It’s 01:30 PM. You're sinking into your chair. You’re in the midst of and after-lunch grey cloud of fatigue.
You’re struggling, feeling tired. Your head topples over every other minute. The only electric thing in the room seems to be your laptop. If only your brain worked with an AC charger.
You don’t know why you're getting very tired in the afternoon. You know it's not the more serious version of work fatigue. So, you turn to your reliable source of truth, Google. "Google, list me the afternoon drowsiness causes".
Google hands you the list of common causes:
- It’s normal to be sleepy in the afternoon due to circadian rhythm
- Refined carbs such as sugars, bread, and cereals cause crashes
- Interrupted sleep patterns will only make the midday drag, drag even further.
- Hydration and stress. Have more of the first, and less of the second.
OK, googling made you rethink Dr. Oz's lessons you almost listened to - maybe the circadian rhythm is really disrupted. But is there anything more you can do for zest right now while sitting at a computer?
A notification cuts through your drowsy contemplation.
It’s Wakeout! It’s reminding you to take an exercise break. How about that for a life jacket to avoid an afternoon slump?
How to prevent afternoon slump?
Or better yet, how to raise your body temperature and avoid sleep in the afternoon?
You know exercise at your desk can help you overcome afternoon sleepiness, relieve back pain, and increase your energy levels. You’ve done it before! What you might not have known is how an increase in blood flow improves your well-being, regulates your blood sugar levels, and fights off excessive daytime sleepiness.
Exercise breaks can push the bloodstream to send more nutrients to your brain. It also causes your body to release the right molecules necessary for sharp focus and good bodily functions.
And if you think that a quick exercise by your desk won’t be enough, think again! In 2015, a randomized controlled trial studying effects of classroom exercise breaks found that these no-sweat breaks not only helped to stay awake but also improved math performance in students.
OK, we guess you’re not solving algebra for work. However, feel free to equate math to any challenging work assignment - you will perform better no matter what you’re doing. Plus, you'll get a breath of fresh air - yes, you need to take short breaks!
So get ready for some odd exercises multiplied by fun raised to the power of joy. Let’s shake off the mid day slump and stay awake with a little cushion-tossing, chicken-dancing, and grin-inducing exercise breaks.
1-minute desk exercise break to defeat the afternoon slump:
Wakeout
