Piousbox

Feeling sleepy during the day can come from several causes—poor sleep habits, medical issues, diet, or lifestyle. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you fix it:

Get a standing desk

This is the solution I'm currently testing. It's hard to fall sleep standing - so, maybe working while standing might help? I actually already have a height-adjustable desk, which is very nice and almost a requirement. Having ergonomic furniture is a requirement, but it can be achieved with a laptop stand and a few tricks, rather than an expensive desk. And, standing at the desk is definitely more tiring than sitting - at least a little bit, you end up supporting your weight partially by your hands on the desk surface or keyboard, but it still requires more energy to stand, than to sit.

But that's the whole point! So i'm trying to see if standing will help me be more productive. Updates are coming as soon as I reach a conclusion.

Take power naps

This idea is also in experimental testing with me. It's not that I miss 15 minutes of my time - I routinely waste more than that. And it's not that if I am wide awake, I don't waste time - I most certainly do. So an idea to fix daytime sleepiness is to, rather than uncontrollably waste 2 hours sleeping, agree with yourself, with your body and take a quick 15-minute nap. Set an alarm, be sure to actually fall asleep, and actually wake up 15-20 minutes later. Would this help, would this make me *not* sleepy afterward? I'll let y'all know once I've sufficiently tested this hypothesis. Basically, instead of sleeping for 2 hours in the day, I want to see if I can swing sleeping only 15 minutes, and then resume working all refreshed.

Melatonin and sufficient night time sleep

I already take a lot of melatonin, but only at night. I was taking 12mg per day - which turned out to be excessive! I would wake up too early, sleep too little. So I'm taking 6mg (half a pastel) nightly at this time, to see if it's the right dosage for me. And to be clear: taking 12mg wasn't bad, in fact I recommend everyone find their level by taking more than needed, and then reducing the dosage.

If melatonin "does not do anything" or you don't feel it - consider taking a consistent dose, say 10mg, for a month. It took me a little bit of time to recognize how melatonin works for me, since it is so subtle, but once I did, I became aware of both the benefits and the dosage that I need. Consistency is key: it may not work if you take it once, but do consider taking it for a month.

Quality of sleep also matters. You want to sleep in complete darkness and silence. Darkness helps you both to fall asleep, and to sleep better. Silence... I don't imagine these days to sleep with anything but.

Consider sleeping with someone else.

Consider sleeping on a therapeutic mattress. I like soft memory foam mattresses. But some people specifically like hard mattresses to sleep better.

• Get 7–9 hours of sleep: Most adults need this range.
• Stick to a consistent sleep schedule: Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends.
• Create a good sleep environment: Cool, dark, quiet room; comfortable bedding; limit noise.
• Avoid screens before bed: The blue light from phones and computers can interfere with melatonin production.

Avoid social networks

This is a big one. You will find that if you do not check... whatever is your preferred social network. Mine is youtube, the only and last thing I still check, apart from Zerohedge. So you will notice that if you quit social networks, you will go back to, find yourself in... reality. And reality is actually pretty great. Once you have sufficiently rooted yourself, or re-rooted yourself in reality, you will not want to get out of it again (into non-existing and fake digital social networking worlds).

Virtuous Cycle

This one is general, not sleep-specific, but is very important. Success breeds more success. Correct action causes more correct action. So if you have a small win in, say, staying more awake and alert during the day, and keep working on it, you will find / create more success in stagying awake and alert during the day. It's a self-reinforcing cycle. So taking small steps matters. I encourage you to seek, find and test concepts that help you stay alert, however unusual those concepts might be. 

Consider the Temperature

Cold will make you more awake.

Is it the temperature of your coffee? I'm serious. I live in Texas, and the hot weather often gets to me. And I like my coffee hot. But would drinking iced coffee rather than hot coffee increase my awareness? I'm currently testing that.

Follow Proper Diet

Does... chewing gum help to stay awake?

Consider going hungry. Unless you're building muscle - in which case building muscle, not awakeness, is your top priority - you can go hungry for quite some time. In fact, it is encouraged. Multiple religions have fasting (going hungry) built into their religion and culture. It's a surviving trait: you live longer, and the society functions better, if hunger is on the table. 

And it's not unhealthy, in fact, quite the reverse: reducing caloric intake is associated with longevity. Remember: every meal is inflamatory. Every meal brings you closer to death. (Every breath also brings you closer to death, since metabolism is a process of oxidation, combustion, and that is more a metaphysical point that sometimes needs to be reminded.) And so by eating less, and also eating better, you are increasing your longevity. A side effect may be increased awareness during the day.

Have you tried changing your diet? Maybe it's the sugar rush / crash that makes you feel tired. By eliminating or reducing sugars and carbs, you may gain in awareness. I for example, noted that even non-alcoholic beer makes me feel sleepy. It's probably a combination of placebo effect (it's beer, after all) and the fact that it is still carbohydrates. And personally, I've noticed that if I eat even a little bit of carbs, it makes me feel tired. As opposed to a purely carnivore meal (let's say only chicken drumsticks and some cheese), which doesn't have any carbs at all. I'm currently experimenting if actually removing all carbs completely, would help me stay awake.

Check your morning routine

• Get sunlight early: Natural light helps reset your circadian rhythm.
• Move your body: Even a 10-minute walk in the morning can improve alertness.

Take Smart Breaks

• Use the “Pomodoro” technique: Work for 25 minutes, take a 5-minute break.
• Take a brisk walk or do light stretching instead of scrolling on your phone during breaks.

Also, feeling sleepy after the gym is common, especially if your workout is intense or your recovery habits need improvement. Here are some aspects to consider when fixing it:

• Check Your Nutrition (Before & After the Gym)
• Hydrate Properly
• Evaluate Workout Intensity
• Improve Sleep Quality
• Rule Out Medical Factors

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