Do you need caffeine to get through your day? I’ve experienced every over-the-counter wakefulness supplement produced before 2007 (when I smartened up) and can promise you that it all has the same effect: A brief period of increased alertness is followed by a dramatic increase in lethargy (a crash) or anxiety and fidgeting. Consume enough caffeine combined with whatever jungle juice is in vogue and you’ll eventually turn into an over-clocked grouch.
Perhaps you already are? You don’t have to be. Here are 7 ways to increase your alertness and subsequent productivity without reaching for that 6th cup of coffee before lunch:
1. Drop Napping
A quick version of the power nap, a drop nap takes only a few minutes and will usually give you enough of a boost to get through the last few hours of work. How to do it? Sit in a comfortable chair and hold something in one hand that, when dropped on the floor, will make enough noise to wake you from a shallow sleep. Hold the object you’ve chosen so that it will drop to the floor when you relax your hand and let yourself fall asleep. As soon as you fall asleep the object will drop and you’ll wake up with a boost of alertness. If you’ve ever fallen asleep for a few seconds while driving you already know what it feels like to wake from a drop nap!
2. Micro projects
A micro project is any small project that can be completed in a very little time. Taking a few minutes away from your sleep-inducing labor to work on a small project of your own can provide the excitement and immediate fulfillment needed to get your brain back in gear for the less interesting work you face.
3. Stretching
Get your hind parts out of that seat and release some of that lethargy and tension with a few minutes of stretching! You can start with some basic stretches and move to more complex ones as you feel comfortable.
4. Competitive games
Play a game that makes your mind work as you push for a win over another, preferably somebody you know. The combination of competition, strategy, and social interaction will give you the boost in brainpower you need to keep going. WeeWar is a recent favorite of mine. The combination of strategy, simplicity, and a bit of luck make for a fun way to take an “alertness break” from my work while connecting with a friend.
5. Hydrate!
Your brain is mostly water so it makes sense that you’d need to keep yourself hydrated for maximum alertness and productivity! They Mayo Clinic recommends three hydration styles to make sure you keep your body stocked with fluids:
- Replacement – The idea is to replace all the fluid you lose throughout your day. The average adult loses about a liter of water each day due to evaporation through the skin, breathing, etc. If you sweat a lot or live in a very warm climate you’ll want to up that amount appropriately. Combine that amount with the amount of water you lose as urine and you’ll have a good idea of how much fluid you should be consuming on a daily basis to stay healthy.
- 8 by 8 - 8 ounces of water 8 times per day (about 2 liters total) is an easy way to remember how much you need to keep from getting dehydrated and losing precious brainpower because your body is struggling to operate.
- Prescribed quantity – Check with your doctor or registered dietitian for a more exact idea of how much water you should be consuming based on your body weight and gender.
Trading that 4pm cup of coffee for a glass of water may have the extended benefit of guarding you from the hours-long affects of caffeine that might otherwise keep you up late.
6. Phone-a-friend
Fight away the drowsiness by connecting with a friend for a short conversation. Making plans for the weekend or just chatting about something that’s on your mind can give you a big mental boost and get you back into the game quickly. Keep your conversation short so you don’t end up spending any of your new-found wakefulness on chatting while you still have work to do!
7. Exercise
Depending on your fitness level, you should be able to engage in an activity that raises your heart rate for a few minutes without breaking a sweat. Feel stupid doing crunches or jumping jacks in your cubicle? You’d feel much worse if you were caught sleeping on the job! If you have more time and don’t mind getting sweaty, take an hour to make use of that gym pass you bought in January or go for a run. You’ll come back mentally refreshed and enjoy increased alertness for a few hours as your heart continues the increased blood flow to your brain.
What about you? Have you got into the habit of gulping caffeinated beverages whenever you feel a bit drowsy? Perhaps you’ve broken free of caffeine and have a tip or two of your own to share?
Image: Jraj7
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These are great wake-it-up tips! Sometimes when I am craving some coffee (I actually like the way it tastes), I use a coffee replacement. It’s made of caffeine-free ingredients like barley, chicory, and figs. The instant ones form a latte-like foam on top when you add hot water, and are great for using at work!
These are wonderful. There’s something very naturally human about them. It breaks away from anything remotely like a calendar or schedule, and let’s us just live (even if only for a few minutes).
The only thing I would shift is stretching. I used to be a stretch-a-holic until I started learning from my physical therapist, personal trainer, and a friend who specialized in this about how horrible traditional stretching is for us.
“Science has moved on… many athletes’ warm-up regimens are not only a waste of time but actually bad for you. The old presumption that holding a stretch for 20 to 30 seconds- known as static stretching-primes muscles for a workout is dead wrong. It actually weakens them.” William Holcomb, PhD, University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
WebMD is WAY behind the times!
One thing I do to get a non-caffeine jolt is the kind of “not actually stretching” we do when we wake up in the morning–the image of stretching your arms out and giving a big yawn. It’s actually the opposite of stretching. You’re contracting your muscles and then letting them go.
Just tighten up your muscles, scrunch everything together, maybe spread your arms out, give a big yawn. S-l-o-w-l-y releasing and relaxing the muscles produces the actual benefit. It releases all sorts of wonderful neurotransmitters that wakes us up. You can do that at any time. And, you already know how to do this–just do what’s natural for you!!
I’ve learned a lot about this from one of my coaches, Ed Barrera. He has a great blog post about this:
http://gravitywerks.com/pandiculate-your-way-to-health/
I’d add a quick trip outside for a few deep gulps of fresh air. I don’t drink caffeine and that usually does the trick for me.
A good B vitamin complex boosts alertness and eases brain fog. One a day will make a difference, although not everyone processes vitamins the same. (Ask your doctor.) You can also find B vitamins in Emergen-C powder drink mix.
Sugar is caffeine-free and increases alertness. :-)
Cold drinks of any kind tend to put a little energy in me.
I used to take some “Lingzhi mushroom” pills before sleep. It help to clear the foggy mind when I get up.
One coffee per day is recomended so i don’t think I’ll skip the morning coffee. :)
I would admit that watching ‘twin peaks’ had a significant effect on my coffee intake ( remember the cup of joe served black as midnight!)
These days, I restrict it to just 3-4 cups per day. Will seriously give a thought on quitting completely, if that is possible with the these methods.
Nice post. Thankfully, I hate coffee so I’ve got nothing to worry about with that :p but nice tips on overcoming.
1) Stepping outside for a moment. Fresh air usually does the trick for me.
2) Splash of cold water to the face. (+ reapply make-up if you’re into that sort of thing)
Oh! These are great! I don’t like coffee much either. That’s a funny technique-drop napping. I’ve never heard of it before. I don’t know if that will work on me though. I tried power naps, after I wake up I still feel sleepy. If you don’t like to exercise (like me), walk around the block. Walking also helps with blood circulation and that would help with brain functions.
PS… Speaking of exercise, I’d like to share http://budurl.com/4ghx It’s about fitness myths. I thought you’d all like to know.
[...] 7 Caffeine-Free Ways to Increase Alertness – Stepcase Lifehack http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/7-caffeine-free-ways-to-increase-alertness.html [...]
8 – Eating a lunch that energizes instead of putting yourself into a coma. Light pastas, or other energy packed meals work far better than slogging in a 3 bowl lunch run to Mongolian Barbecue where you have to roll yourself out and collapse into a food coma. If you are lucky enough to work in a building withing walking distance to some decent restaurants (No McDonald’s and Burger King are NOT decent restaurants) Getting the walk there and back boosts your energy a lot as well. I personally find that hot foods boost me more than mild foods. A jaunt to a thai place that burns my guts out will get me working faster with more energy in the afternoon than the burger joint down the road.
Drop napping… no thanks. I cant stand the panic wake up that you get from those. You’re not refreshed you are simply running on adrenaline that was caused by the startling.
I agree with tim. No Drop napping, I tried it a few times, it made me really alert, but I had a really bad mood after I woke up.
Looking at thing far away helps sometimes or just take a cigarette break.
Seth – I’m a caffeine addict – my last remaining vice! These are good tips, particularly hydration and exercise. I’m writing about breaking habits at the moment and these are good ways to do it. I’ll bookmark this for after I beat useless internet surfing.
Phil
All great tips here! I think exercising is something we all need more of – it makes you feel good, look good, and have more energy in general. One of my favorite things to do when I get a major energy slump is take a short walk outside on a bright sunny day. If the sunshine doesn’t wake you up, I’m not sure what will! :)
I was one of the worst cases of coffee addiction. Reaching a mark of something like 20+ big cups a day. Then one day I found a refreshing alternative. Sceptic that I am, I gave it a try with all the ‘No’ set in mind. However, to my surprise, it worked and still works for me. The trick is, I add some freshly squeezed lime (2-3 limes) in a litre of water. I also a 2 teaspoon of natural organic honey. I sip on that water through the day alongside drinking normal water. My alertness is good for the entire day.
Great post. I’d just add what may be too obvious to write about is get on a schedule of healthy uninterrupted sleep each night. This might include being checked for sleep apnea or other sleeping disorders
What about a quick meditation? I would think that one would feel very refreshed after 5-10 minutes of breathing and concentration…
Quick Meditation as suggested above . I also try 5 minutes of sun bathing if possible. Just go out and sit in the sun for 5 minutes and it really charges you up !
[...] 7 Caffeine-Free Ways to Increase Alertness I was a Caffeine addict and I am trying to reduce it . I am kind of trying ideas similar to this [...]
Wow such a useful blog. I am doing four of them on that list. Yea a hot bathing is also works…sometimes i cook as well.
Loved the drop-napping thing, I do allot of power napping when I’m working long days/nights, will try (and use) this for sure!
One a day will make a difference, although not everyone processes vitamins the same
great artical
“Your brain
is mostly water”
Hey.. watch it
Great strategies for getting or staying more alert to optimize your productivity.
We all respond differently to the types of food we consume during the day. I find I am somnolent and in a fog for about 4 hours after eating pasta, simple sugars and fatty foods. I try to make my lunch high in protein and limit consuming too many carbs and fats. A quick set of push ups and sit ups can get the blood flowing to the brain. If I find I am getting drowsy I will try to shift my work to something requiring I get up and move around or taking a quick walk down the stairwell a few floors to get the blood flowing.
Drinking plenty of water is also vital.
It is important to discuss possible sleep disorders with your doc if you have ongoing difficulty staying alert throughout the day. Many have sleep apnea and are not aware of it. Treatment can change your life.
[...] 7 Caffeine-Free Ways to Increase Alertness [...]
Love the drop nap idea. Time to find something extra loud.
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[...] 7 Caffeine-Free Ways to Increase Alertness – Stepcase Lifehack [...]
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[...] 7 Caffeine-Free Ways to Increase Alertness [...]
I often find that CHANGING LOCATION is helpful when I start getting tired/stuck. I pack up and move from the library to a coffee shop, or out-of-doors if it's nice, or even just to a different part of the library. Somehow, the literal change in perspective seems to provoke a figurative one. And of course the purposeful activity involved in the transition doesn't hurt, either…
Great post. I have used all of these techniques in the past. Here are a few more:
– Change your environment – If you find that you are consistently getting sleepy at 1pm in your office, consider going to a different location in the building or a different building all together.
– Recognize how what you eat impacts you — Different people have different food intolerance issues that cause brain fog. Keep a food log for a couple of weeks to see if you can identify patterns.
– Let music guide your way! Music can be a big motivator for people. Understand how music can impact your ability to focus and then play the genre that works for you.
To your success!
Stephanie
Productive & Organized – We’ll help you find your way! tm
[...] 7 Caffeine-Free Ways to Increase Alertness (by Seth Simonds, 369) [...]
I have found that the greatest amount of long lasting energy can be had in Proper Hydration, Colon Health, High Fiber, and Diet Balance. When I get up; I Quickly Drink “at least” 16 oz. or 20 oz. of water to flush the stomach and intestines of toxins. I then make an Orange, Apple, Orange Zest, and Mixed Nut Fruit Salad and let it chill while I drink a morning 8 oz coffee. I immediently Follow the coffee with the chilled fruit salad and I am provided energy and balance throughout the whole morning. As a Snack I will eat A Chobani 6 oz. Yogurt and for lunch a High Fiber/Lean Protein Wrap (or) Fruit with Lean Protein (or) Lean Protein/Vegetables mix. The day continues with healthy choices… and My level of health is great with clear skin, high energy, no weight gain, and clear thinking. The health of the mouth also plays an important role in your level of energy and you can research that through many websites so keep your teeth and gums in check to absorb less toxins and bad bacteria into the blood stream. Eating Clean and Drinking Clean are some answers to healthy vibrance and success. This could go on forever and I hope these tips can help others as they have helped me. Martin
effects* (the thing about 4pm coffee)
these tips suck im falling asleep as i type do to the insufficiant help that retarded set of tips has given me. your site sucks go an suck a zebra cock you bunch of $2 cum guzzlers
retarded
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What about you? Have you got into the habit of gulping caffeinated beverages whenever you feel a bit drowsy? Perhaps you’ve broken free of caffeine and have a tip or two of your own to share?
What about you? Have you got into the habit of gulping caffeinated beverages whenever you feel a bit drowsy?
What about you? Have you got into the habit of gulping caffeinated beverages whenever you feel a bit drowsy? Perhaps you’ve broken free of caffeine and have a tip or two of your own to share?
What about you? Perhaps you’ve broken free of caffeine and have a tip or two of your own to share?
What about you? Have you got into the habit of gulping caffeinated beverages whenever you feel a bit drowsy? Perhaps you’ve broken free of caffeine and have a tip or two of your own to share?
Found a great drink called Picabi that gives natural energy without the caffeine, plus 16 vitamins and minerals…check it out at http://www.drinkpicabi.com/why-drink-picabi
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I dont drink coffee at all, but i do some of the things above to stay awake. I mostly phone a friend.