If you have a habit of consuming caffeine now and then to keep yourself awake, it’s an alarming sign for future health complications. The best solution is to look at how you can stay awake naturally. It would definitely not be easy but once you adopt these caffeine-free living strategies, things would be a cakewalk.
5 caffeine-free ways to stay awake
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Stay hydrated
Cannot stress this enough, but stay as hydrated as you can! Tiredness and fatigue is one of the major outcomes of dehydration. The longing for caffeine increases when you are dehydrated and tired.
Make sure you consume your daily adequate requirement of fluids. Be it water or other sources like fruits and vegetables, maintaining a proper fluid balance is important for the body to stay rejuvenated.
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Grab a low-sugar snack
Look for foods that have a low sugar index, as they are absorbed more slowly and won’t lead to a sudden drop in energy.
Preferably, a combination of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins will work wonders. If you are looking for how to get instant energy without caffeine, these low-sugar foods are the end to your search!
Also, get hold of green leafy foods like spinach and other vegetables which are rich in fiber and B-complex vitamins. These boost energy and controls blood sugar levels.
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Keep taking breaks in between
Getting over-occupied with work while you are already sleepy and tired will be a bad move. Too much time spent in front of your computer screens can cause eyestrain and worsen sleepiness and fatigue.
The straight alternative you will look for in this case is caffeine and would continue with your work. Instead, try a different approach this time.
Look away from the screen for a few minutes periodically to relax your eyes. The icing on the cake, take a 10-minute walk!
The 10-minute walk increases energy for two hours because of oxygen pumping through your veins, brain, and muscles helping you stay awake without sleep and caffeine of course!
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Breathing techniques always work
Deep breathing raises blood oxygen levels in the body which ultimately-
- Slows heart rate
- Lowers blood pressure
- Improves blood circulation
- Enhancing mental performance and energy
- Get some daylight
- Switch your tasks
- 30 minutes of daily physical activity
- Going to bed early
- Switching off the phone before you go to bed
Deep breathing is an inhale-exhale exercise that can be done anywhere, even at your office desk. 10-15 minutes of this exercise and you are back in the game, not to mention you haven’t touched caffeine!
Another technique, called stimulating breath, is used in yoga for a quick energy boost and increased alertness and is a perfect way to stay awake without caffeine consumption at all.
Also known as “ Bellow’s breath”, while keeping your mouth closed, inhale and exhale rapidly through your nose with short, quick breaths for about 10 seconds. Then relax and take a break.
Apart from these breathing exercises, daily physical exercise of at least 30 minutes would largely help you in burning off the caffeine from your system. A planned workout routine gives an instant energy boost and the exercises are a perfect caffeine detox.
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Take a short nap
A nap does not mean full-fledged sleeping hours. Don’t take more than one and don’t take it too close to your bedtime.
An ideal nap of 15 to 25 minutes is more than enough to get you through the day. If not a nap, then closing your eyes and relaxing down for 15-20 minutes also works wonders.
Also, avoid napping later in the day as it may disrupt your sleep cycle. Do not rely completely on naps. Take them as a temporary energy booster for your fatigue.
These short naps get you on how to stay awake naturally in the long run and also keeps you away from turning into a caffeine addict.
Other quick tips that you can follow up for staying awake and energized throughout the day are-
- Getting up and moving around for a while
- Starting a light conversation
- Spending time with nature
- Listening to music
If your situation remains persistent even after following these tips for a long time, then contact your healthcare provider for further guidance and some possible medical treatments.
Take-away
The whole idea of keeping yourself pumped up without caffeine is not urging you to quit caffeine altogether.
The point is to know how much caffeine your body can take and how much caffeine is too much for you because excess of it can cause the failure of multiple organ systems in the long run.
So if you have better and natural solutions on how to stay awake without caffeine, why not go for it?
