We all know that the key to good health is a nutritious diet, regular exercise, and most importantly, quality sleep. However, in this day and age, it's hard for us to control the time we spend sleeping. This leads to a continuous decline in work productivity. "What to drink to not feel sleepy" is a question many people search for. Therefore, this article will guide you to some great drinks that will dispel fatigue and drowsiness, helping you focus on your work.
1. Why do you often feel sleepy?
One of the main reasons we often feel sluggish and sleepy is lack of sleep. Currently, about 30% of adults lose/lack sleep every night. Insomnia means we don't allow our bodies enough time to recover energy and regenerate organs, leading to decreased work productivity, frequent sleepiness, and fatigue.
Additionally, an unstable sleep schedule can disrupt our body's biological clock, causing sleep disorders. Constant fatigue, sluggishness, and the tendency to sleep during the day and stay awake at night are inevitable.
The main reason we often feel sleepy is lack of sleep.
Another reason for frequent sleepiness and sluggishness at work is a lack of physical activity. A passive body means that the brain's blood vessels don't receive enough oxygen to function. This leads to blocked blood circulation when we don't exercise regularly. Consequently, drowsiness will set in every time you want to focus on starting work.
Moreover, frequent sleepiness can also stem from mental health issues, such as stress, anxiety, or depression,...
2. What to drink to not feel sleepy?
Have you ever experienced your eyes becoming heavy and your mind completely dreaming of your bed when you start concentrating on something? Drowsiness makes us let a day pass uselessly, and work efficiency severely declines. If you've experienced similar situations and want to revitalize your spirit and get rid of drowsiness while working, then keep these 5 helpful drinks in mind.
Water provides pure energy
Water is an excellent natural energy provider that keeps you energized and is extremely good for your health. Drinking a full glass of water every 30 minutes is a simple and effective way to keep your body awake and reduce sluggishness and sleepiness.
The speed at which water revitalizes us may not be as fast as many other drinks, but if you patiently drink water regularly combined with physical activity when you sit for long periods or are exposed to sunlight, it will help banish drowsiness throughout the day. A warm or cold glass of water, depending on personal preference, is always a great choice to drink every morning, whether you feel sleepy or not.
Fruit and vegetable smoothies (sugar-free) help you stay awake for work
Smoothies made from natural fruits like avocado, papaya, mango, banana, or pumpkin provide a perfect amount of carbohydrates to boost energy into the body. Additionally, adding healthy fats like avocado, nuts, and milk to your smoothie will help you stay focused for a whole day's work.
Drinking vegetable juices like carrot, spinach, kale, etc., will be a source of essential vitamins and minerals to recharge your mind. This is an ideal drink every morning to boost energy for work and study.
Coffee banishes your drowsiness
Coffee may be the drink that immediately comes to mind when you want to feel alert and focused for work. Coffee contains caffeine, a central nervous system stimulant that increases alertness and energy. Caffeine is not only found in coffee but also in other beverages such as soda, chocolate, and various teas,...
A cup of coffee every morning banishes your drowsiness.
However, many studies have shown that consuming a sufficiently large amount of coffee close to bedtime can affect sleep quality and have a counterproductive effect. In this case, the caffeine in coffee will make you feel tired and sleepy the next morning. In 2013, a small study conducted on 12 people showed that drinking 400mg of caffeine, even 3-6 hours before bedtime, still significantly disrupted and reduced the quality of sleep for all participants. Therefore, if you choose to stay up all night to get your work done with coffee, fatigue, sluggishness, and sleepiness the next morning are inevitable. The intention of drinking coffee to stay awake and work through the night is not the best option. A 2006 study with 34 participants, divided equally into two experimental cases:
- Half of the people slept at night and worked during the day according to the standard.
- The other 17 people would sleep during the day and stay awake at night.
Both groups drank about 200mg of coffee before bed. As a result, all 34 participants experienced sleep disorders and could lead to psychological disorders during a long period of testing.
Therefore, enjoying a cup of coffee every morning after a meal to get more energy, alertness, and enthusiasm for work is an excellent option. This is also an ideal time for coffee to demonstrate its ability to clear the mind and provide abundant energy.
Additionally, experts recommend consuming a maximum of 300mg of caffeine per day to ensure health and bone safety. This is because drinking more than this amount of coffee will increase the amount of calcium excreted in the urine, leading to an increased risk of osteoporosis.
A cup of hot chocolate provides a boost of spirit to start the day
If you often get caffeine jitters, a cup of hot chocolate every morning would be a suitable choice for you. Chocolate has a lower caffeine content than coffee but is still enough to boost your energy and spirits for a long day.
Furthermore, chocolate is rich in B12, which helps maintain good digestive system function. A healthy body indirectly supports good working spirits.
Green tea provides a refreshing energy boost
Green tea also contains a sufficient amount of caffeine to help you banish drowsiness, stay alert, and focus better on your work. If you often feel stressed and tired, green tea will be an even better choice than coffee. Green tea contains vitamin B1, also known as Thiamine, which helps soothe stress, supports mental relaxation, and makes it easier for you to concentrate on high-intensity work.
Green tea will be an excellent choice for those who are stressed and tired.
However, like coffee, green tea contains caffeine. Therefore, you should consider a reasonable time to drink tea, preferably in the morning before starting work. Besides, don't forget to enjoy your breakfast before or after drinking tea.
3. What should you do to improve sleep quality?
Sleep is an essential activity, just like eating and drinking. Therefore, to improve sleep quality, we need a process of forming healthy habits, and good health also means good sleep.
Regular exercise is the simplest and most effective method for those who often suffer from insomnia at night and drowsiness during the day. Playing sports or performing physical activities suitable for your body can help improve blood circulation. At the same time, physical activity helps you feel your breath, and recharge with positive energy for a productive day of work. In addition, working at full capacity during the day also invites quality sleep to come faster.
Regular exercise is an effective way to improve sleep quality.
A healthy diet, consuming good substances for the body, will help us get a good night's sleep. In addition to nutritious meals, eating habits are also very important. You should not drink caffeine, energy drinks, or other stimulants like alcohol or beer before going to bed. At night, we should limit eating sour, spicy, or greasy foods because when lying down, acid from food passes through the esophagus, causing irritation. This can keep you awake all night and cause sleep disturbances. Moreover, some researchers suggest that the increase in body temperature caused by eating spicy food before bed can negatively affect night sleep.
We can improve the quality of sleep when we have complete control over it. Building a scientific sleep schedule is a suitable way for you to take care of yourself with a scheduled sleep that is disciplined. Besides, we can incorporate good habits before bedtime into our routine. For example, good habits like drinking a glass of ginger tea, reading a good book, listening to soft music,... before going to bed.
The last and also very important tip is to ensure an ideal sleeping environment to improve the quality of your sleep. A familiar, airy sleeping space, a soft mattress, and smooth pillows will help you enjoy and cherish your sleep.
4. Summary
You have probably found the answer to the question of what to drink to not feel sleepy, and through this article, we know that an alert mind and a new day full of energy can be achieved if you enjoy one of the five drinks introduced in the article every morning. However, to maintain a clear mind and ward off drowsiness every day, the most effective remedy is to improve the quality of sleep and mental health.
Read more:
- Should you drink black bean water before bed? When is the best time to drink it?
- What are the benefits of drinking ginger honey water before bed?
- Should you take brain-boosting supplements before bed?
- Is it good to drink apple cider vinegar before bed?
- Should you eat yogurt before bed?
