How to Prevent Sleepiness at Work
What is Sleep?
Reduced consciousness, suspension of sensory activity and inactivity of voluntary muscles characterize sleep. It is an anabolic state where growth is accentuated by rejuvenating the immune, nervous, skeletal and muscular system. Sleep helps conserve energy and decreases metabolism by about 10%.
Sleep is observed in mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fishes.
Sleep pattern is controlled by circadian rhythms such as ambient temperatures, meal times, napping schedule, and a neurotransmitter called adenosine that inhibits body mechanics.
High levels of adenosine neurotransmitter can lead to sleepiness.
Amount of Sleep needed by each Age group
Age and Condition
| Sleep Needs
|
|---|---|
Newborns (0-2 months)
| 12-18 hours
|
Infants (3-11 months)
| 14-15 hours
|
Toddlers (1-3 years)
| 12-14 hours
|
Preschoolers (3-5 years)
| 11-13 hours
|
School age children (5-10 years)
| 10-11 hours
|
Adolescents (10-17 years)
| 8.5 to 9.5 hours
|
Adults
| 7-9 hours
|
Genes play a pivotal role in the amount of sleep a person needs.
Sleep is a significant pattern of our lives. By sleeping, man gets rejuvenated physically and mentally and can take on the challenges of another day.
There are individuals who cannot sleep either due to some sleep disorders or working odd hours or working for long hours trying to finish off their workload to stay on top of things. This can result in fatigue during daytime.
Fatigue associates with sleepiness.
The Science of Sleep
How to prevent Fatigue
- Sleep a Priority
Make Sleep a priority the night before you go to work. Avoid your phone, television, and computer near your bed. Try to listen to some soothing music while in bed. That might calm you to doze off. An average adult needs at least 6-8 hours of sleep. Try to get that.
- A Balanced Diet
A healthy and balanced diet can help an individual fight fatigue and prevent sleepiness at work. Watch what your intake is. Try not to skip breakfast, and take protein and complex carbohydrates in your diet. Indulge in snacks in small intervals to get energy through out the day.
- Ailment
Sleepiness also occurs when an individual is fatigued. Diseases such as Anemia, Depression, Hyperthyroidism, Heart Diseases usually indicate in that direction. Get help from a certified professional.
- Dehydration
Dehydration is another cause of fatigue and results in sleepiness. An individual should try to drink 6-8 glasses of 8 ounces of water each day.
- Excess Caffeine
Excess Caffeine can also make an individual’s heart beat high causing jitters. Consuming beverages such as Tea, coffee, chocolate, soft drinks in moderate amount are the key to avoid sluggishness.
- Exercising
Exercising can help pump up the adrenaline in an individual thus, avoiding the feeling of sluggishness and making a person feel fresh through out the day.
How to prevent sleepiness at work?
An individual has taken up so many responsibilities that getting tired is now a common symptom. Since tiredness is associated with sleepiness.
Below are a few steps to cut sluggishness out of our body, and prevent sleep at work.
- Short Breaks
Take periodic breaks from your work. Go out for a walk or mingle with your co-workers and share a laugh. This will rejuvenate your senses while allowing you take a step outside for a fresh breath of air.
- Sleep Pattern
Make sure to sleep well before your workday. If that could not be possible; then have a bottle of water near you. Water keeps an individual hydrated and avoids the secretion of adenosine.
- Lunch Break
Go out for lunch. But indulge in a light mid-day meal with proteins and complex carbohydrates. This will avoid sluggishness to creep in, and a change of environment for a small duration of time helps the body and mind.
- Stretching
Stretching out can do wonders to the body. Blood flows to the mind and rejuvenates it by giving it an extra pump of oxygen.
- Power Nap
Take a power nap. Time yourself on your phone, and snooze off for 15 minutes. You will feel the difference!
- Meditate
Meditation can do wonders. Again, time yourself for 15-20 minutes. Sit straight with eyes closed. You will feel refreshed once the timer goes off.
- Energy Drinks
Indulge in Energy drinks low, in sugar, and Caffeine in moderate amounts to get a grip on sleepiness help boost one’s energy.
What tactic do you practice to avoid sleepiness at work?
Conclusion
Sleep is a natural phenomenon in mammals. But, to be able to time it is incredible. Study your body and take steps to improve upon your sleep pattern. There is a possibility that some steps work for some, and some don’t. Find your niche to control your sleep especially during work hours.
