Have you ever been tired at work in the late afternoon and debated whether to pick up a cup of coffee for the caffeine rush to finish off the day or just power through au natural? For those times when you decide it’s too late for caffeine, Tech Insider has 10 scientifically-backed ways to stay alert without drinking or consuming any caffeine at all.
- Eat a healthy snack
Eating small snacks packed with certain nutrients and good fats is a great way to get the benefits of a natural buzz. One study found that a high-fiber breakfast provided the greatest boost in alertness, and high-quality proteins — like those found in eggs — are also important. But there are a wide variety of foods that can help keep your energy levels high throughout the day.
Some suggestions are avocado toast, peanut butter and celery, or carrots and hummus. Foods like spinach, beans, and lentils are great sources of iron, and iron deficiency is often a source of fatigue. Pairing those iron-rich foods with snacks high in vitamin C will help boost iron absorption.
- Drink water
Dehydration is a huge energy suck. It can cause fatigue, confusion, heart palpitations, and fainting, according to an American Chemical Society.
RELATED: Unleashing the power of water
This is because up to 60% of the human body is water. In addition to lubricating joints and flushing waste from the body, the bloodstream uses water to shuttle nutrients like oxygen and carbohydrates to various body parts, including the brain. In a 2009 study by Tufts University researchers showed that even levels of mild dehydration — a loss of 1-2% of the water in your body — were associated with fatigue and confusion.
- Watch cute animals online
In a study published in June 2015, which surveyed 7,000 cat video enthusiasts, respondents said that watching internet cat videos raised their energy levels, heightened their feel-good emotions, and minimized their negative feelings, as reported by LiveScience.
The cat video fans said they felt “significantly lower levels of depletion … and significantly higher energy levels … after [viewing] than before.” One important caveat: The study didn’t measure whether the videos actually had those effects, only whether the participants felt that they did.
Increases in oxytocin, a neurotransmitter that heightens feelings of trust and emotion, and a decreases in cortisol, a brain chemical linked to stress, have been tied to our in-person interactions with animals; there’s a chance similar effects could be at play with our reactions to cute-animal videos, but research is needed to investigate exactly what’s going on.
- Step outside
Studies indicate that exposure to blue light during the day — a type of visible light that comes from natural sources like the sun and artificial sources like TVs, laptops, smart phones, and LED lighting — immediately improves alertness and performance.
- Breathe deeply
Breathing deeply shuttles more oxygen to various parts of your body, which can boost your dipping energy levels and help keep you feeling Zen.
Deep breathing also decreases stress and anxiety, which in turn helps to boost your immune system, keeping you healthy and strong. But make sure you are practicing deep belly breathing to reap the benefits.
RELATED: How to breathe properly to reap the most benefits
- Listen to music
Grooving to your favorite song releases multiple feel-good chemicals in your brain that can give you a boost.
A study from 2011 showed that when people listened to music that gave them — as science writer Virginia Hughes put it — “goosebumps or chills” for 15 minutes, their brains overloaded with dopamine, a brain chemical that is involved in pleasure and reward. Your favorite tunes also activate other feel-good chemicals like serotonin and oxytocin.
- Chew gum
Some studies have suggested that chewing gum might be an effective way to reduce daytime sleepiness, perhaps because the act of chewing somehow increases circulation and activates certain regions of the brain.
Recent studies have also demonstrated that chewing gum can help people concentrate on exams, reduce anxiety, and increase reading comprehension. Just make sure you’re not smacking your gum too loudly if you’re around coworkers.
- Dance or take a quick walk
One study found that when participants exercised “during peak levels of sleepiness, subjective fatigue appeared partially alleviated.”
Getting up and getting moving also gets your endorphins flowing. These feel-good neurotransmitters help to relieve stress and fatigue and increase feelings of euphoria.
RELATED: How to get your workout in at the office
And if you dance to your favorite tunes, you’ll get the extra energy-boosting benefits of music.
- Look away from the screen
Looking at one target for a long time, such as a computer screen, can hurt your eyes and make you struggle to keep them open.
As much as 95% of Americans are at risk for so-called computer vision syndrome — especially those who work in an office. All that screen time causes eye irritation and dryness, eye strain, blurred or double vision, headache, and shoulder and neck pain.
You can minimize the risks of damaging your eyes by reducing glare on your screen, upgrading your screen to an LCD, blinking frequently, correcting your posture, and gazing at a distant object every 20 minutes.
- Take a nap
And finally, if you can get away with it, grab some shut-eye. As long as it’s not for too long or too close to bedtime, napping for a brief five to 25 minutes about 6 to 7 hours before you’d normally go to bed is a great way to recharge.
RELATED: Maximize your siesta—here’s the formula for the ideal nap
A 2008 study found that an afternoon nap was better than both getting more sleep at night and using caffeine to get over a midday slump.
Curated article from Tech Insider
