Nodding off and sleeping on the go? 13 ways to get rid of sleepiness

All people get tired. Because of this, a person does not want to do anything, he is lazy, he feels weak and does not have the strength to force himself. However, some people experience fatigue all the time, regardless of any activity. There are a lot of reasons for this, because each person experiences this or that situation differently, which means the reasons are extremely subjective. From this article you will learn about the main causes of fatigue and fatigue in women, which can cause severe apathy in the future. You can get first aid by consulting in a chat with a psychologist from our group in VKontakte. We will be glad to have you as a participant. Take care of yourself and your loved ones!

Causes of fatigue and drowsiness

Drowsiness is most often the result of improper sleep or lack of sleep.
In fact, excessive daytime sleepiness may be a sign of a sleep disorder. Emotional conditions including depression, anxiety, stress and boredom can also cause fatigue and drowsiness. Your condition may also be the result of side effects of certain medications.
Other causes of sleepiness and fatigue include poor diet, eating disorders, chronic pain, lack of physical activity, alcohol abuse, diabetes and a thyroid condition called hypothyroidism.

Symptoms in women and men

Constant desire to sleep;
Lost interest in life;
There is no desire to follow;
No strength to do normal daily work;
Irritability;
Previously pleasant things do not bring joy and the same pleasure;
Often tormented by negative thoughts;
Despite drowsiness, insomnia may be tormented;
Feeling of emptiness, causeless melancholy;
Motivation disappears;
Sometimes there is an aversion to food;
There are difficulties with waking up and falling asleep;
Heartbeat becomes rare;
Body temperature and blood pressure may drop;
Constant yawning;
Consciousness becomes dull.

Symptoms

Apart from fatigue and sleepiness, you may also experience some other symptoms such as lethargy, irritability, forgetfulness and decreased energy levels.

Drowsiness can affect your productivity and even cause chaos in your personal life. With some changes in your lifestyle, diet and sleep patterns, you can easily get rid of drowsiness and fatigue.

However, if you begin to feel sleepy after you've already taken steps to treat the condition, you've started taking a new medication, you're taking significant doses of a drug, or you've suffered a head injury, be sure to see your doctor. Additionally, if your sleepiness is due to any medical condition or sleep disorder, you should also seek medical help.

Here are the 10 best ways to get rid of fatigue and drowsiness.

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From a scientific point of view, drowsiness is a sleep disorder accompanied by a constant or periodic desire to fall asleep at a time not intended for sleep.

The causes of drowsiness are varied. This is the main symptom of diseases such as narcolepsy, sleep apnea syndrome, Kleine-Levin syndrome, and neuropsychiatric diseases. Drowsiness may be a sign of pathology of the endocrine and cardiovascular systems. Drowsiness is also a common side effect of some medications. Therefore, if drowsiness has become particularly annoying, this is a good reason to consult a doctor.

Among the everyday and most common causes of drowsiness are a lack of sunlight, from which we suffer most in autumn and winter, chronic fatigue, lack of sleep, psychological reasons, including boredom, stress and life's troubles.

Anyone can cope with drowsiness. Here are some simple tips to help get rid of drowsiness:

1. Let there be light! To compensate for the lack of sunlight, try buying fluorescent lamps. Pay attention to the required wavelength - 420 nanometers. Regular incandescent lamps are not suitable. In addition, as soon as you wake up, immediately turn on the light in the room, even if you really want to sit in semi-darkness. The eyes will quickly get used to the light, but the brain will be able to recover from sleep faster and concentrate better.

2. Get up! The morning should be cheerful. On your alarm clock, choose a melody that will not annoy you, but will make you get up immediately after the first ring. Don’t give yourself time to “lounge”, but rather stretch well, do a couple of abdominal swings and run to the shower.

3. Charging . Light physical activity after sleep will help restore concentration and improve attention. If you feel sleepy in the evening after work, but still have to get home, run up the stairs a couple of times. If you have to drive home, take a few walking circles around the parking lot. It will be easier to concentrate on driving, and you will get a better night's sleep.

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4. Schedule . Drowsiness may be the result of a mismatch between your daily routine and your natural biorhythms. It is likely that by waking up half an hour later or 20 minutes earlier, you will feel much better - because you will fall into the rapid phase of sleep, when body functions are already maximally activated. If you “catch” this ideal time, you can adjust your schedule to it. When your well-being and health are at stake, you can force yourself to go to bed early or negotiate with your boss to shift your work day forward by half an hour to an hour.

5. Sleep breaks . If there is a need for this, you need to give yourself some indulgences and even allow breaks for naps during the day. For example, in Japan, many large companies have special rest rooms where anyone can sit in a chair and sleep for 45 minutes. This way, employees’ productivity can be extended by 3–4 hours. Even a 15-minute nap during the day will help you feel fresher and more alert. If privacy at work is not possible, try taking a nap in public transport on the way to work.

6. Tea and coffee are the most common drinks that combat sleep, but it is better not to abuse them. Drink a cup of strong green tea when you really can't stand it. In general, 3-4 cups of regular black tea is enough to keep you feeling normal all day long.

7. Modern technologies will help you if you sacrifice your night's sleep in the name of evening and night television series. If you really want to watch an interesting film or TV series, but they show it late, you can buy these films on DVD or CD, download them on the Internet, or record your favorite show and watch the recording in the morning during breakfast.

8. Smell . Some strong odors have a similar effect on our body as a cup of coffee. The smell of lemon and any other citrus promotes better concentration and speeds up the thinking process. The smell of coffee itself, even without ingesting this drink, is very invigorating. The smell of pine needles also has a tonic effect.

9. Gold and stones . Properly selected jewelry will help you get rid of sleep and cheer up. Gold, copper or platinum are suitable metals for this purpose, but you should not mix them. An “invigorating” gemstone is determined individually - by eye color. If they are green, emerald, turquoise, chrysoprase or malachite are suitable, if they are brown or black - dark amber, chalcedony or golden topaz. For blue and gray eyes, it is better to choose aventurine, yellow agate or coral.

10. Eat, but don't pass it on . Some dishes can both lull you to sleep and invigorate you. If you really want to sleep, you can eat some fish that contains a large amount of omega-3 fatty acids - these are sardines, mackerel, tuna, salmon and trout. The ideal option is a sandwich with red or black caviar. Also considered “active” foods are tomatoes, asparagus, sweet peppers, kiwi, grapefruit and green apples.

If drowsiness is a one-time phenomenon, and you just didn’t get enough sleep today, then try not to overeat, restrain yourself from large meals, it is best to eat little by little, but often. Also, when your eyes begin to close, it is useful to drink a glass of clean water.

11. Click on the dots . According to Eastern tradition, there are resuscitation points on our body. Drowsiness can be driven away by sharply pressing the tips of your nails on the pads of adjacent fingers - you can press for 1-2 minutes. Rubbing the ears and kneading the lobes has the same effect. You can also click on the point located at the base of the bridge of the nose.

12. Ventilate the room. In stuffy conditions, the oxygen supply to the brain deteriorates, which makes you sleepy. In addition, room temperature plays an important role. You will definitely start to fall asleep if you are too hot or too cold.

The optimal room temperature is 19–21 °C.

13. Go to the doctor . If you feel sleepy when there is rain outside or a sudden change in weather, then perhaps this is a manifestation of weather dependence and you should check your blood pressure. People with low blood pressure are usually weather dependent.

Be sure to consult a doctor who can help you adjust your blood pressure.

If drowsiness does not leave you for more than 3 weeks, this is also a reason to think about visiting a specialist.

Perhaps the cause of drowsiness is stress or vitamin deficiency, or perhaps it is chronic sleep disorders. There are diseases such as narcolepsy - when a person can fall asleep at absolutely any moment, and sleep suffocation - cessation of breathing during sleep, which is often invisible to a person, but greatly spoils the quality of his rest.

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Stick to a strict sleep schedule

Lack of sleep and sleep disturbances are two of the main causes of daytime sleepiness. Therefore, establishing a good sleep schedule is one of the best ways to prevent daytime sleepiness. Proper sleep can also help you cope with fatigue, low energy levels, depression and stress.

Different people need different amounts of sleep to function well, and the average adult needs 7 to 8 hours of sound sleep to maintain normal body functions. To enjoy a good night's sleep you need:

Adhere to a sleep schedule in which you need to go to bed and wake up at a specific time.
Keep your bedroom completely dark to promote restful sleep. To block out any outside light you can use curtains or blinds if necessary.
To improve the quality of your sleep, buy a good quality mattress, blanket and pillows.
Read a book or do relaxing yoga stretches for about 20 minutes before bed.
Limit time spent in front of a computer, TV, or phone screen in the evening before bed.

Why do men feel constant fatigue, drowsiness, and apathy?

It happens that the whole day the desire to take a nap somewhere does not leave you. A person feels tired, he is indifferent to everything that happens around him. The reason for this could be a fun party the night before or a quarterly report that had to be done all night. But if you get enough sleep and rest, then everything returns to normal.

But there are times when, despite proper rest and sleep, a person still feels overwhelmed. In this state, he can even show aggression, he is irritated by everything that happens around him, by everyone who prevents him from taking a nap. To determine the cause of this condition, it is recommended to consult a specialist.

For men, the feeling of constant fatigue and drowsiness is associated with many factors. Apathy and fatigue are 2 common conditions. The man has no motivation for further action and loses faith in the successful outcome of events. A man stops believing in himself and enjoying life.

Drowsiness and apathy can often be observed in men. There may be several reasons for this condition. The main one is insufficient time for sleep. But once you get enough sleep, the drowsiness will pass, and along with it the apathy will pass.

Among the reasons:

The body is constantly under stress when it lacks sleep. To feel alert and productive, experts advise sleeping at least 8 hours a day.
The body receives a boost of energy during deep sleep. But there are times when a person wakes up several times during the night. These moments of wakefulness do not last long; a man may not even remember about them. But in the morning he feels sleep-deprived and tired.
Shift work causes disruption of a person's sleep and wakefulness patterns. The rhythm is lost. A person sleeps during the day and works at night. This can cause apathy and fatigue in a man.
Problems with the prostate gland. Often symptoms of inflammation of the prostate gland are apathy and drowsiness. The main reason for this is the reduced level of testosterone in the male body.
Infections and diseases of the genitourinary system. They cause the urge to urinate frequently and pain that interferes with proper rest at night.

You can get rid of some reasons yourself. But a number of reasons require the intervention of a doctor. After the examination, the specialist will prescribe drug therapy and vitamin supplements to help you feel yourself again.

Start your day with sunshine

Every day after waking up, close the curtains and try to expose yourself to the sun's rays. This will give you vigor and energy throughout the day and help get rid of fatigue and drowsiness during the day. Sunlight actually helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle because it signals your brain that it's time to wake up.

Sunlight also helps the body produce vitamin D. A 2013 study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that vitamin D deficiency may be associated with sleep problems, particularly daytime sleepiness.

When you wake up in the morning, take a walk outside and enjoy the sun for at least 15 minutes, but do not apply sunscreen during this time.

Vitamins for fatigue

According to various estimates, at least a third of the world's population has micronutrient deficiencies.

And we are not just talking about poor countries with poor nutrition. According to research, even in developed countries, deficiency of some vitamins can occur in more than 50% of the population.

Vitamins are involved in many processes in our body, including the production of hormones and neurotransmitters - substances that give us a feeling of happiness.

For the body to function properly, we need all the vitamins and minerals. But if we are talking about chronic fatigue, then first of all we need to highlight the following:

Magnesium;
B vitamins;
Vitamin E;
Vitamin D;
Zinc;
Selenium;
Calcium;
Vitamin C;
Iron;
Iodine.

A deficiency of any of these substances can cause symptoms of fatigue. For example, with a lack of iron, a person may develop the well-known anemia. With iodine deficiency - problems with the thyroid gland, etc.

To provide the body with all these micronutrients, you need to eat a varied diet, mostly homemade and organic food. It contains the greatest amount of useful substances. And in products from the supermarket they may be almost completely absent. If you have a diagnosed deficiency of a particular substance, you can take it in supplement form. But the exact dosage and form must be calculated by a specialist. Don't self-medicate! There are many antagonists among vitamins - if you abuse some, the content of others will decrease. You can take multivitamin complexes, but they contain a little bit of all the vitamins and the exact substance you need may not be enough to fill the deficiency. Also check out my article on the 12 best vitamins for energy and vitality.

Wash your face with cold water

Whenever you feel sleepy, splash some cold water on your face or wash your face with cold water. The sudden change in temperature helps eliminate feelings of sleepiness and improves your energy levels as well as mental concentration.

After applying cold water to your face, stand in front of the air conditioner to make this water therapy even more effective.

You can even take a cool shower in the morning to help eliminate drowsiness and fatigue and improve circulation.

Drink green tea after waking up

Drinking green tea gives you a boost of energy and vitality, and this effect lasts for several hours, relieving you of drowsiness. Green tea also helps effectively fight fatigue and stress, improving mental concentration. In addition, the polyphenols in its composition help improve sleep.

Drink a cup of green tea when you wake up and several more cups throughout the day. To make green tea, you need:

Add 1 teaspoon of green tea leaves to a cup of hot water.
Cover with a lid and let brew for 5 minutes.
Strain, sweeten with honey and drink.

How to overcome chronic evening sleepiness

It happens that incredible fatigue and loss of strength overtake a person in the evening, long before it’s time to sleep. Most often, this is a consequence of chronic lack of sleep the day before and illiterate distribution of daily loads.

Fact . At the same time, it is quite natural to feel sleepy at night, because without proper rest the body will not be able to recover and function normally during the day.

However, sometimes it happens that due to circumstances it is necessary to overcome evening fatigue and extend the period of wakefulness. In such cases, the following tips will help:

Coffee is an excellent energy booster and just one cup of a strong aromatic drink will drive away sleep. It is important to remember that only high-quality and properly brewed coffee acts in this way. It is no secret that coffee is contraindicated for hypertensive patients and people with problems with the vascular system; in such situations it can be replaced with strong tea, which also contains caffeine, albeit in much smaller doses.
Today, many people resort to energy drinks to improve their tone and prevent drowsiness. Their validity period usually lasts about 4 hours. It is worth noting that there is no need to abuse such energy drinks, because they can not only be addictive, but also weaken the body.
One of the best ways to cheer up was and remains a contrast shower. Just do not shock the body with sudden temperature changes, carrying out the procedure smoothly. You need to start dousing with cold water from your feet and gradually direct the streams higher.
Aromatherapy has long been recognized as a very effective invigorating agent that helps to concentrate attention. By choosing the right aroma oils, you can extend your period of wakefulness for a long time.

Drink water with lemon

Drinking lemon water after waking up is another great way to combat daytime fatigue and sleepiness. This natural remedy helps keep the body hydrated and rid of harmful toxins. Dehydration affects the oxygen supply to the brain, causing you to feel more tired and sleepy throughout the day.

Drink a glass of lemon water first thing in the morning on an empty stomach and another 1 to 2 glasses throughout the day.

To make lemon water, squeeze the juice from ½ lemon into a glass of purified, warm water. If you want, you can add some honey to it too.

To keep your body hydrated, you can also consume foods that contain water, such as yogurt, broccoli, carrots, juicy fruits, watermelon, oranges and grapefruits.

Nutrition

Food is the most important thing for the existence of the body. However, most people eat poorly and do not have a solid eating schedule, which results in fatigue and irritability to everything. This occurs because the body has nowhere to get energy for normal functioning, which is why a person feels tired. The same thing occurs during hunger, when there is not enough energy, and the body consumes fat reserves to maintain vital functions .

The quality of food also plays an important role. Eating fast food and quick snacks has a bad effect on the functioning of the body, oversaturates it with harmful substances or, conversely, does not provide the required amount.

During pregnancy, such nutrition turns out to be much more dangerous, especially in the early stages.

A woman not only eats herself, but also feeds her child, so the quality of the products must be very high, and its naturalness must be maximum. Even after giving birth, you need to keep your body in good condition, and not let yourself go, because... Your well-being, both mental and physical, directly affects the quality of your breast milk.

Eat healthy foods for breakfast

To prevent daytime sleepiness, never skip breakfast. Eating healthy foods for breakfast will keep you active in the morning and more productive in your daily activities throughout the day.

Additionally, if you skip breakfast, your blood sugar levels will be low in the morning and your energy levels will be reduced.

A good breakfast includes low-fat foods with plenty of protein and complex carbohydrates. A healthy breakfast includes the following foods: milk, yogurt, eggs, cottage cheese, whole grain bread, fiber-rich fruits, oatmeal, cereal, nuts and smoothies.

You can also prepare an extremely healthy nutritional shake and drink it for breakfast after waking up. Combine low-fat yogurt, strawberries, banana, kiwi, fresh orange juice and a little honey in a blender.

Avoid eating heavy meals at lunch and have healthy snacks a couple of hours after breakfast and a couple of hours after lunch. During your snack, you can eat healthy foods such as nuts, fruits, juices, etc. Also, make it a habit to eat dinner no later than two hours before bed.

Chronic fatigue syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a chronic condition characterized by extreme fatigue that lasts more than six months and is difficult to diagnose.

Symptoms of CFS are:

joint pain that moves from one place to another;
muscle pain;
poor concentration;
memory loss;
enlarged lymph nodes;
headache;
chills;
high sweating;
digestive disorders (eg, irritable bowel syndrome);
insomnia;
psychological disorders;
decreased immunity.

The list of signs of chronic fatigue syndrome does not end here.

As a rule, chronic fatigue affects people aged 25 to 45 years, as well as teenagers experiencing stress due to worries on the eve of exams. At risk are people who experience frequent stress in the professional and personal spheres.

Chronic fatigue syndrome is also called white collar disease.

The feeling of stuffiness and lack of air is another problem for residents of large cities and is often the cause of weakness, loss of strength and the development of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Do you often open windows to ventilate the room where you work or live? Usually, even after thorough ventilation, after a couple of hours, the CO2 concentration returns to its previous value, and we can again experience all the delights of stuffiness and lack of air.

Keeping the windows constantly open would be an ideal solution, but due to unfavorable weather conditions and poor ecology, we cannot do this.

Breezer is a compact supply ventilation with air purification. The device will help those who want to breathe fresh and clean air. The breather ventilates the room with the windows closed, purifies the air from harmful impurities and dust.

Treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome

As a rule, chronic fatigue syndrome manifests itself as a complex of symptoms. If even after a good rest the signs of chronic fatigue do not go away: you feel a loss of strength, weakness in the body, weakness, then in order to avoid complications you need to urgently consult a doctor.

There is a possibility that the therapist will not be able to prescribe the necessary treatment due to a large list of symptoms adjacent to signs of other diseases. The final diagnosis and, possibly, treatment will be made by a specialist after a complete examination of the patient.

The following can help cope with chronic fatigue syndrome:

psychologist.
If the illness is associated with constant stress, worry and anxiety, a psychologist or psychotherapist will help cope with emotional overload;
neurologist
- if the syndrome is caused by overstrain of the nervous system;
endocrinologist
If fatigue is associated with disturbances in the endocrine system or hormonal imbalance, the endocrinologist will refer you for a more detailed examination;
immunologist
Weak immunity, frequent colds and exacerbations of chronic diseases can also take away vitality.

Regular physical activity

Regular exercise for 30 minutes, 5 times a week, can greatly help improve your energy levels and prevent daytime sleepiness. They also improve the quality of your sleep at night. Physical activity in the open air gives the best effect.

Walk briskly in the park for 30 minutes in the morning.
Do some stretching exercises to boost your energy levels, which you need during the day.
Do aerobic exercise in the evening, but don't do it right before bed.
Doing breathing exercises several times throughout the day helps improve blood circulation and combat stress.
You can also try practicing yoga poses.

When performing various physical exercises, do not bring your body to the point of feeling extreme fatigue.

Aromatherapy

Using aromatherapy can help reduce daytime sleepiness, as well as irritability, low energy levels, fatigue and headaches. The best essential oils for aromatherapy are rosemary, basil and peppermint essential oils.

Put a few drops of your favorite essential oil on a napkin and inhale its aroma from time to time - this will help you maintain your energy levels and avoid drowsiness.
Add a few drops of essential oil of your choice to your bath water.
You can even diffuse the oil in your office or apartment for long lasting results.

Eat foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids

A 2014 study from the University of Oxford found that eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids helps improve sleep. A good night's sleep automatically helps combat drowsiness, as well as fatigue and mild depression.

Additionally, omega-3 fatty acids help boost immunity and mental performance throughout the day. Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids include the following:

Fatty fish such as salmon, lake trout, sardines, mackerel and albacore
Walnuts and flaxseed
Peanut butter
Rapeseed oil
Eggs
Soy and soy products

You can read in detail about foods rich in Omega-3 PUFAs, as well as their comparative characteristics, on this page - 15 Omega-3 foods your body needs.

Diagnostics

To identify hypersomnia as an independent disease, 2 examination methods are used:

multiple sleep latency test – studies how quickly a person falls asleep and helps determine the presence of a rapid sleep phase during the day;
polysomnography - used to study the stages of sleep and determine the specific phase of its interruption.

Polysomnography is used to identify abnormalities in sleep patterns

If frequent malaise and weakness combined with drowsiness are caused by a serious illness, additional instrumental and laboratory diagnostic methods are used.

General and biochemical blood test, immunogram - helps to assess the condition of the blood and identify pathological processes in the body (inflammation, infections, tissue destruction).
Heart cardiogram – used in cases of suspected heart disease.
Tomography of internal organs – evaluates the functioning of vital systems and helps to detect destructive processes.
Electroencephalography – monitoring of brain activity and vascular condition.

A thorough examination makes it possible to accurately determine the cause of the sleepy state and helps to select effective therapy in each specific case.

Stay away from foods that make you drowsy

Along with eating healthy, you need to be aware of the foods that cause drowsiness and fatigue, and then try to eliminate them from your diet.

Avoid eating cakes, pasta, potatoes and white rice during the day as they cause drowsiness.
Avoid drinking caffeinated drinks in the morning. While caffeine does help relieve drowsiness and give you energy, it is just a temporary stimulant that can make you drowsy later in the day.
Avoid drinking alcohol during the day as it also makes you drowsy.
Avoid eating processed and smoked meats.
Avoid eating breakfast foods with high fructose and sugar corn syrup.

Additional recommendations

To help your body overcome fatigue and sleepiness, try taking a 20-minute nap during the day.
Ask a loved one to give you a full body massage for about 10 minutes to help you relax and combat stress and depression.
Listening to loud music can also help.
Including spices like ginger and cayenne pepper in your diet can help you fight sleepiness.
Avoid eating junk foods that contain saturated fats and sugars.
To improve your night's sleep, try practicing meditation before bed and eating foods that help treat insomnia and improve sleep.
Whenever you feel sleepy, try to walk for 5 minutes.
Chewing sugar-free gum may also help combat sleepiness during the day.
Take short breaks from work to refresh your mind.
You can even try acupressure to reduce fatigue and drowsiness.
Do not stop taking any medications without consulting your doctor.

Reduce your stress levels

Stress is one of the main hormonal disruptors. Stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol are antagonists to our sex hormones. This means that the more some are produced, the less others are produced.

The body can “digest” short-term periodic stress if it has the resources to do so. But prolonged stress literally destroys our hormonal system and creates a vicious circle. The longer the stress, the more difficult it is to get out of it. It has been proven, for example, that the presence of long-term loans (for example, mortgages) reduces testosterone levels in men. The same applies to bad family relationships or an unloved job. Therefore, the main task in the fight against stress is to understand its causes and eliminate them. Here are some other tips for relieving stress:

Get enough sleep. During sleep, the nervous and hormonal system is restored.
Use relaxation techniques such as massage, yoga, meditation, etc.
Avoid various stimulants (coffee, energy drinks, alcohol, etc.)
Strictly limit your working hours and do not work overtime;
Spend your weekends and rest time more actively - don’t sit at home, and especially don’t work!
Social activity. Communicate more with friends, relatives and work colleagues. It has been proven that single people live shorter lives and experience stress more often.
Make time for hobbies.

Read the article about how to get rid of stress using natural methods.