How To Stay Awake
Sometimes stress and a lack of sleep can make you feel tired at work. So let this film give you top tips on how to stay awake while working.
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Step 1:
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Get some sleep
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The first rule of staying awake is: Get some sleep. Don't worry. We haven't gone mad, we've been listening to The Sleep Council. Their research suggests that if you know that you may not get enough sleep, then trying to get extra sleep the day before can improve your alertness. Or you could just set your alarm and have a quick 15 minute nap.
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Step 2:
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Make yourself uncomfortable
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The first set of things to think about is your environment. Heat makes people tired, so do anything to make the room as cold as possible. Turn the temperature down. Open a window...anything. Make sure your chair is as hard and uncomfortable as possible. Adjust the back of your seat, so that it's firm and upright. You might want to swap chairs altogether. Listen to loud music. Anything fast-paced will help keep your brain stimulated, so avoid jazz, classical and easy-listening. VideoJug recommends thrash metal, but you might not feel like that's appropriate for your purposes!
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Step 3:
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Food and drink
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A quick word about food and drink. A full stomach will send you to sleep. Avoid eating a large meal before you start. Don't drink warm, comforting drinks – especially not if they contain milk. If you are hungry, stick to light, sugary snacks like chocolate, sweets and crisps. Stick to cold drinks things that are high in sugar. Now you're all set up and ready to go.
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Step 4:
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Refreshing tips
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Good, now you're all ready to start work… Don't be surprised if you start to lag after a few hours of going hard at it.. There are loads of things you can do to keep yourself going. Wash your face and brush your teeth once an hour. The cool water on your face and minty freshness in your mouth should keep you feeling stimulated and awake. Your body will start switching off if your heart and breathing rate drop too low for too long, so try and take a walk in the fresh air every couple of hours. Increased Carbon Dioxide in the blood stream is known to alert the brain, causing a rush of adrenaline and making you feel more awake. A simple way to achieve this is to breathe in and out of a small paper bag as quickly as possible. Do that for a few minutes. It should make you feel nice and awake for a couple of hours after.