The Best 10 Ways to Fight Tiredness

Are you having trouble staying awake at work? Are you battling the afternoon slump? Before reaching for caffeine, try these 10 natural, healthy tips for fighting tiredness.
The Best 10 Ways to Fight Tiredness
José Gerardo Rosciano Paganelli

Reviewed and approved by the doctor José Gerardo Rosciano Paganelli.

Written by Okairy Zuñiga

Last update: 09 November, 2023

Are you way too exhausted? Are you exhausted after not being able to fall asleep? You can fight tiredness without ingesting copious amounts of coffee! Here are our top ten ways you can fight tiredness the natural way!

Lack of sleep and chronic tiredness is almost an epidemic. Although common, this isn’t something to simply brush off. In fact, lack of sleep has been linked to an increase in risky behavior, mood swings, and even suicidal thoughts. Thus, you should definitely make your sleep a priority!

Nevertheless, while you try to fit in a couple more hours of sleep, there are more options for you.

Even though a lot of people fight tiredness on a daily basis, not a lot of them know how to do it besides drinking a big cup of hot coffee or ingesting a boatload of sugar.

However, there are more options with a lot less caffeine that you can try. You can raise your energy levels and get a little push with these recommendations; thus, you won’t turn to any unhealthy habits.

This is a list of the easiest things that you can do when you feel sleepy or like you need to recharge your batteries.

Top ten ways to fight tiredness

1. Get up and move

If you’re tied to your desk and don’t have much space, then here’s something to try. Stand up and shake your arms and legs.

You can even try running in place or touching your toes. Doing all of this lets your energy flow through your body better.

If you have a little more space to maneuver, you can take a walk or even a brisk walk. This helps get your blood flowing while giving you a boost of energy.

Also, if you have the chance, go out and get some fresh air and sunshine. This helps you fight tiredness much better.

2. Trick your brain

exercising your brain is a great way to fight tiredness

If moving your body isn’t a possibility, you can exercise your brain.
Doing a crossword puzzle or Sudoku may be the answer to your problem. On the other hand, you can also make your mind work on something new.

Through this mental work, you keep your brain working. This helps wake up your mind after doing repetitive tasks.

You may also enjoy reading this article: Healthy Habits to Instantly Boost Your Energy Levels

3. Use lemons

Did you know that the scent of lemon  is very useful for revitalizing and stimulating your brain?

Because of this, you can use lemons to stop your brain from sleeping. This could mean sucking on a lemon candy, drinking a little lemon tea, or even biting right into a lemon.

In fact, the characteristic citrus smell of certain fruits activates your brain and can fight sleepiness.

So, if you prefer, you can choose the citrus fruit that you like the most. Or, try them all until you find what works best for you

4. Cool yourself off

ice can wake you up in the middle of the afternoon

Put down your regular cup of mid-afternoon coffee and drink a glass of cold water instead. The cold water helps you wake up and re-hydrates your body. This gives you the extra energy needed to get you through the afternoon.

You can even splash a little cold water on your face. Another option is rubbing an ice cube on your wrist. This wakes your body up more quickly.

The cold is a great way to get your adrenaline pumping. It’s a stimulating hormone that will help you to be more attentive to what you’re doing.

5. Eat a mint candy

Just like lemons, mint has a stimulating scent that will help you fight tiredness. It’s a good idea to have some emergency mint candies hidden at your desk.

You can also try mint chewing gum. If you add a little mint to your ice water or wash your hands with mint soap, you’ll get the same effect.

6. Listen to upbeat music

listening to music can help you fight tiredness

Energetic music can wake you up. So put on your headphones and turn up the volume to your favorite upbeat song. Also, if you can get yourself to sing, your energy levels will rise even more! Doing an unexpected activity will activate your brain and help you chase away tiredness.

On the other hand, getting out of your chair and dancing can give you even more energy. Your boss may find this a little strange, though…

7. Breathe fire

Not literally! We’re talking about one of the breathing techniques used in yoga. This technique can give you a big rush of adrenaline.

The wave of oxygen from this goes toward your brain. This makes you wake up. The “fire breathing technique” is easy to learn. You can find videos on the web that teach you all about it.

8. Trick your mind

Sometimes, getting a boost of energy can be as easy as pretending you have more energy. This simply means that you deceive yourself into thinking that you have more energy than you really do.

All you have to do is tell yourself that you are totally awake and full of energy two times. This will help you finish all of your tasks (and hopefully get to a power nap soon).

It will surprise you how you will almost automatically find energy when you think you’re going to be completely exhausted.

9. Meditate

meditate-before-sleeping

Meditation is very useful for reducing stress and increasing concentration. You should practice it regularly. If you do, you might discover that it’s also a great tool for fighting tiredness.

Nevertheless, it’s common for people to try meditation and don’t like it. If you’ve tried meditation before but still didn’t get over the mid-afternoon slump, it could be because you haven’t found the right one for you.

10. Laugh

Laughing is therapeutic. This is because of the endorphins it makes your body release. These hormones influence your overall well-being and energy levels.

Because of this, you should take a few minutes to laugh at a viral video or share a funny story with someone. This can help you fight tiredness and improve your performance.

Give it a try!


All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.



This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.