A wake-up call for the sleep deprived

The 4 o'clock slump
If you fight off sleepiness in the morning only to have it return full force after lunch, you've got company — The New York Times reported that an estimated 15 percent to 20 percent of us take a daily catnap. (The body's circadian rhythm shifts into rest mode around 2 or 3 P.M.) Taking a 20-minute nap can restore energy without leaving you feeling groggy. Then again, it could also get you fired. Here, some ways to wake yourself up instead.

• Take a walk ... and not just to the coffee machine. The energizing benefits of exercise apply at any time of the day, says psychologist Thomas Plante, who claims a brisk stroll around the block can reinvigorate your mind and body as well as a double espresso. (The former is arguably even more effective, because its rousing effects last longer and won't impact your sleep later that night.) “Our studies show that even ten minutes can give you the boost you need,” says Plante.
• Hit the (water) bottle. Mental and physical energy plummet when you're even mildly dehydrated, says registered dietitian Susan Kleiner. Drink more water than coffee, which in excess can act as a diuretic. As for those colorful energy cocktails of taurine, ginkgo, and creatine billing themselves as rocket fuel, “they're expensive candy,” Kleiner says. “It's probably the sugar and caffeine that give you the jolt — and will also cause you to crash a few hours later.”

• INTERACTIVE Stages of sleep

  Snack smarter. “When you're tired, it's best to choose foods that give some carbohydrates to lift your blood sugar, plus some protein to sustain you,” says registered dietitian Susan Bowerman. Her top picks: a carton of yogurt, a piece of string cheese with whole-grain crackers, or a half-cup of cottage cheese with fruit. Even the office vending machine offers a few options. Trail mix will keep you going until dinnertime, provided you “eat just the nuts and dried fruit, not the coated raisins or chocolate chips,” says Bowerman. “The next-best bet is an oatmeal cookie — at least you'll get a few whole-grain oats. Have one with some low-fat milk.”

Bad buzz
Yet another reason to abandon your vices: They can help prevent you from getting a good night's rest.

• Too much caffeine. This one's obvious. But what may be surprising is exactly how long the caffeine from coffee, tea, and cola stays in your system. You need to cut yourself off at least eight hours before bedtime to be safe, says Bauer. And keep in mind that eating a lot of chocolate late in the day can also keep you hopped-up at night.
• Nicotine. If you must smoke, have your last cigarette of the day at least four hours before bedtime, says Thorpy.
• Alcohol. The drink that helps you drift off is likely to make you toss and turn hours later, says Mahowald. For some, even one glass of wine can corrupt sleep quality. But for most, it's downing several drinks that will lead to increased alertness as the alcohol leaves the bloodstream — which could be at 3 A.M.
• A big meal. “A food hangover is almost as bad as an alcohol hangover,” says Bauer, who cautions that the bloating caused by eating a plate of steak frites at night will leave you feeling sapped the next morning. A high-protein meal can make the body feel more alert, too, says Bowerman, who advises having a high-carb dinner instead.

Rested development
Sunlight, exercise, and a whiff of peppermint will keep you awake long enough to read this story — but if you want to actually remember any of it, go to bed. Robert Stickgold, associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, has spent nearly 20 years proving that getting a good night's sleep helps etch memories and new skills into the brain. In one 2005 study, Stickgold had subjects type a numerical sequence in the morning and again 12 hours later (without a sleep break). The group that learned the sequence in the evening and returned after a night of sleep for testing was 20 percent faster — and became 35 percent faster after three nights of sleep.

While no one knows the precise effect of sleep on memory, Stickgold theorizes that when the body is snoozing, the brain shuts out external stimuli and “sifts though the day's overlapping memories, finds underlying patterns,” and comes to certain conclusions. Alas, your Starbucks double latte can't do that.

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