How to Survive the Workday When You're Completely Exhausted

No matter how much effort you put into getting enough sleep every night, there are going to be days when you wake up exhausted. You'll still have to survive the work day, but it doesn't have to be miserable. Here's how you can get through your day and actually be productive, too.

Before we get started, let's get one thing straight: this isn't going to be a cakewalk. When you're really tired, working is tough no matter what you do. That said, there are ways to help make the day easier and actually get things done. You're not going to feel bright and cheery, but you can avoid turning into a zombie. We've looked at quick fixes for feeling tired, but in this post we're going to examine what you can do to help yourself during the entire day. Essentially, your goal will be to give yourself extra energy and avoid behaviors that will make your exhaustion worse. With a little bit of effort you'll be able to avoid passing out.

When you're tired, food is a difficult affair. You need to eat enough to provide your body with the energy it needs to get through the day, but you also need to be sure you don't overeat or you can end up feeling worse. Exhaustion makes somewhat harder to tell when it's time to stop eating. Rather than waiting for your stomach to give you the signal that you're full, pay attention to the food you put on your plate. Only take as much as you're going to need to eat and nothing more. Eat that, and drink plenty of water. If you end up getting dehydrated during the day you'll worsen your situation as well.

When you're choosing what to eat, you'll want to start out with a healthy breakfast. The food that starts your day can have a big impact on the rest of it. Avoid sugary foods—which you should do all day anyhow—and stick to things like eggs and whole grains. Focusing on proteins and fiber, rather than carbohydrates, will serve you better. Basically, your goal is to eat how you'd probably eat if you were opting for a healthier diet. That doesn't mean you can't have carbohydrates, anything with sugar, and so on, but that your focus should be on healthier food that will provide your body with easy energy. Aim for a balance and it'll make it easier to get through the day.

Caffeine is what most people use to stay awake when they're tired, but overuse can lead to problems like headaches. If you're a frequent coffee drinker, or you consumer caffeine regularly, this section isn't going to help you. Caffeine is only really a useful tool if you use it sparingly and intelligently. If you're not a regular consumer, starting your day off with a reasonable amount of the stuff (around 65-100mg) can help prevent you from feeling more and more tired as the day goes on. This is because your active brain is constantly producing adenosine as a byproduct of its activity. When your adenosine levels are high enough, your brain knows it's time to get some rest. Caffeine can, essentially, impersonate adenosine and bond with its receptors, putting off your brain's job of letting you know it's time to sleep. This works perfectly well if you're not a constant consumer of caffeine, but won't do so much for you if your body expects it. The important thing to remember is to avoid caffeine in the later hours of the day, as you are going to want to sleep eventually. So long as you utilize the stuff before 2:00 PM, and not after, it can help.