How to Deal with Daytime Sleepiness

Everyone has those times when they feel sleepy, but sometimes it gets in the way! Especially during holidays when celebrations are here and there, it is not the best time to feel groggy when this is the only time you can get to spend a lot of time with friends and family you don't get to hang out with on normal days. Not to mention that it comes with consequences when you feel this at work!

Daytime sleepiness may be caused by many factors - one of which is poor sleep habits. It usually starts with how you were able to establish your sleep routine at night. The thought of trying to catch up on missing hours of sleep during the day may also develop an imbalance in your circadian rhythm. And while daytime sleepiness is completely normal on some days when you lack sleep, feeling this more often than usual may lead to a serious sleep disorder.

Before it can even cost you more, here are ways to manage daytime sleepiness:

Drink coffee

Taking a shot of caffeine can boost your energy. The stimulating effects of caffeine improve cognitive function and will help you stay awake and alert. Aside from that, it can help you get productive and focus on doing important tasks. Just be careful as you might get overboard, and it may disrupt your sleeping pattern even more. Try to drink caffeine no later than 2:00 PM!

Exercise regularly

During exercise, your body releases endorphins and adrenaline, which are chemicals that can help you stay awake during the day. Studies also suggest that it makes sleeping at night quicker as breathing becomes more steady.

Fix your schedule

Staying on top of your schedule is one of the best ways to develop a pattern your body would be familiarized with. Avoiding working late at night and super early in the morning would give you more time to sleep and would not disrupt your body clock. You should also leave enough time for your bedtime rituals and morning routines - these can help you wind down and stay awake. But make sure that your schedule still makes you productive because too much downtime can intensify daytime sleepiness even more.

Avoid napping late during the day

Napping late during the day has the same effects as having frequent ones, especially when they are longer! Although napping, in general, can have benefits, late naps can interfere with your ability to sleep during the night.

The recommended power nap for adults should only be in the 10 to 30 minutes range, and anything more than it can cause health issues. And the earlier you nap, the better!

Keep your environment bright

Sunlight and electronic lights are the primary sources of blue light, which block the sleep-inducing hormone called melatonin. While this should be avoided at night, the presence of blue lights during the day is important to keep us more awake and boost our energy. 

Opening up the window in your workplace or keeping the lights on in the daytime would help make you feel less sleepy.

Splash cold water

This 1-minute hack will produce the same stimulating effect as a cold shower. It renews your energy and increases your awareness, with the water leaving you refreshed and more awake.

Set a consistent sleep-wake time

Daytime sleepiness is often associated with poor sleeping habits. The inconsistent sleep-wake time confuses your body, which makes it hard to wind down when you are supposed to. Consequently, it disrupts your circadian rhythm, which leaves you to be sleep deprived and have this need to catch up on lost sleep during the day.

A consistent sleep-wake time means going in and out of bed at the same time every day. This will signal your brain that it is time to sleep, and it will help you get through the night with a more refreshed feeling in the morning. Establishing a bedtime routine you can associate with resting time would also make falling asleep better and easier!

Daytime sleepiness has no room for important days of our lives! Learning how to manage this would save you time, keep you productive, and most especially, it would make you less at risk of health problems. If you are able to maintain a good sleep routine and lifestyle, it would be easier to tackle life!