Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Follow a rigorous morning routine
• Method 2 of 3: Stay awake all day
• Method 3 of 3: Make a plan for your bedtime
• Tips
• Warnings

Being tired is the worst thing there is. Not only does it keep you from enjoying your day, but it also makes you feel mentally and physically exhausted. If you want to prevent fatigue permanently, you need to change your daily routine instead of just catching up on sleep. If you want to know how to fix fatigue and enjoy your life more, follow these steps.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Follow a rigorous morning routine

1. Wake up cheerful. Getting out of bed on the right foot is the key to a great day when you feel alert and refreshed. If you want to spruce up your morning routine, find out what works best for you and stick to it so that you wake up every morning in a balanced way rather than distracted and rushed. Here's what you can do to get your day off to a good start:
   • Don't hit the snooze button over and over again. Turn off the alarm and start your day right away. Pressing the snooze button will only waste time and sink into half sleep for a few minutes over and over again.
   • Take a deep breath and fill your lungs with air.
   • Get up and smile. Don't waste your time playing with your phone, yawning or just linger. The sooner you start, the better you feel.
   • If you're still feeling sleepy, take a break in the garden or out on your balcony to breathe in the fresh morning air.
   • Always have enough time to get yourself ready. You may think you feel more rested if you sleep 10 minutes longer, but that really only backfires if it means you have 10 minutes less to do everything. While sleep is very precious, it is just as important to leave the house relaxed and refreshed rather than sleepwalking.
2. Wake up in the bathroom. Now go to the bathroom and get your face and body ready for the day. Brushing your teeth and combing your hair will make you feel ready for the day, and the bright light in the bathroom will wake you up. Here's what to do:
   • Throw some cold water on your face.
   • Try taking a shower in the morning. While some people prefer to shower in the evening, a cool shower in the morning can be a wonderful way to wake up. Don't shower too hot, because then you have the feeling that you can get back to bed.
   • Consider putting a radio in your bathroom so you can listen to your favorite rousing music or sing along.
3. Start the day with a healthy breakfast. A healthy breakfast is essential for a healthy, alert day. The wrong breakfast - or no breakfast at all - can leave you feeling sluggish and tired for the rest of the day. It's important to make time to eat a healthy and filling breakfast, no matter how busy you are. Here are some ideas to try:
   • Fruit, yogurt, and muesli.
   • Vegetables such as spinach, kale or celery. Try mixing them in a smoothie.
   • Eggs and lean ham or turkey. With this you get a lot of proteins that provide energy.
   • Oatmeal, whole grain bread or healthy cereals. Avoid breakfast cereals with sugar, as it will give you a sugar spike followed by a huge dip.
   • Avoid foods that are dripping with fat, too much butter, or syrup. These kinds of things are great on the weekend, when you can pamper yourself and don't have to do anything afterwards, because they don't make you particularly alert.

Method 2 of 3: Stay awake all day

1. Stimulate your senses. If your senses are not stimulated, your mind will not be stimulated and you will fall into sleep mode. If you want to stay alert, you have to work on keeping your eyes, ears, and even your nose vigilant all day long. There are many ways to do that, whether you are at home, at work or at school. Here are some of them:
   • Keep your mouth busy by chewing a piece of candy or gum. This trick works especially well if you feel tired in the morning on the way to work or school, or on the way home in the evening.
   • Shine a light. Turn on as much light as possible if you can control it. Or better yet, make sure you sit by a window that allows you to see a lot of daylight. Sitting in direct sunlight can make you sleepy, but being in a bright environment awakens your senses.
   • Wake yourself up by smelling peppermint oil. You can take a small bottle with you wherever you go.
   • Keep your eyes active by taking a break from time to time while looking at the same thing for a long time.
   • Listen to music. Jazz, hip-hop, or rock music will keep you awake. Talk shows on the radio also keep you alert, because then you are focused on what is being said.
2. Keep your body active. Stimulating your body is just as important as stimulating your senses. If your body is active, so will your mind, so keep busy wherever you are - even if you spend all day at a desk, there are things you can do to stay active. Try some of the following tricks:
   • Gently pull on your ear lobes.
   • Squeeze yourself in sensitive areas. Squeeze yourself in areas where you don't have a lot of fat, such as in your forearms or the back of your knees.
   • Stretch your wrists by pulling your fingers back.
   • Roll your shoulders and your neck.
   • If you feel like you are about to fall asleep, gently bite your tongue.
3. Move. While you may think that exercising makes you tired, it has the opposite effect if you do it in moderation. Exercise gives you more energy overall and makes you feel stronger. It is best to exercise in the morning or afternoon, because then you need extra energy; if you move late at night you will get an adrenaline rush that may make it harder for you to sleep. Here are some great ways to move:
   • Go for a jog around the neighborhood in the morning. Nothing is more refreshing than filling your lungs with fresh morning air.
   • Take a yoga class in the morning. This is another way to clear your mind, improve your breathing and recharge for the day.
   • Engage in a team sport such as soccer or volleyball. This gives both your body and mind more energy.
   • Take a walk for at least 20 minutes a few times a week.
4. If you can't exercise, try doing some light physical activity anyway. Even if you don't have time for a full training program, you can wake up your body by doing some simple exercises throughout the day. Just five or ten minutes of extra exercise every now and then can already say to your body, "Hey, it is far from bedtime!" Here are some simple physical exercises:
   • Walk or cycle as much as you can. If you are in school, walk or cycle there instead of taking the bus, if it is not too far. Or take the longest route to the next classroom if you have time. When you work, take a walk through the halls now and then or take a tour of the neighborhood during your break.
   • Avoid elevators and escalators as much as possible. Take the stairs to get your heart rate up.
   • If you sit at a desk all day, stand up every now and then to stretch.
5. Eat healthy. A healthy breakfast is a great way to start your day, but you should also follow it up with a nutritious lunch and dinner. Eating healthy will give you more strength and energy, while the wrong foods can make you have to get through the day. Try these healthy eating tips to help you feel less tired:
   • Eat a small snack when you feel tired or have a bit of an appetite. Take all kinds of healthy snacks with you so that you do not have to surrender to the company canteen.Some great snacks are almonds, cashews, celery and peanut butter. Fruit is also always a good option, and easy to take with you wherever you go.
   • Eat three healthy, balanced meals a day. Also eat healthy snacks so that you don't overeat during large meals.
   • Avoid heavy meals, starchy foods, or foods that are too fatty and alcohol. All of this makes you feel tired and is a drain on your digestive system.
   • Try some caffeine. If you need it, caffeine can help you stay awake. Try a cup of coffee or tea, but don't overdo it, because then you will collapse afterwards.
   • Stay well hydrated throughout the day. Water always refreshes.
6. Keep your mind active. If your mind is busy, excited or creative, you will be less tired. To keep your mind focused, make sure you are always focused on something interesting, instead of daydreaming or slipping away. There are several ways to make sure your mind is always attentive:
   • Switch tasks regularly. You get bored doing the same thing for hours on end, so take a break to eat a healthy snack, look out the window or send a quick text to a friend.
   • When you are at work, have a chat with a colleague. This makes you more alert and you can have a laugh in between.
   • When you are in school, pay extra attention to what your teacher says. Ask and answer questions to participate in the discussion and take notes with pens in different colors to make it less boring.

Method 3 of 3: Make a plan for your bedtime

1. Go to bed with the right attitude. To make sure that you are not tired the next day, it is important to go to bed with a positive feeling and desire for the next day. When you go to bed cranky or even angry, it is much more difficult to fall asleep. Here are a few things you can do:
   • Never go to bed angry. If you're upset about having a fight with someone you love, important or not, try to fix it before you go to sleep.
   • Think about at least two things you look forward to the next day. If you go to bed with a positive feeling, you feel more like getting up.
   • Visualize your morning ritual. It may sound silly, but you have to imagine yourself hitting your alarm clock right away, stretching out and jumping right out of bed. If you visualize this often enough, it will automatically become second nature to get up like this.
2. Have a clear evening ritual. A good bedtime ritual is just as important as your morning ritual. If you go to bed correctly, it will make you less tired. Once you know what works for you, repeat it over and over so your body gets used to it. Here's what you can do:
   • Go to bed at the same time every night and get up at the same time in the morning. While that may seem difficult with a busy schedule, it is the easiest way to make sure you are well rested. A fixed rhythm of 7 hours of sleep per night is much better than sleeping 5 to 6 hours one night and 10 hours the next night. This upsets your body.
   • Do not eat or drink spicy food, alcohol, chocolate or caffeine in the hours before you go to bed, because then you will stay awake longer. Do not drink coffee after noon if you really want to be able to sleep without problems.
   • Prepare some small things to make getting up easier. Set your coffee maker on a time switch or prepare your clothes for the next day.

Tips

• Don't skip meals. That is why you are guaranteed to feel tired.
• Do not take energy drinks. You feel very awake for an hour, but then you collapse, but you cannot sleep well at night.
• Go to bed early!
• If you are really tired during the day, take a power nap. That will definitely make you feel better. Keep in mind that sleeping longer than 20 minutes will actually make you drowsy.

Warnings

• Too little sleep is bad for your immune system and your body in general.
• Don't drive if you feel like you can fall asleep.