How to stay awake all day. Turn on bright lights
It would seem in a day average person so tired that the process of falling asleep should not become a problem for him. Moreover, for some of us (the author of this material is among them), simply imagining ours is enough to induce drowsiness. But there are others - those who seem to get tired during the day and really want to sleep, but as soon as they go to bed and close their eyes, they realize that they cannot sleep.
Why do some people have trouble falling asleep? Moreover, they not only suffer for an hour or an hour and a half, but they toss and turn all night, so that they eventually wake up with one thought: “Did I sleep at all today?” Most likely, by the way, yes. Experiments using special bracelets show that even when a person seems to have not slept a wink all night, he still sleeps for about 2-4 hours, albeit rather poorly. But back to the causes of insomnia: Tech Times spoke with Sleep Science (SleepZoo) trainer Chris Brantner about this, and we summarize for you the most interesting things from the conversation.
Attention, smartphone
A Deloitte survey of 200 American users found that 81% of people within an hour. And blue light, as studies show, has a noticeable effect on our body’s tendency to fall asleep: in particular, it blocks the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates circadian rhythms, which helps the body prepare for sleep. “Start by using night mode on your smartphone, it reduces exposure blue light, advises Brantner. “Then try to stop using gadgets an hour before bed to return melatonin production to normal.”
Increased anxiety
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America stated that nearly 40 million Americans today suffer from anxiety disorders. And this, for a second, is about 18% of the US population. Despite the fact that we are talking about America, representatives of the association believe that something similar is observed in all developed countries, the population of which actively uses modern technologies in life and work (and especially in major cities). “People with generalized symptoms suffer from insomnia in half the cases. And even children diagnosed with an anxiety disorder have trouble falling asleep, says Chris Brantner.
But while anxiety is normal at some points in life, anxiety disorder- This mental disorder, albeit quite light. Experts advise people who constantly feel anxious should focus on reducing triggers before bed to help them sleep better. About what we're talking about: try, for example, dimming the lights, listening to relaxing music, taking hot bath, and to consolidate the effect, drink a cup of milk with honey or herbal tea.
Alcohol and coffee
"Caffeine and alcohol are two classic sleep quality disruptors," Brantner notes. Despite the fact that many people drink coffee and feel great all day, it is important to monitor the amount you drink. The problem is that when the body needs rest, it produces excess adenosine, making us feel tired. But caffeine stimulates the activity of the cerebral cortex and blocks adenosine receptors. Therefore, ideally, you should give up coffee and caffeine-containing drinks 6 hours before bedtime, and definitely if you periodically suffer from insomnia.
“Now about alcohol. Despite the fact that it is often used as a means for falling asleep quickly, it literally ruins the second half of your sleep, reducing the quality deep sleep, which allows the body to truly rest,” adds Brantner. According to the expert, after just a couple of hours, alcohol begins to act as a stimulant, so think a million times before drinking a glass of wine before bed. Not to mention something stronger.
What else can you do? “Our bodies and brains tend to like routine. So I highly advise anyone who has difficulty sleeping to resist trying to sleep until lunch on the weekend and then fall asleep in the morning,” concludes Chris Brantner. - Try not to shift the schedule by more than an hour or two. This will help keep it under control.”
These tips are scientifically proven and tested by our editor-in-chief.
1. Chewing gum
Chew menthol gum. The main thing about it is not even the refreshing menthol, but the chewing movements. So you deceive the brain, which is activated, suggesting that now you will need to digest food. To do this, it secretes insulin, which causes a feeling of cheerfulness.
2. Cool
Open the windows, let me in Fresh air, turn on the air conditioner or fan. Warm and stuffy spaces make you feel tired. The cold keeps the brain alert and forces the body to activate to maintain constant temperature, necessary for proper operation organs.
3. Physical education
Jump, do squats, do a couple of push-ups from the floor. Any physical exercise at intervals of 20-30 minutes will help speed up the blood and improve the flow of oxygen to the cells, and therefore give additional energy to the body. The best option- short walk. Studies show that 15 minutes of walking gives new energy for two hours of work.
Source: depositphotos.com
4. Washing
Rinse your wrists cold water. This technique allows you to quickly cool the body. It is also useful in the summer when it is very hot, or when you need to get rid of headaches caused by high temperatures.
5. Hunger
Skip a meal. The body spends a lot of energy on digesting it, so after a heavy lunch you feel lethargic and drowsy. A slight hunger invigorates.
6. Music
Listen to fast, annoying music at low volume. Music evokes a strong emotional response that engages many areas of the brain. If possible, sing along or at least bob your head to the beat. Melodic and familiar music will not do. You need something rhythmic, but unpleasant to the ear - it evokes more emotions. The sound should be such that it is difficult to make out the words of the song. This will force the brain to work, as it will “listen” and turn on attention.
Source: depositphotos.com
7. Lighting
Turn on the bright light. The best thing, of course, is to go outside, but if the sun has already set, then internal clock you can still cheat by turning on all the lights in the house. The fact is that circadian rhythms Among other things, bodies react to light: when there is little light, the body thinks it’s time to sleep.
8. Massage
Massage the top of the head, the back of the neck, the earlobes, the point between the big and index finger and the area under the knees. These points help relieve fatigue and improve blood circulation.
9. Pranayama
Try breathing exercise from the practice of yoga. It's called kapalabhati and involves taking a normal breath and exhaling sharply. Repeat this about 10 times. This technique is warming, invigorating and works on the pineal gland, which influences the so-called circadian rhythms ( sleep - wakefulness).
Source: depositphotos.com
10. Aromatherapy
Engage your olfactory receptors. Strong smell- pleasant or disgusting - quickly puts you on alert. In aromatherapy, such oils are usually offered for stimulation nervous system: rosemary, eucalyptus, mint. If there is no oil nearby, you can simply inhale the aroma of coffee beans several times.
Your body works in accordance with biorhythms, regardless of whether you are sleeping or not. Late in the evening, in the middle of the night, at dawn and in the middle of the day, inhuman fatigue will roll over you. You'll feel like if you don't lie down right now, you'll just fall asleep sitting up. This state will last about 20 minutes, and then a surge of vigor will come. But few people like to sit for 20 minutes in a state of suspended animation, so the body will have to be deceived. Coffee won't help here, but physical activity- quite. Get up, stretch, jump and do some exercises. The more active the movements, the better. Our bodies haven't changed much over millions of years, so physical activity is after school hours means one thing - there is danger somewhere nearby. You seem to be running from a saber-toothed tiger, otherwise why would you jump in the middle of the night? This means that the body mobilizes strength and drowsiness will disappear as if by hand. This also works during the day.
Don't drink too much coffee
Only the first cup invigorates, and all the subsequent ones only aggravate the situation and you become more and more sleepy. Here's the thing: caffeine is absorbed very quickly and increases blood pressure, so you'll feel much more alert within 15 minutes. But after an hour you will be even more drawn to sleep, and with each subsequent cup it will be more and more difficult to fight sleep. The fact is that coffee contains not only caffeine, but also theophylline, theobromine and vitamin R.R. These substances, on the contrary, lower blood pressure, which makes you want to sleep. Therefore, with each cup of aromatic drink, it’s like you’re rocking a swing more and more: you’re becoming more and more energetic every half hour, and then you’re drawn more and more into horizontal position. And the more coffee you drink, the more difficult it will be for you to fight sleepiness.
Drink green tea
A cup of green tea has as much caffeine as a cup of espresso. But its effect on your body will be much milder, and you will remain cheerful longer. The combination of caffeine and tannin found in tea works a little differently than caffeine alone.
Turn on the lights
If you need to spend a sleepless night at home, don't skimp and turn on bright lights everywhere, not just in the room where you are. The same goes for cloudy day after sleepless night. This is just a way to trick the brain: when it is light around, it is more difficult for it to go into sleep mode. If you haven't slept at night and need to spend the day at the computer, adjust your monitor settings: the brighter the colors, the easier it will be to fight drowsiness.
take a shower
Everyone knows that cold and hot shower helps to cheer up. Of course this is the best remedy come to your senses after a sleepless night, but on one condition: if that night you didn’t drink anything stronger than coffee. If you come from a party in the morning, a contrast shower is contraindicated for you. Your blood vessels have already suffered, they don’t need the extra load now. You will be invigorated for 5 minutes, and then your head will hurt and you will fall asleep. It's better to take a warm bath and gradually change the water temperature to cool.
Make a coffee scrub
Don't skimp and don't use the grounds from your cup - you need freshly ground coffee. Apply shower gel to your body, then take a handful of coffee and rub yourself all over. The skin will become fabulously smooth, and the charge of vigor will definitely last for three hours.
Eat something tasty
And finally, the most pleasant advice: try to eat only what you love all day. On the Internet you can find a list of products that supposedly charge you with energy, but in this case they will not help you. But your favorite food is a guaranteed pleasure, that is, a guaranteed increase in endorphin levels. And this cunning hormone makes us feel not only happy, but also cheerful, full and strong and ready to move mountains.
Sooner or later, almost every person is faced with the question of how not to fall asleep if you want to sleep. There can be many reasons for this - deadlines at work, a study session, long night trips. It is especially difficult to stay alert while someone is sleeping next to you.
Some people drink liters of coffee, others listen to music - everyone has different ways of staying alert. In this case, the brain can play cruel joke: after finishing work, when you can finally go to bed, you can’t sleep! Let's find out how to properly overcome drowsiness.
10 ways to stay awake at work
It doesn’t matter how many hours you slept the night before – 7 or 3 – in some situations, sleepiness at work appears constantly. Especially if the person is a night owl, and he has to work in the morning. Then it is especially difficult to concentrate, because more than half of the working day is spent fighting sleep.
To avoid sleeping at work, you can use several effective methods. Their use will reduce drowsiness, increase blood supply to the brain, thereby provoking vigor, which is necessary for a long trip behind the wheel or when working in the office.
Perhaps car enthusiasts have already been able to learn something useful from the first block of our recommendations. But let's not dwell on this. Before you go on a long journey to own car, check out proven methods to combat sleep while driving.
1. Rest for at least 8-10 hours before a long trip. Deep sleep in complete peace and quiet it will provide you with vigor and strength that cannot be replaced by more than one source of caffeine.
2. Turn on the air conditioner regularly to perk up. Most importantly, do not forget to close the windows so as not to catch a cold.
3. The presence of a good companion in the car is one of the best ways not to fall asleep. Pleasant communication conceals the duration and monotony of the ride, which often makes you feel sleepy.
4. After every hour or two of driving, stop the car and do eye exercises to relieve eye strain. First, blink actively, and then begin to move your gaze from a close to a distant object and back.
5. Chew on sunflower or pumpkin seeds. This activity, as you know, is addictive, and therefore you are unlikely to be able to fall asleep. The only disadvantage of this method is the need to clean the interior upon arrival.
Anti-drowsiness medications
Exists whole line medications that help prevent drowsiness.
Important: These medications should only be taken after consulting a doctor. Without prior consultation, you can cause significant harm to the body, especially if taken uncontrolled.
- Caffeine benzoate. " Coffee tablets" Pure caffeine, which helps keep you alert. Acts as an energy drink. Strictly contraindicated for people with VSD hypertensive type and renal dysfunction, as it causes an increase blood pressure. In case of an overdose, migraines, nausea, and vomiting occur.
- Phenotropil. Nootropic drug to increase the efficiency of mental activity. Helps to cheer up “here and now”. Long-term use causes exhaustion, and therefore should not be abused.
- Piracetam. Stimulates cerebral circulation, increasing the duration of mental work. Valid only when used as a course.
What to do if you always want to sleep
If drowsiness is a constant companion, regardless of the presence or absence of exercise, you should pay attention to the following recommendations. Following them will help to significantly increase your performance and maintain your vigor throughout the day.
- Regular sleep. You should get at least 6-8 hours of sleep every day. A normal amount of sleep helps keep you alert for a long time.
- Consumption of vegetables and fruits. Maintaining the required level of vitamins also significantly helps in maintaining the necessary state and helps not to fall asleep at the most unexpected times. this moment. . Regular exercise stress promotes the production of endorphins, which causes vigor.
- Sex. Great source endorphins and Have a good mood. But here it is important to take into account that partners must both enjoy the process, otherwise the desired effect will not occur.
- Fresh air . Constant ventilation allows for normal amount oxygen in the room. This makes it possible to carry out its full transport through cells and tissues, keeping the brain alert.
If you follow these tips, you can fall asleep very quickly. If you regularly experience problems falling asleep, you should consult a doctor.
Sleep is necessary for a person, as it allows the brain to recover due to a decrease in its activity. Sleep is also necessary for the individual to restore metabolism and to process and sort information in the subconscious. So, sleep is a cyclical, genetically determined state of the human body with reduced brain activity and reaction to the outside world.
Pranayama
In this case, to control sleep, we propose to use a technique for regulating breathing - a special ancient yogic one. breathing practice. By the way, such breathing not only affects the rhythms of sleep and wakefulness, but also perfectly energizes the body and warms it up. In addition, this effect is mediated by an effect on the pineal gland. This kind of breathing (kapalabhati) consists of fast breathing from the stomach with an emphasis on sharp exhalation, while inhaling normally. To cheer up, it is enough to breathe ten times.
Cool
What is the secret of exposure to cool air? It's actually simple - cold air tones blood vessels and, by sending appropriate signals to the brain, leads to increased metabolism to maintain normal life internal organs. Warmth, on the other hand, causes a feeling of fatigue and drowsiness. So, create a cool atmosphere using a fan or air conditioner. If not, then at least open the windows. Another option is to wash your face with water with pieces of ice floating in it - a boost of energy is guaranteed.What will help to better disperse the blood through the veins and gain good spirits? Yes, you guessed it – fitness! Do any physical exercise, preferably at intervals of up to half an hour. Light physical activity will give you a sufficient boost of energy. But if you need to work productively for two hours, then the best thing would be a fifteen-minute walk. You can replace it with jogging.
Washing
Cooling your wrists with cold water will invigorate you just as much as exercise. Action cold water invigorates along with cool air. By the way, very good welcome cooling during heat or against heat-induced elevated temperature headache.Don't stock up on food in the refrigerator in the hope that your brain will be distracted from sleep. The effect can also be the opposite - it takes a lot of energy to digest a large amount of food, and you may begin to feel lethargic and drowsy. Give dinner to the enemy!
Music
Make your brain work - turn on rhythmic, preferably unfamiliar music. You can sway rhythmically or shake your head - the main thing is not to overdo it. Here several more conditions must be met: the music must be such as to evoke maximum emotions. Another component is volume. It should be quiet so that it is difficult to make out the words - the brain will work, including attention. Sing along if you can.Lighting
It is known that sleep-wake rhythms are also interconnected with illumination. Based on this next tip: Turn on as bright a light as possible in the room at night, and go outside during the day.
Massage
There are miraculous points on our body - acupuncture points. By influencing these points, you will be invigorated, since their massage, among other things, improves blood circulation. Their location: 1-crown; 2–neck ( rear end); 3-earlobe; 4-point between fingers: thumb and index; 5-section under the knees.Aromatherapy
Signals from olfactory receptors can also activate the brain, regardless of whether we like the smell or not. To activate nervous activity, aromatherapy recommends the following essential oils: mint, eucalyptus, rosemary. If these oils are not nearby, open a can of coffee and breathe in the aroma a little.
Try to take the most uncomfortable position possible or just sit on a hard chair. This trick will help you survive required time without sleep. 
Here is another technique that is interesting because it combines sleep and alertness. It is known that caffeine, when entering the body, does not begin to act immediately, but after fifteen minutes. In order for this time not to be wasted...go to bed. How? These are the weirdos! I still have so much to do! Wonderful. You will have time to do everything if you wake up in 15 minutes, exactly 15! This efficient technique microsleep (power nap). The time of a quarter of an hour was chosen because after half an hour of sleep, a person plunges into the deep sleep phase and, waking up later, you will feel tired and weak. So set your alarm!
Tickling
Funny and the simplest way quickly shake yourself out of sleep - tickle with the tip of your tongue upper sky. The main thing is that you always have everything with you!Are you falling asleep? Take a break during which you watch some funny video or start actively fasting on social networks, which will cause the necessary stimulation in your brain.
And remember healthy sleep- a guarantee of health. So try to resort to such methods only as a last resort!
