a rich substitute for coffee and has strong anti-inflammatory properties that help you stay awake throughout the day. Moreover, black pepper also increases your body’s ability to absorb fat and keeps you in proper shape throughout.
Takeaways
Many people go straight to their favorite cup of coffee when feeling low and tired. But this quick caffeine fix comes with its own downsides. Hence, try these alternative ways to stay awake and energized without your cup of Joe as a crutch. So, when you are at work and need to stay alert, ditch your regular cup of coffee, and fight fatigue with these 8 tips mentioned above. However, if your sluggishness still continues, consult your doctor for timely action.
