Question: Miss Dish, I don’t know if you deal with these kinds of topics and since you seem to have a lot of energy maybe you can help. I can’t stay awake at my desk past 2 o’clock. I don’t know what it is but I feel like I’m going to pass out. I work in an office setting in front of a computer all day long. My job is monotonous and I guess that does not help. Any suggestions on how I can keep my eyes open for the rest of the afternoon? How do you stay awake?
Answer: (Miss Dish, I like that!) Energy? Me? I’m always drinking Diet Coke. That’s how I stay awake!
But truth be told, many of us experience this mid-afternoon slump. I get it, too, right about 2 p.m. — like you — when the energy boost from lunch turns into a food coma. It’s hard to stay awake, even for me with students roaming in and out of my office all day.
What I do — and this doesn’t work for everyone — is get up and walk around. I get sleepy in my office because 1) it’s dark, 2) it’s air-conditioned and 3) I’m bored and tired of sitting. When I walk around, I feel better, my blood starts circulating, I’m re-energized.
And not just walk around the office — I literally walk around outside, sometimes just sit in the sun. The boost of vitamin D, I’ve read, helps.
Anyone got tips to share?
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15 Comments
First off i– get up, walk to the water cooler and get a drink of water. The short exercise and hydration will revive you. You can drink caffeinated fluids to stay wake but in the long run, it’s not that healthy. If health is of concern, eat more fruits and vegetables in your diet. Fats and lipids makes you sleepy. Of course, a change in job is always an option.
Hello Dr. Cat!
I get sleepy around that time too and I just walk around and get some fresh air and sunshine.
Insulin Depletion immediately comes to mind. No not the life threatening kind but the simple process of the body adjusting for the high sugar levels in the bloodstream. Did you notice that you feel more tired after eating heavy carb items like pasta or bakery items?
Me, I just walk around and grab a drink of water. It also helps that I’m in a room that’s less than 70F as the shivering keeps me awake. I’ll go outside and walk around the parking structure just to keep warm which also doubles as a quick pick me up.
@harrycovair the SHIVERING KEEPS U AWAKE? and u work voluntarily in a first world country? o_o
this works for me, but it’s not for everybody. I don’t eat lunch. Hunger pangs keep me alert and productive. I’d rather be hungry and productive, than sleepy and non-productive.
@CodyZamboni That would be IMPOSSIBLE for me! 🙂
@Cat Eat more veggies. That works. You won’t OD on blood sugar and get sleepy. You’ll actually get a touch of low blood sugar, and that’ll keep you awake. As a safeguard, have some candy mints or other small candy around just in cast you do get jittery from extra low blood sugar and it’ll be enough to get you to a regular meal.
walking works 4 me 2.
a 5-10 minute cat nap does the trick
I agree with the walking and water suggestions below. Sometimes it’s just a simple change of pace or scenery that will jolt you up.
You can also try Crystal Light or, an ice cold frappuccino or coffee does the trick for me. @Andreas needs to have his after lunch coffee before starting the afternoon. While this is the downside to drinking coffee or relying on something to keep you awake, it usually always works for me.
Sometimes, I just get up and throw on some music, play mini-golf in the back room or go make trouble around the office. haha
Walking and drinking water helps me too! I also like to splash my face with cold water.
only Spain, Mexico and that dog have it right. Americans are always trying to look busy. we should all eat a big lunch at noon ’till one-thirty, tweet from one-thirty ’till two. then sleep ’till four. have tea and a tea snack ’till five. workout, shower, have a light dinner, then get on the net and pester the bejezzus out of Melissa Chang until midnight, WC time. finally wake up Muzachan in Bucharest and go to sleep. hey, that’s MY life!
https://www.marksdailyapple.com/afternoon-nap/
https://www.marksdailyapple.com/afternoon-slump/
My vote will be get that afternoon power nap!!! Give into it!!! hehehehe it always works for me!!!
I can’t do power naps because once I go to sleep, I’m down for several hours. What works best for me is getting the blood pumping. Another thing that helps is eating fruit. The vitamins in the fruit gives you a prolonged burst of energy that lasts a lot longer than caffeine, which works it’s way through your system in 15 minutes.