6 Ways to Stop Feeling Tired at Work - Walrath Recruiting, Inc.

6 Ways to Stop Feeling Tired at Work - Walrath Recruiting, Inc. Weve all felt tired at work at one time or another. Whether it lasts all day or it hits you like a ton of bricks, its hard to stay motivated to do your work if you can barely keep your eyes open. If youre currently struggling in this situation, we have some tips to help you prevent it from happening in the future. Check them out below. 1. Monitor Your Sleeping Pattern The first tip on this list is a given: get more sleep. The amount of sleep you get greatly impacts your productivity at work. Being well rested is crucial to doing your best work. The National Sleep Foundation recommends a certain number of hours of sleep based on different factors. Check out their stats. Sleep cycles are another important but little-known factor. Generally, most adults have sleep cycles lasting 90 minutes. The reason you feel groggy when you wake up isnt necessarily due to lack of sleep. Its due in part of waking up in the middle of a sleep cycle.  If you can time your wake time to be at the end of a cycle, youll wake up refreshed. There are many apps, and alarms, like the bedtime feature on an iPhone, to help you plan your sleep schedule accordingly. The snooze button is one of the biggest culprits for affecting your sleep cycle as well. Check out the infographic below from  Neurology Sleep Centre on how it can derail your whole morning. 2. You are What You Eat (and Drink) Another large variable that can make you feel tired at work is  what you’re consuming. Have meals that are appropriately sized, vary in food groups, and are healthy. Doing this will give you natural energy, instead of tiring you out. Its also important to make sure youre drinking enough water. Dehydration can cause headaches, hunger, and drowsiness as well. Keep a water bottle on your desk to refill for the day 3. Coffee Caffeine You probably guessed that coffee would make the list- but its not for the reason you might think. While coffee does act as a stimulant, if you are a constant coffee drinker, it may not have the same effect. One option is to only have a cup of coffee when you need the extra energy instead of consistently throughout the day (the same goes for other caffeinated beverages). Drinking coffee or a caffeinated beverage too late in the day may also be affecting your sleep as well- aka back to square one. 4. Check Your Environment A feeling of sleepiness could also be a byproduct of your work environment. Its much easier to fall asleep if youre in a warm room in an extremely comfortable chair. Try to find a temperature that is comfortably cool enough to keep you alert. Well discuss more the importance of being active at work on our last step. 5. Listen to Music The benefits of listening to music at work have been scientifically recognized  in multiple studies. It allows you to focus on tasks better, and even work better with others. However,  different types of music are better for different tasks. Depending on your environment, and the nuances of your work, different genres may be better. Take this simple quiz to  find how music would personally affect your work. 6. Get Up and Move! If your job consists of sitting in an office or a cubicle, its incredibly important not only for your energy levels but your overall health that you move around. Get up, stretch, maybe even consider going for a walk on your lunch break, or take phone calls standing up. The movement will get your blood pumping to the rest of your body, and make you feel more awake and alert. We hope these steps help keep you energetic and productive at work in the future! Do you have any tips or tricks that keep you alert and awake at work? If so, share them down below!