Many people choose to drink coffee-containing beverages in order to lessen their sleepiness at work. Sadly, a lot of people are sensitive to caffeine, which can lead to headaches or stomachaches after consuming caffeinated drinks. Not to worry; there are some healthy ways to keep you focused and concentrated even without consuming caffeine.
How to stay awake without caffeine
Drink water
If you typically sip coffee when you feel sleepy, you can break that habit by sipping water instead of coffee when you start to feel sleepy. Feeling weak and drowsy could indicate that your body is dehydrated. Increasing your water intake can help you feel less sleepy and give your body a boost of energy.
You can schedule drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day, or as often as needed, to prevent dehydration-related weakness. You can drink water every two hours or as needed.
Eat nutritious food
When you drink coffee or tea with added sugar, your blood sugar level rises, which can lead to drowsiness several hours after consuming caffeine. You can swap out your usual breakfast fare for nutrient-dense options like fruit and vegetable salads. Water or infused water can be used in place of coffee and tea for drinking.
Exercise
Exercise can also make your body fresher and fitter. Do regular exercise in the morning before your activities to help improve blood circulation and increase muscle and bone strength. Exercise can also improve your sleep schedule so that you wake up refreshed.
Try some simple stretches at your desk or take a quick trip up and down the stairs if you start to feel drowsy at work. Your ability to focus and increase oxygen circulation can both be enhanced by doing simple stretches.
Sunbathing
The body benefits from morning exercise, such as taking a morning walk, since it absorbs more sunlight. Studies reveal that those who get sunlight are more focused, awake, and have better sleep and performance.
Additionally, you can improve your endurance by increasing the amount of vitamin D in your body by sitting or tanning in the sun for 15 minutes two or three times a week.
Take a nap
If sleepiness is really unbearable, there's nothing wrong with taking a nap. A 15- to 30-minute nap can re-energize you and help you refocus. If you plan to take a nap, set an alarm so that you don't take too long a nap. Napping for too long can actually cause you to wake up unrefreshed.
Manage stress well
Stress that is not managed well can cause your body to become unrefreshed and make it difficult to focus. To manage stress well, you can do relaxation, breathing exercises, and journaling. If these relaxation methods are not effective, you can consult a psychologist or psychiatrist.
Tea, coffee, and other caffeinated drinks, along with other energy drinks, can aid with concentration and prevent fatigue. But consuming excessive amounts of caffeine can cause addiction in addition to other negative effects like headaches, an upset stomach, and palpitations in the heart.
Besides limiting your caffeine consumption to no more than 400 mg per day, you can also use the above ways to stay awake even without caffeine.
If you need medical advice or consultation, you can either visit a doctor or make use of the consultation features that are available in the Ai Care application by downloading the Ai Care application from the App Store or Play Store.
Looking for more information about nutrition, food, and other diet tips? Click here!
- dr Nadia Opmalina
Eresman, K. (2023). 7 Natural Ways to Stay Awake and Alert Without Caffeine. Available from: https://www.goodrx.com/well-being/alternative-treatments/how-to-stay-awake-without-caffeine
Cleveland Clinic. 9 Ways to Stay Awake Without Caffeine. Available from: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-stay-awake-without-caffeine
Ellis, R. (2021). 10 Ways to Feel Awake Without Caffeine. Available from: https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/ss/slideshow-10-ways-to-feel-awake-without-caffeine
Shannahan, A. (2023). 7 Ways to Wake Up Without Coffee. Available from: https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/caffeine-free-strategies-to-stay-energized