Here are some pick-me-ups to get you through midday.
Everybody’s gotten tired of their jobs at one point or another – it’s one of the few experiences that almost everyone has encountered, be it a part-time stint at the fast food joint, or a counter cashier at the supermarket. However, getting tired on the job is also another inconvenient experience that most of us have gone through.
Scientific research has shown that between two to four pm, our core temperatures begin to drop and our brains release melatonin (the sleepy hormone), which causes that afternoon slump that we’re all so familiar with. Fret not – here are some pick-me-ups to get you through midday that doesn’t involve coffee.
Get Moving
The last thing you’d feel like doing when you’re dozing off is to exercise and move around, but many research and studies have shown that physical activity can boost energy levels. We’re not saying you have to bust out your gym gear and start doing jumping jacks and burpees in the office, but you can’t fall asleep if you’re walking around your workspace, or going outside for a breath of fresh air.
Most employers wouldn’t mind you taking a few minutes away from your desk, especially knowing that it will make you more productive and alert when you come back.
Chill with cold water
If you’ve ever dunked yourself into a cold pool, you’d know the surge of energy that immediately runs through your body. So it might not surprise you to know that cold water can help to perk us up. According to a research by University of Chicago, test subjects performed better on a standard alertness test when exposed to ice water.
There might not be a pool for you to jump into when you’re at work, but for a quick pick-me-up, you can head into the pantry and run an ice cube over your wrists. Splashing water onto your face can help too!
Reach for some nuts
Don’t give in to the temptation of reaching for sugar! They can give you a quick boost, but ultimately they leave you more sluggish than before. There’s no reason to turn to sugar when there are so many other snacks that are healthier and can give you a better energy boost. Try peanuts, walnuts, cashews or hazelnuts. They are nutritious, convenient to keep at your desk, and best of all rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are absolutely essential in combating fatigue.
Peppermint oil
Scents such as lavender help us to relax, but there are also scents that can invigorate. One of them is peppermint. A natural stimulant, peppermint can help improve concentration as well as give you a faster turnaround time in your work duties. You can easily keep a small inconspicuous bottle of peppermint oil at your table, or a stash of mint tea and mints. You can even use mint lotion! The cooling and tingly sensation on your skin can be very refreshing.
Eat some yogurt
Rich in probiotics, you might be surprised to learn that yogurt can help to fend off fatigue. Other than helping you to maintain a healthy digestive system, yogurt is also great energy boosting food. As compared to solid foods, its soft texture can be easily digested and converted to energy. If you suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome, yogurt can help you with your symptoms, as the syndrome is thought to be partly caused by a lack of “good” bacteria in the digestive system.
Get enough sleep
This is pretty self explanatory – lack of sleep is one of the leading causes of daytime fatigue. There are many people who say that they’re not morning people. But if you were to ask them for the time that they go to bed, their response might be, ‘I don’t know, maybe one am?’ Well… Yeah. If you go to bed at one and wake up at seven for your work at nine, you’re running on six hours of sleep for a nine-hour day.
Finding out how much sleep you need can be tricky, because the fact is that it varies from person to person, and it’s not something that remains as a constant throughout your life. Listen to your body, because it’s crucial in achieving your fullest potential at work.
Don’t skip breakfast
It is important to give your body fuel to burn. Breakfast will boost your metabolism and help you maintain your energy throughout the day. As the brain relies on glucose as fuel, choose foods that are rich in carbohydrates such as wholegrain bread or oatmeal. Avoid high fat, high salt or sugary foods. The food that you start your day with can have a big impact on how the rest of your day goes.
Stand up
We know that sitting down all day is pretty bad for us, but the idea of working while standing up isn’t exactly thrilling either. Working in a chair is definitely more comfortable, but you don’t really want to comfortable when you’re falling asleep. You might not have the desk for it, but you can simply put a block or a thick book underneath your laptop or keyboard to bring it up to you. Many desktop screens nowadays can also be tilted upwards so you can work at standing height. It might not be the most comfortable way to work, but you’ll have a much harder time falling asleep while you’re on your feet.
That mid-afternoon drop in energy is directly linked to the brain’s circadian rhythm, and although we might not be able to avoid it entirely, the ways above will help reduce the severity of the energy slump and keep you going when your engine sputters.
However, in some cases fatigue is a symptom of an underlying medical problem. If sufficient sleep, good nutrition and the tips above cannot help you relieve or improve the symptoms of your fatigue, you may want to get an evaluation from your doctor to rule out health problems.
