Each person, depending on whether he is a "lark" or "an owl "And according to it biorhythms, - your mode of activity. But an impressive part of humanity needs a traditional full-fledged night's rest. It is very important for replenishing the loss of vitality and energy, for maintaining the tone and working capacity of each person. But then a force majeure happened: urgent night work, preparation for exams, or insomnia overcame against the backdrop of cloudy autumn weather. What to do then in the afternoon, how to deal with drowsiness?
Cheer up on the day service
In order not to want to go to the country of Morpheus in the service, you need to load yourself with work. There are no exceptions to this rule. For a person actively involved in the labor process, fatigue as if by hand removes in 15-20 minutes. It is recommended that the performance of job duties be varied by talking with colleagues or talking on the phone with customers, suppliers, etc.
If you feel sleepy at work, try skipping a hearty meal. Hearty food is a powerful soporific factor. More appropriate in such a situation would be a light snack - vegetable salad, fish or puree soup.
Do not sleep at night
How can those who have to work the night shifts not fall asleep? It is most difficult to stay active between 3 and 6 a.m. During this period, it is required to spend 5-10 minutes of each hour at an open window or go outside. The air, especially fresh in the morning, invigorates perfectly. You should not be zealous with tea or coffee. Dark chocolate is considered a much more effective remedy to ward off drowsiness. A couple of squares from a tile will provide the body with the necessary energy every hour.
If you have a long night of work ahead of you, then you need to start preparing for it in the evening. The first point is a light dinner. The second is a contrast shower. This aqueous procedure can be repeated overnight. And the greater the difference in water temperature, the more cheerful a person will feel. A cool shower will give 2-3 hours of good performance.
As already mentioned, fresh air accelerates sleep. Therefore, you need to open a window in the room, and in the winter, you need to ventilate your work area as often as possible. The influx of fresh air goes well with a warm-up by an open window. In general, it is necessary to be distracted from work every 1-1.5 hours. Light exercise will be more effective if you massage your earlobes with your fingers afterwards. The Chinese claim that they are the main points of vigor on the human body.
Toning drinks and food
Unconditional tonic number 1 is natural coffee - a cup of this drink will drive sleep for several hours. A glass of cold water with a few drops of squeezed lemon will serve the same purpose. A cup of green tea will also charge you with vivacity. Mint added to tea will help shake up your body. You can chew a leaf or two.
A miracle cure for good brain function will be a bar of dark chocolate, thanks to which it is quite possible to hold out the night. A handful of sunflower or pumpkin seeds, a few nuts of any kind - forest, walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts - will play the same role, since eating them has a stimulating effect. In addition, will they satisfy your hunger? without overloading the stomach.
The citrus family, from orange to lime, also has invigorating properties. If you are sleepy and tired, it would be good to eat some berries - blueberries, raspberries or blueberries. Well, if none of the above is at hand, but perhaps there is an apple - a wonderful tonic fruit!
Invigorating aromas and rhythms
Aromatherapy helps to not only relax, but invigorate. The main thing is to choose the right incense for this procedure. The scent of tea tree stimulates brain activity, and grapefruit oil can help get rid of unpleasant thoughts.
During night work, people often experience headaches and discomfort in the eye area. An ordinary lemon will help get rid of these unpleasant sensations. Its zest should be placed in cheesecloth and used to wipe the temples and forehead. The procedure can be repeated every 1.5 hours.
If possible, then at night work should be periodically interrupted by listening to rhythmic music. This method will help speed up sleep during the most difficult period - in the predawn hours.
I wrote an article earlier on how to stop wanting to sleep. But those methods are designed for the long term. Usually, how - you need a vigorous spirit in the body and in the mind - "here and now", so that the dream, as if by hand, took off, you need to quickly cheer up.
Further, just such methods. Unlike the article on this topic earlier (see link above) - I will not give an exhaustive answer, but only what I myself use with a bang. I am not looking for others (however, I will add to this post if I find something worthy of my or your attention).
How to stop wanting to sleep. How to cheer up
Take a contrast shower
Great way. We go to the shower, put first a lukewarm, then a cold one. Then hot, then cold water. In this case, we count to 7 - 12. Three - five approaches hot / cold is enough to put you in a cheerful disposition of the spirit.
Important: finish with cold water. Or hot (selected individually). If the final temperature is not the same, the result will be diametrically opposite - relaxation and drowsiness to a n degree.
Disadvantages of a contrast shower: you need appropriate access to it (which is not available, for example, at work).
Take a nice cold shower
In the morning, if you take a cold shower, then the whole day will pass in a surge of strength and energy.
When it gets sleepy - to go "turnkey", it is also a system of psychological self-education (self-coding). “Yeah, I want to sleep - now wait, I’ll make myself cold. - No, no, I don't feel like it anymore, look how cheerful I am. " And really - the body will not want "torture", will not continue to play a dream at the wrong time.
Disadvantages: the same as with contrast, plus - “water, oh, how wet and cold”, not everyone will fit, a sufficient level of self-discipline is needed.
Coffee +
Everyone knows about the energy power of coffee (tea). But what else can you add, add to the coffee itself: ground black pepper or cinnamon. The effect will be cooler. I do not recommend it for tea, the taste will become strange. Just start with a small dose.
Disadvantages: individual intolerance to spicy, coffee tastes.
An exclusive way to stop wanting to sleep
Invented by accident during an unequal fight against drowsiness, when she had already put me on my shoulder blades.
What to do: if a dream tends you to the crib, do not resist it, lie down, only preferably on a flat, hard surface. Let him (dream) think that you are overpowered and relax. But since you have already taken a lying position - why not swing your abs at the same time?
And also, roll over on your stomach and do push-ups twenty times in several approaches. Is the hint clear?
Disadvantages: at first, there is some invisible barrier - “I don’t want to,” but if you start to exercise a little bit, then more ...
In general, this is a way to smoothly emerge from sleepiness into a smooth entry into exercise.
Go for it! All the best!
Modern insomnia, with its extracurricular work and nighttime TV series, is undoubtedly harmful. But sometimes the work is overwhelming and all of it is urgent. How do you get through a whole night of work? It is worth warning right away how to stay awake all night and be awake all day, no one knows, and there is no such way. But how not to sleep when very soon exams or the delivery of a project, a lot of ways have been invented.
What not to do
- Eat at night. Especially heavy foods. It's not particularly useful at all, but before a sleepless work night, it's deadly. Therefore, we are preparing to work without any chips, fried, fast carbohydrates, sour cream and other fatty foods;
- Work while lying on the couch.
How can you stay awake when there are soft pillows, a mattress and blankets under your nose? Your instincts will definitely prevail here. Therefore, when preparing for a night of work, choose a table and chair. There should definitely not be comfort, but it shouldn't be numb either;
- Listen to your favorite and familiar music. As if sleep will overpower you. The exception is your favorite songs, which you associate with the most extreme and difficult periods of life;
- Switch off the light. You understand that it's much better to sleep in the dark. Therefore, if the light annoys you, let it continue to burn for itself. If you have a table lamp, let it shine in your face;
- Use whatever distracts you. It can be a photo of children or a mistress, a house plant, a favorite beer. Most likely, you will sit for half the night meditating on them and then fall asleep. It is better to put a thing in front of you that reminds you of work: let it be a student book, an assignment contract, a clock, at last;
- Play computer games. Again, they are more tiring than work. Therefore, no chess solitaire games;
- Stuffiness. If it's hot and there is nothing to breathe, do not be afraid to take a walk or go out onto the balcony. It's good if you can open not only the vents in the room, but also the balconies;
- Alcohol. Maybe it gives inspiration sometimes, but more often after it, it pulls you to sleep.
Simple methods
Most of them help to develop an additional amount of adrenaline, which will definitely not let you sleep. The plus is that simple methods will not harm the heart and brain, moreover, they can bring a little benefit to the body, and they can also give vigor during the day.
- Seeds. Nothing funny, because they contain a lot of the healthiest fats. But it is better to eat them a little at a time;
- Breathing exercises. Breathe in normally, exhale with emphasis and sharply. This breath is called kapalabhati and it is very invigorating;
- Wash your hands. Especially the wrists and the coldest water.
- Chocolate, candied peanuts, marshmallows, caramel. And it's okay that these are fast carbohydrates, because sweets are also endorphins. Sweet peanuts are especially good: eat one nut every few minutes and the night will not seem so long and tiring. Chewing gum with menthol is no less good, because it provokes the production of insulin, and it perfectly raises the tone. If you really want to eat, eat something protein;
- Give yourself a massage. Pay attention to the crown, earlobes and the back of the tonic massage points between the index and thumbs and the area under the knees. You can still tickle yourself on the palate with your tongue;
- Aromatic oils. Your friends for this night are rosemary, orange, eucalyptus, grapefruit, mint, pine aromas. They can be in bedclothes, and in an aroma lamp, and in a pendant, and even in water for cleaning floors ... And what if you feel sleepy, you can wash the floor too ... No oils - smell the coffee.
- Water. It would be good to drink more of it. And it's good if it is warm. If it burns the larynx and stomach, ideal. Therefore, do not forget about coffee. And if you combine it with diuretics, you will definitely not be able to fall asleep. Masochism, but when there is a lot of work or an exam is very soon permissible. A good option is to drink coffee and doze off for a quarter of an hour. But no more.
- Herbal infusions. It depends on which grass helps you. It could be ginseng, chamomile, or licorice. The main thing is that the infusion must be warm!
- Spices. Their aroma alone invigorates. And if horseradish or ginger, and grate ... Hot peppers, mustard, and thermonuclear adjika will suit you.
- We do not eat anything. Hunger is quite capable of helping you hold out all night and prepare for your exam or test.
What else can you do?
Then there are the methods of moderate severity.Walk on the balcony. If possible - on the roof: height, cold, extreme and fresh air will lift even the heaviest eyelids.
Online dispute, trolling. This kind of entertainment is dearly loved by everyone. Hone your art of trolling and arguing, and also know that it drives adrenaline, and also increases pressure. Keeping your grip on yourself and not letting your emotions overwhelm you can help you hold out for the whole night. But remember that this is not your goal, but the fulfillment of the task for which you gave up much-needed sleep. If the Internet is not available, TV, and print media, and radio will do. Just find an exciting topic and have an argument with an imaginary opponent. No, this is not schizophrenia.
Sport. No, it makes no sense to go to the sports field or to the fitness club in the middle of the night. Just turn on the broadcast of the match. The main thing is to listen, not watch. If you have turned on the online broadcast, minimize the window and listen again. Radio will do too. You can listen not only to football, but also to horse races or races. You can even place a small bet. You definitely won't fall asleep until it's over. However, physical education will also be appropriate. Push-ups, horizontal bar, abs: anything that invigorates you is suitable. This will perfectly relieve mental fatigue.
Chemical stimulants
Yes, they kill the heart, but once you can. A good option is a jaguar. But the burn is no good anywhere.But the canonical combination of cola with coffee and succinic acid will be tastier and not so deadly harmful. A combination of cream soda and hawthorn, mineral water with honey and lemon is suitable, coffee is best drunk with lemon water and sweet.
Play with the alarm
We start it for one hour, work and wait for it to ring. Let's start again. So all night.
Fear
This is a very deplorable method for the psyche. You can watch horror short films, read scary stories, think that someone is following you, and also disturb your phobias with the help of appropriate photos. But over time, the psyche gets used to it.
If you are used to it, go to the most hardcore methods.
Heavy artillery
- Stimulants. These include any means, among the side effects of which are insomnia, anxiety and increased pressure. Eleutherakokk, phenotropil, doppelhertz ... Again, only you are responsible for your heart. If you are hypertensive, do not even touch them.
- Pain. Try to prick yourself with a medical needle. Better to prick your finger. You will definitely not want to sleep anymore. But just let there be cotton wool nearby, and the needle be sterile. If you are a fan of extreme sports, you can cut yourself with a knife and even burn your skin or beat yourself with nettles. Sometimes even the thought of such actions can wake you up.
- Shame. Think back to the biggest shame of your life. In all the details, feeling about the same as at that moment, scroll all this in your head ... And nothing else is needed. It's just not easy to do it.
- Call an unfamiliar number at three in the morning? The last time you dabbled on the phone was in seventh grade? You know how much adrenaline it is! Of course, you will hear no less threats, and besides, they can find you! Another turn of events is also possible, because a cute object of the opposite sex can answer you, who is also puzzled by how not to fall asleep if you really want to ...
- Place a bag over your head. But only for a very short time and do not suffocate! This is also a dangerous method.
- Don't go to the toilet. Even if you already want to. Be patient and you will definitely not fall asleep. Especially effective if you have already drunk a lot of coffee, stimulants or herbal infusions ...
- Listen to harsh and loud music. And better with headphones.
Each person may have their own reasons why he cannot sleep all night: he urgently needs to do some work for the boss, learn the exam, or have time to do his favorite thing, because. during the day there is simply not enough time for it. The question is not only how to stay awake all night, but also how to stay awake at night and at the same time be cheerful and think something. How long can you even go without sleep? In fact, even one day without sleep will affect the human body. The absolute record is 11 days without sleep (entered in the Guinness Book of Records), but fatigue at the same time reaches such an extent that it will take a very long time to recover from this, and the damage to health will be noticeable.
If you know in advance that in the coming night you need to come up with a way to deal with sleep, you can follow a few tips already during the day so that the fight against sleep is not painful at night:
- Sleep during the day.
An afternoon nap of 30-40 minutes will help you stay awake at night, as your strength will be replenished. - Ventilate the room
Be sure to open the window in the evening to let fresh air into the room: the flow of oxygen will help you think more clearly. - Don't overeat for dinner
Everyone knows that after a heavy meal, blood rushes to the stomach, the body spends energy on its digestion, and the person is drawn to sleep. A mild feeling of hunger works the opposite way and can help you to feel sleepy. - An evening walk
If you are wondering what to do to keep you from getting sleepy at night, get out into the fresh air before night work: it works the same way as airing. This method will help you to cheer up for the coming night.
The night seems too long, especially when the eyelids are full and the strength and the mind leave the person. To cheer up at night and stop feeling heavy in your head, we offer you a number of recommendations on how not to fall asleep, even if you are very tired, and how to overcome sleep. First, create conditions in the room so that you do not want to sleep, namely:
- Turn on a bright light: this will signal to your brain that it is not night time outside the window.
- Get into an uncomfortable position: If you create uncomfortable conditions for yourself, you will not be able to sleep. If possible, stand or walk, if not, sit on a hard chair without a back.
To cheer up and get distracted after several hours of work, the following techniques will help:
- Take a contrast shower
Alternating warm and cool water is a good way to fight sleep. 5-10 minutes will be enough. Alternatively, wash your face with cool water or rub it with ice cubes. - Target Smell and Taste Receptors
If you want to be in bed, you urgently need to take measures to stop wanting to sleep. By acting on your receptors with strong smells or tastes, you stimulate the nervous system.
Lighting up aroma oils, brushing your teeth with mint paste, sucking on mints, and chewing gum is a good way to do this. The latter, in addition to acting on receptors, stimulates blood flow to the masticatory muscles and the brain, which allows you to stay awake for several more hours. - Perform acupressure
The method is also based on increasing blood flow, which will help get rid of sleep. Points of influence: earlobes, popliteal fossa, back of the neck, point between the index and thumb on the hands. - Warm up
If you've been working tirelessly for several hours, now is the time to get up and set aside 5 minutes to walk around the room and warm up a little. You can perform 10 squats, torso bends: this will promote blood flow to organs and tissues, helping to overcome drowsiness. - Sleep after coffee
Another effective way to overcome sleep is to take a short nap after coffee. The fact is that if you drink coffee, it enters the bloodstream and starts its stimulating effect on the nervous system not immediately, but only after 20 minutes. This time can be used to effectively rest in a short period of time. After waking up, you can stay awake for a long time.
Products for vitality
During the night wakefulness, one way or another will want to eat. Therefore, the question naturally arises about what foods can be consumed and what to drink, so that not only does not want to sleep even more, but also which will help to cope with fatigue. Here are the top 5 foods and drinks to help you stay awake:
- Chocolate
Chocolate, like coffee, contains caffeine, which has an invigorating effect on the body. It is best to use dark chocolate. - Meat
Protein has the property of being slowly digested in the body, which means that by consuming a piece of meat, you will have a feeling of satiety and a boost of energy for a long time. - Spices or spicy foods
As mentioned above, by acting on the taste and olfactory receptors, they stimulate the nervous system, helping to stay awake. - Water
Drinking plain water or water with lemon juice boosts metabolism and refreshes the mind. - Energy
A remedy that is not very beneficial for health, but was created specifically to create a "vigor" effect, which is achieved due to the high content of taurine and caffeine in them.
As you can see, there are many ways to stay awake at night when you need it. However, do not overdo it: neglecting sleep too often can lead to serious side effects, up to and including hallucinations.
List of used literature:
- Neurology. Practical Physician's Handbook. D.R.Shtulman, O.S. Levin. M. "Medpress", 2008
- National Institutes of Health. NINDS Hypersomnia Information Page (June 2008). Archived April 6, 2012. (English)
- Poluektov M.G. (ed.) Somnology and sleep medicine. National leadership in memory of A.N. Wayne and Ya. I. Levina M .: "Medforum", 2016.
This situation occurs quite often - you went to bed, but hours pass after hours, and you toss and turn in bed from side to side, and cannot fall asleep. In addition, some unpleasant thoughts pop up in your mind every now and then, and you cannot relax in any way. Perhaps to some, the problem of how to fall asleep will seem not so terrible. However, imagine that tomorrow you have an exam or an important meeting, you need to get behind the wheel. And you need to get enough sleep from your nose, otherwise in the morning everything will fall out of your hands. What to do in such a situation? Of course, everyone's psyche works differently, and the reasons for poor sleep can be different. If you do not know how to fall asleep quickly, then you should try various methods, and perhaps you will find among them the ones that suit you the most.
First of all, you should pay attention to the room in which you sleep. It must maintain the optimum temperature - not too hot or too cold. Drafts should be avoided.
The air in the room must be fresh. Therefore, it is recommended to ventilate the room before going to bed. If there is little oxygen in the room and it is filled with unpleasant odors, then you are unlikely to be able to fall asleep quickly. Lavender, linden and chamomile oils can be used to flavor the bedroom.
Very bright light often leads to insomnia. It is worth remembering that sleep-regulating hormones are only produced in the dark. Make sure the windows are tightly curtained and there are no other sources of light in the room. A special sleep mask can be purchased.
If you need silence to sleep, get earplugs at the pharmacy. For some, an unobtrusive noise, such as the monotonous hum of a fan, helps to fall asleep. You can also use relaxing music or natural sound recordings to help you fall asleep quickly.
Sometimes a person cannot sleep because he takes an uncomfortable position. Lie down so that you are comfortable. It is better to use a medium firm pillow. If it gets warm from the body, turn it over. Wear loose-fitting pajamas to sleep. Some people are comfortable sleeping without clothes, so try it yourself.
Don't forget about hygiene, change your bedding regularly. It is not very pleasant to fall asleep on pillows and sheets soaked in sweat. The blanket must be chosen so that it would not be too light or heavy, too warm, or vice versa, would not protect well from the cold.
Eating the right food is the key to good sleep
Pay attention to what you eat for dinner. It is not recommended to eat heavily before bed, but on the other hand, going to bed on an empty stomach is also not the best solution. There are foods that promote good sleep: banana, milk, nuts, whole grain bread, lettuce. But protein can interfere with good sleep, the same applies to caffeinated drinks, spicy, fatty, sweet, nicotine, alcohol. A cup of warm milk or herbal tea taken at night will often help you fall asleep easily.
Things to do to relax your psyche
Sometimes there is advice not to think about anything while lying in bed. But in practice this cannot be done, moreover, in a dream, some parts of the brain work even more intensely than during wakefulness. Therefore, moderate stress for the mind, on the contrary, will be beneficial.
Some find it helpful to read at night. However, it is necessary to observe the measure. It is best to read something light, not burdensome, but not so exciting that it could make you spend hours reading a book. You can also try making some notes or drawings. For example, write down the most pleasant impressions of the day, an opinion about a movie.
But as soon as you feel during the reading that you are beginning to feel very sleepy, immediately stop your activity, turn off the light and lie down. If any thoughts arise in your head, try using your imagination to color these thoughts in black. Meditate, let go of the thoughts that bother you.
Think about something enjoyable. Imagine yourself in a boat, sailing along a river, or you are flying in the clouds, or swimming in the ocean, or walking along a blooming field, etc. Slowly delve into your fantasies, noticing more and more new details.
The advice has long been known to count in the thoughts of some animals, for example, sheep or elephants. Although the advice does not help everyone, nevertheless, it makes sense, since it contributes to a moderate load on both hemispheres of the brain, gradually putting it into sleep mode. Of course, you can choose some other objects or animals, the main thing is that they do not cause negative emotions. You can imagine a pendulum swinging from side to side and count its movements.
Lie still, do not move, mentally relax all the muscles, from the tips of your toes to your head. Lying in bed, stretch. Stretching helps the body relax, the tension goes away and the person falls asleep. Try pinching the pillow between your knees. It helps relieve stress and even relieves pain.
Perform a set of breathing exercises. Slow deep breathing helps the body to relax. Lie on your back to control how your belly heaves. By focusing on breathing, the brain is freed from extraneous thoughts.
Sleep preparations
If you have gone through various methods, but still do not understand how you can fall asleep quickly, then it is recommended to use medicines. However, this must be done carefully so as not to cause addiction. It is best to consult a doctor for the selection of a drug.
Varieties of drugs:
- On the basis of herbs - valerian, motherwort, mint, hops, chamomile.
- Tranquilizers are drugs that depress the nervous system, dull emotions. If insomnia is caused by severe stress, this may be the only solution.
- Sleep pills - act on nerve receptors and stimulate the production of sleep hormones.
- Preparations containing the main sleep hormone, melatonin.
- Vitamins. Often, chronic insomnia develops due to a lack in the body of vitamins B and D, trace elements - magnesium and calcium.
What you need to do during the day to sleep well at night
If you play sports, then the last workout should be at least three hours before going to bed. However, going for a walk before bed is very helpful for insomnia.
Bathing at night is also a good way to relax. Best of all, in this case, a bath with special soothing additives - sea salt, eucalyptus and pine oils helps. If you have trouble falling asleep at night, it is best not to doze during the day, but wait until evening and get a good night's sleep.
Find a way to deal with stress. Stress is the main problem with insomnia. Find a hobby that will relieve stress. Try to stick to the regime: go to bed at the same time. If you want to shift the mode, then change it gradually, starting from 10 minutes. Before going to bed, do not rummage in the phone, do not sit for a long time in front of the TV or monitor.
