Caffeine-free ways to stay awake
Ever planned to pull an all-nighter and landed up sprawled out on the couch less than half way through? Seems like it's impossible to do it without a big ol' mug of coffee, huh? But then you have the wise words of the fitness expert on how bad caffeine is playing at the back of your mind. You wonder: to drink or not to drink?
You no longer have to deal with the guilt. We got experts to give us 10 caffeine-free ways to help you stay awake even all night if you have to!
You no longer have to deal with the guilt. We got experts to give us 10 caffeine-free ways to help you stay awake even all night if you have to!
Power naps!
Got a long meeting and an even longer discussion ahead of you? Lock yourself away from all activities and grab a quick power nap. Every human body needs a minimum of seven to eight hours of sleep every night as the body's repair and maintenance department gets functioning only when you are sleeping. A power nap will leave your body energised and help you recover from loss of sleep.
"Executives these days have sleeping bags in their cabins for this very purpose! You must try and fit in your power nap during your lunch break itself. Even laying back on your chair for a limited time will rejuvenate you completely. You could sleep with a pen in hand so that you wake up when it falls down! " suggests fitness expert Leena Mogre, Director of Leena Mogre's Fitness. But, your power nap should not go beyond 15 to 20 minutes as you'll wake up to a rather grumpy self if you slip into a deep slumber!
"Executives these days have sleeping bags in their cabins for this very purpose! You must try and fit in your power nap during your lunch break itself. Even laying back on your chair for a limited time will rejuvenate you completely. You could sleep with a pen in hand so that you wake up when it falls down! " suggests fitness expert Leena Mogre, Director of Leena Mogre's Fitness. But, your power nap should not go beyond 15 to 20 minutes as you'll wake up to a rather grumpy self if you slip into a deep slumber!
Breathe in
Yes! Breathe! Take deep breaths and relax. "Deep breathing will help you fight the urge to fall asleep right there and then. It helps increase the oxygen concentration in your body, which helps in making you more alert. When you start feeling drowsy, you must breathe deep for about 10 minutes as it relaxes you to a great extent," Dr. Dhwanika Kapadia suggests.
Stay on your feet
Come on! Do not act like a bean bag! Avoid slouching and slipping into a comfortable chair. It's sure to put you to sleep. Stand up, stretch and move around as far as possible. Walk up and down stairs or simply step out for a bit. Walk up to the restroom or the water cooler or simply move about in circles!
Stay cold
If you are all warm and comfortable, you are bound to snuggle up and slip into slumberland! So we suggest you stay cold. It could help in pulling you out of your comfort zone and will help you concentrate better. Dr Dhwanika Kapadia suggests splashing your face with cold water every now and then to jerk yourself out of slumber!
Get creative
The best way to get yourself to sit upright and stay awake is to take up an assignment that needs you to be creative! If your work desk or study table looks too drab and dead, think of ways to pep it up! Thinking is a way to divert your sleepy mind. Think hard to find the solution to a mind-boggling problem that has tormented you all along. Think of what you could wear for the rest of the days of the week! The secret lies in 'thinking' about things that you have ignored so far.
Work on the diet
Eating fruits on an empty stomach to raise your glucose level and provide you a boost of energy. Also plan snacks ahead of time and eat smaller meals that are healthy. Avoid heavy meals as they make you drowsy.
"Afternoon and late night are times when the body craves a sugary snack but avoid those and choose whole grains or proteins to remain alert. Multi-grain biscuits, protein-rich snacks like a brown bread chicken / paneer sandwich, chana, soya sticks etc are great options" advises dietician Sushila Sharangdhar.
Fitness expert Leena Mogre believes one must avoid foods with a high sugar content like white flour, fruit juices, energy and meal replacement bars and desserts as after a sudden shoot in the blood sugar level, the energy levels in the body drastically collapses making the person feel exhausted and sleepy.
"Afternoon and late night are times when the body craves a sugary snack but avoid those and choose whole grains or proteins to remain alert. Multi-grain biscuits, protein-rich snacks like a brown bread chicken / paneer sandwich, chana, soya sticks etc are great options" advises dietician Sushila Sharangdhar.
Fitness expert Leena Mogre believes one must avoid foods with a high sugar content like white flour, fruit juices, energy and meal replacement bars and desserts as after a sudden shoot in the blood sugar level, the energy levels in the body drastically collapses making the person feel exhausted and sleepy.
Sip on water
Water has never done anyone any harm and will certainly help you fight the urge to crash! Water increases the percentage of oxygen in our body, it helps flush out toxins and eventually your body will act less lethargic and lousy!
"Kill the urge for coffee with a healthy cup of green tea which is an excellent anti-oxidant. It is extremely beneficial to diabetics, increases your rate of metabolism and helps you shed that extra flab!" suggests dietician Maithili Pashtekar. Also, we think constantly sipping on liquids will make you want to rush to the restroom more often, which is an excellent way to ensure you don't fall blissfully asleep in your seat!
"Kill the urge for coffee with a healthy cup of green tea which is an excellent anti-oxidant. It is extremely beneficial to diabetics, increases your rate of metabolism and helps you shed that extra flab!" suggests dietician Maithili Pashtekar. Also, we think constantly sipping on liquids will make you want to rush to the restroom more often, which is an excellent way to ensure you don't fall blissfully asleep in your seat!
Strike up a conversation
Peep into the cubicle next to yours, punch numbers on your phone or surprise your next door neighbour. Make sure you talk to people! You could share bizarre news updates with them or tell them about the girl who teamed yellow pants with a red shirt! An interesting chat is sure to liven you up! And it is an excellent way of catching up with people!
Munch on something
Chewing gum is an age old past time and not many people fall asleep while doing so! Act health-conscious and opt for a gum that is sugar-free. You could also munch on something that is spicy as spicy foods get endorphins running in your body and can have an awakening effect similar to caffeine.
"Munch on almonds, walnuts and peanuts. They are extremely healthy if eaten with proper discretion. They help energise you and won't make you gain weight!" says Leena Mogre. And while we are at it, avoid dairy products and bananas in particular as they're known to be 'sleeping pills in a peel!'
"Munch on almonds, walnuts and peanuts. They are extremely healthy if eaten with proper discretion. They help energise you and won't make you gain weight!" says Leena Mogre. And while we are at it, avoid dairy products and bananas in particular as they're known to be 'sleeping pills in a peel!'
Alert yourself
If you are in the middle of a meeting or a class and can't afford to move around to freshen up, we suggest you grab a notepad and make note of every little word you hear! A rather quirky advice would be to pull your ear lobes or tickle the top of your mouth cavity! I tried this to keep myself from dozing off, and guess what, it works!
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