How To Beat Exhaustion (When Getting More Sleep Isn’t An Option)

Fatigue can be caused by many things from stress to physical illness. Getting more sleep is an obvious way to recover from exhaustion – but this isn’t always an option. Perhaps you’re suffering from insomnia or you’ve got a newborn or you’re having a busy week where you’re having to work around the clock. In these cases, you have to find other ways to keep you energised and alert. Below are just a few examples of ways to beat exhaustion when a long sleep is not an option. 

Get some fresh air

Indoor air is often not as rich with oxygen as outdoor air. Spending time outside when you are tired can help you to get more oxygen. This oxygen will travel to your brain and help you to think more clearly and feel more awake. 

Drink more water

You’re also more likely to feel exhausted when you’re dehydrated. If you’re experiencing fatigue, make sure that you’re drinking lots of water. This will help your brain and muscles to function better. 

Explore holistic medication

Some forms of holistic medicine may potentially help energize you. This can include herbal adaptogens like ginseng, as well as treatments like IV therapy. Talk to an expert that specializes in holistic medicine to help provide you with ideas. 

Turn the music up

Loud noise can make you more alert. While turning the music up loudly isn’t always appropriate, there are times when it’s advised (such as if you’re feeling sleepy while driving and can’t pull over). Try to choose music with a fast tempo, rather than slow and ambient music that may make you more tired. 

Do gentle exercise

While the idea of doing exercise when exhausted might not seem appealing, mild exercise (such as a brisk walk) may actually make you feel more invigorated by raising your heart rate and flooding the body with endorphins. Just make sure to avoid intense exercise, as this will only worsen your exhaustion. 

Take care with caffeine

Caffeine is the world’s most popular pick-me-up and there’s no doubt that it does have effective short-term results. But after the effects wear off, the comedown could have you feeling worse. You can keep consuming caffeine throughout the day to stay energised, however too much caffeine might give you the jitters and dehydrate you. Consuming coffee late at night is also a bad idea as it could stop you from getting to sleep.

Take a power nap

If you don’t have time for a full 8 hours of sleep, you may still be able to fit a power nap into your day to partially make up for this. A 20 minute power nap can help you feel rejuvenated for the next few hours. Make sure to set an alarm so you don’t oversleep!

An important note…

All of these measures are only temporary solutions. If you are regularly not getting enough sleep, there is only so long you will last before you experience burnout. You may not be able to treat yourself to 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night, but you should try to take measures to get a good night’s sleep once in a while – whether it’s exploring insomnia treatment, letting someone else babysit for the night or taking a vacation from work.