To stay awake at work, get into bright light, move for a few minutes every hour, use caffeine early in the day, and take a 10 to 20 minute nap on your break if your job allows it. These buy you a few hours of alertness. They don't replace sleep, so if you're fighting to stay awake most days, the real fix is more sleep at night, and sometimes a doctor's visit.
Free toolSleep Debt CalculatorHow much sleep you owe this week, and how to pay it back.How to wake up when tired at work: quick fixes
When you hit a wall mid-shift, try these in roughly this order. They're cheap, fast and safe to repeat.
| Quick fix | How long it takes | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Step into daylight or bright light | 5 to 15 minutes | Brighter light tends to make people feel more alert |
| Brisk walk or stairs | 5 to 10 minutes | Movement and a change of scene lift alertness for a while |
| Cold water on your face or hands | 1 minute | A quick jolt that helps you reset |
| Switch to a more active task | Right away | A phone call or standing meeting beats rereading a spreadsheet |
| Coffee or tea, early in the day | About 20 to 30 minutes to kick in | Blocks the chemical signal of sleep pressure |
| Short nap on your break | 20 to 30 minutes including waking up | The most reliable pick-me-up, if allowed |
Get into bright light
Light is one of the simplest tools you have. A systematic review of studies on light and alertness found that brighter white light increased how alert people felt in most studies, though not all, and effects on reaction time were less consistent.
In practice:
- Go outside for a few minutes on a break. Daylight is far brighter than typical office lighting, even on a cloudy day.
- Sit near a window if you can choose your seat.
- Turn up the lights at your desk, or add a bright desk lamp.
Morning daylight also helps set your body clock, which can make it easier to fall asleep at night and wake up the next day.
Move your body
A few minutes of movement is a practical way to shake off drowsiness. You don't need a workout.
- Take the stairs, or walk to a farther bathroom or coffee spot.
- Stand for calls, or use a standing desk for part of the afternoon.
- Do a lap of the building or parking lot at lunch.
Sitting still in a warm, dim room is when sleepiness hits hardest, so break up long meetings and screen blocks when you can.
How to use caffeine without wrecking tonight's sleep
Caffeine works, but timing is everything. It has an average half-life of about 5 hours, so an afternoon coffee can still be in your system at bedtime. In one study, a large dose of caffeine taken even 6 hours before bed cut sleep by more than an hour.
Here's the latest time to have each drink so it drops below 25 mg by bedtime, assuming an average 5-hour half-life:
| Drink | Caffeine | Latest time for a 10 PM bedtime | Latest time for an 11 PM bedtime |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brewed coffee, 8 oz | ~95 mg | 12:15 PM | 1:15 PM |
| Espresso, 1 shot | ~63 mg | 3:15 PM | 4:15 PM |
| Black tea, 8 oz | ~47 mg | 5:15 PM | 6:15 PM |
| Cola, 12 oz | ~34 mg | 7:45 PM | 8:45 PM |
| Energy drink, 160 mg | 160 mg | 8:30 AM | 9:30 AM |
Get your own cutoff with the caffeine calculator, and see how long caffeine lasts for the full curve. Remember that more caffeine late in the day usually means worse sleep, and a more tired tomorrow.
How to wake up without caffeine
If you want to cut back, lean harder on the non-caffeine options:
- Get daylight within an hour of waking, and again after lunch.
- Eat a lighter lunch. A big, heavy meal can make the early-afternoon slump feel worse.
- Drink water. Feeling thirsty and sluggish often go together.
- Plan your hardest work for your peak hours, usually late morning for most people.
- Talk to someone. Conversation is hard to doze through.
- Take a short nap on your break if you can.
Take a short nap if you're allowed
A 10 to 20 minute nap is often the most effective fix, as long as it's on your own break time and your employer allows it. Set an alarm, and give yourself a few minutes to wake up before getting back to work. Our guide to napping at work covers the rules, where to nap and how long.
Don't drive drowsy
If you're struggling to stay awake at your desk, be honest about the drive home. In a classic study, performance after 17 hours awake was comparable to a blood alcohol level of 0.05%, and after 24 hours it matched 0.10%, above the US legal limit.
If you're yawning, drifting out of your lane or missing exits, pull over somewhere safe. Take a short nap, get a ride, or use a rideshare. Opening a window or turning up the radio won't keep you safe.
Why you're so tired at work, and when to see a doctor
Most daytime sleepiness comes from not enough sleep at night. Most adults need at least 7 hours. If you sleep 6 on weeknights, you can build up a full night's worth of sleep debt in a week without noticing. Check yours with the sleep debt calculator, and find a bedtime that fits your alarm with the sleep calculator. If you work nights or rotating shifts, the shift work sleep calculator helps plan sleep around your hours.
See a doctor if:
- You sleep 7 to 9 hours and still struggle to stay awake at work
- You fall asleep during meetings, conversations or while driving
- You snore loudly, gasp, or someone has seen you stop breathing in your sleep
- You've had trouble sleeping at night for several weeks
Chronic sleepiness can be a sign of sleep apnea, another sleep disorder, a medical condition or a medication side effect, and many of these are treatable.