Six ways to stay alert

Between meetings or before you start your next task, take a few deep breaths.

“Breathing deeply brings oxygen to the brain,” says Carolyn Schur, sleepologist and president of Saskatoon-based Alert@Work Human Resources Services. “That’s what you need to overcome sleepiness and fatigue.”

2. Drink more water

Water is like a breath of air, according to Schur. “Water brings oxygen through the blood to the brain,” she says. And that improves your alertness.

Other drinks, such as milk and juice, also help dissipate “brain fog,” says Claudia Gorenko, a registered dietitian based in Timmins, Ont. “They provide you with lots of vitamins and minerals,” she says, “so that’s really going to allow your body to function properly.”

3. Go easy on the caffeine

As the morning line-ups at coffee shops demonstrate, caffeine is most people’s go-to solution for waking up. But, Schur warns, you should keep the java consumption down to two or three cups a day. Coffee can work as an immediate fix, but it won’t keep you going over the long haul.

Energy drinks should be used very sparingly, if at all. Their high concentration of caffeine and other chemicals poses a “significant danger for heart attacks,” Schur says.

4. Eat healthy, eat often

To maintain blood sugar levels — and your ability to concentrate — you should eat every four to six hours, Gorenko says. Snacks should always include two food groups, she says, but protein is best for improving alertness. Milk, cheese, nuts and peanut butter are good sources of protein.

Avoid foods that are high in carbohydrates (sugars and starches) such as cereal bars. “Carbs can slow you down more,” Gorenko says, “depending on how much you eat.”

5. Stretch your muscles

Take a minute a couple of times a day to stretch.

“If you’re sitting all the time you don’t have much blood circulation,” Schur says. To improve circulation and get more oxygen to the brain, do a few big muscle stretches, such as extending your hands above your head and touching your toes, and squats, she says.

6. Follow your nose

Aromatherapy can help wake you up. Citrus and peppermint are the best scents for alertness. They can be found at health food stores and drug stores or purchased from naturopaths or a massage therapists.

“I have a vial of peppermint and it is just a brain blaster,” says Schur, who recommends using the best pure essence you can find. Use the scents cautiously, she warns; those with some conditions, such as pregnancy, should avoid them.

If you continue to feel unexplainably tired for more than two weeks and coffee or aromatherapy doesn’t seem to be helping, it could be a sign of larger issues, Schur says, such as a sleep disorder.