Don't Fall Asleep at Work!

We've all been there before. You get into work at what seems to be an earlier hour than it should be legal to be awake, and you feel like you are going to fall asleep all day long.

Don't worry, the coffee or energy drink is always the quick fix to give you that burst of energy needed to get through the morning. Once 2:30 rolls around, though, the crash isn't the friendliest thing to deal with.

So how do you stay awake throughout the long work day without the dependence of caffeine? if you are looking to cut back on your coffee intake, here are a few helpful tips.

Water, Water, and More Water

Many workers around the world immediately spring for the morning joe right out of bed to get their mind going. If you are truly looking for a real jolt of alertness in a healthier form, drinking a glass of ice water first thing is the best way to do so.

You brain has had much less oxygen getting to it throughout the night, so a cold glass of water will get the oxygen flowing through your body and to your brain, making it truly alert, awake, and ready to take on the day.

Move Around

Whether you are sitting at your desk or have a standing unit, you still need movement throughout the day to keep your blood pumping and getting your heart rate up a little bit.

Instead of sitting on the couch or a chair in the office break room on your next 15-minute break, take a walk around the block or up a few flights of stairs. This movement will do wonders for your body in the long run of the day and studies show those who get a walk in during the day also tend to sleep better at night.

Give Yourself a Bedtime

You aren't going to have much energy if you stayed up binge watching House of Cards until 1 a.m. every night last week, so setting a reasonable time for you to go to bed is essential to functioning the next day.

A study done by the National Sleep Foundation recommended adults between the ages of 18-64 should be getting anywhere from seven to nine hours of sleep each night. If you aren't getting this in on a nightly basis, it may be time to rethink your sleep schedule.

Smarter Meals

Have you ever eaten your lunch and automatically feel ready for a nap 30 minutes later? Instead of consuming three large meals a day, consider spreading our your food consumption patterns to smaller meals and snacks throughout the day.

A piece of fruit is a great way to start out the morning. Follow this up with some nuts and more fruit before eating half your lunch at lunch time, and the other half later in the afternoon. By keeping meals smaller, you can avoid filling up and going into the classic food coma.

Follow these simple tips and you should find yourself having more energy each day.