The college student's best friend is coffee. It's the go-to for staying up late, refreshing during a long day and feeling awake when you have that 8am class. When you need a pick me up, caffeine is the natural go-to choice. It's not exactly the BEST choice, though. 

Caffeine can cause anxiety, disturb sleep patterns, and create other health issues. And while some people may take these side effects in stride, others might find themselves wanting to break the addiction for good.

Thank goodness there are other ways to refresh your brain that don't include caffeine!

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1) Drink more water

Drinking water is a great way to recharge. Since it doesn't have calories, caffeine or sugar, it doesn't give you a crash after your energy spike, either! It's the most natural way to get a little boost of energy, and it's great for your waistline as well.

For the best energy boost, make sure it's ice-cold, and you can even pop a hint of lemon in it for a citrus buzz as well.

2) Take a nap

If you're feeling tired and need a break, taking a nap is the perfect solution. Just lie down for 20 minutes with your eyes closed, and when you wake up, voila! More energy than before!

When you're barely able to keep your eyes open, it's probably just your body telling you that it really needs a little shut-eye. Set the alarm and let your body shut off for a few moments so you can come back refreshed and ready to go.

3) Get outside for some fresh air

Fresh air beats the stale, stuffy atmosphere inside any day. Taking walks outside relieves stress and anxiety. They give you a chance for social interaction with other people walking their dogs around the neighbourhood and physical activity to keep blood flowing through your veins.

Is that not enough of a reason? Benefits also include clearing your sinuses/lungs and reducing inflammation in the body that can cause symptoms such as headaches or stress-induced anxiety. 

So go outside already - obviously, it's the perfect pick-me-up!

4) Go to bed earlier

A fabulous way to start every day with a refreshed feeling is by getting good sleep. Even one night without adequate rest can affect one's mood and energy levels a LOT!

The body needs time in between waking up and going back to bed for proper regeneration. Not getting enough shut eye messes with your ability to focus or feel rested throughout the next day (it also reduces cognitive functioning). You're also more likely to become stressed out when there are too many tasks running through your head from earlier. A well-rested brain is better able to think, reason, and handle any stress that's thrown at it.

While this might not help you AT this very moment, maybe it's the perfect thing to try tonight. Going to bed earlier tonight will mean a super awesomely productive and happily energized day tomorrow!

5) Try meditation or yoga 

You don't NEED caffeine when you have yoga! Studies show that a bit of mindfulness goes much further than the boost from coffee.

If you find yourself getting stressed out, try starting a little yoga/meditation/mindfulness routine. Sit up straight at your desk with both feet planted firmly on the ground, gaze at one spot right ahead and try some deep breaths with positive affirmations. Get up and do a few stretches. Close your eyes and breathe along with a meditation app.

Sometimes a little mindfulness goes a long way.

6) Do something you enjoy

There's nothing like spending a few moments of your day away from school work and just relaxing. You can read something you enjoy or watch TV for a bit to rejuvenate yourself. You'll come back with fresh eyes and be ready to start working again. All those pesky assignments will seem exciting rather than daunting!

It's good to give yourself a time limit so that you don't get too carried away, but go ahead and take a total break! Don't focus on anything else but that one activity.

7) Graze

During study season, it's often wise to focus your food efforts on healthy grazing instead of big meals. Eating smaller servings more often instead of two big meals (such as breakfast & lunch) keeps blood sugars steady so that you can avoid that mid-day slump.

Plus, snacking helps keep you awake and can bring you joy…so don't deny yourself this tool because you overate BEFORE snacks!

Earning food prizes can also be a great motivation tool, so go ahead and finish that math assignment so you can earn some Mega Stuf Oreos!!!!!

8) Eat healthily

Look at that - eating is so important it got TWO entries!!

Even though you're focused on grazing, keep your nutrition game on point. Eating Mr. Noodles every half hour will NOT solve your mid-day slump problems.

Maintain a balanced diet with lots of nutrition-packed vegetables, protein, healthy fats and complex carbs, and scale back the simple sugars, salts and simple carbs. You'll have plenty of time for a sugar and salt coma AFTER you've finished your exams!

9) Exercise

Hey - this is starting to just sound like a generic "make healthy choices in your life" post…

But yes, exercising is a great way to get an energy boost! You might THINK that exercising will tire you out, but it really won't (unless your body is already physically exhausted).

If you're exercising to re-energize, focus on either something light and longish (like a brisk 45-minute walk) or super intense and super short (like skipping rope for 5 minutes). Though a 3-hour gym session that leaves you in a puddle of sweat on the floor MAY seem like you're "doing this more and therefore doing it better," don't fall into the "more is always better" trap. Something THAT intense will likely completely drain you instead of rejuvenating you. 

10) Chat with your friends

Have you ever noticed that sometimes you feel a little better after you've chatted with your friends? Somehow the world seems a little brighter, and it's all a little more worthwhile.

When you're feeling a little drained, give yourself permission to shut everything down and dedicate a little time to connecting with another human. This doesn't have to be a long chat or anything - just enough to make you ready to tackle the world again!

11) Take a music break

When you're feeling a little low, get up and blast your favourite song…TWICE if you need it!

Dance around like nobody's watching (don't worry - they're not), and live you're best karaoke life (ok, people MIGHT hear you, so this is slightly less invisible). 

Get your heart pounding to some awesome music, and those happy endorphins will flood to your brain in no time!

No caffeine is necessary.

12) Drink herbal tea or decaf coffee

Sometimes a warm beverage IS just what the doctor ordered…especially when you need a little comfort. 

Soothe your spirit with a decaffeinated version of your beverage of choice. Some of the caffeine-buzz is actually psychological, so you might find there's a similar energy boost! But this time, there won't be the inevitable post-caffeine crash. 

13) Cold water

There's no denying that cold sensations can revitalize any drowsiness, so go ahead and use this strategy wisely. 

Splash some cold water on your face when you're eyes are starting to droop…or if you're SUPER brave, you can even level this up and have a cold shower (ok - this one's not for me at ALL, but you go for it if you want to).

Just make sure you're doing whatever you're doing safely - don't put an icepack on your back and wait for frostbite to kick in or anything!

14) Play with your breathing

The good-habits person in me says to do some deep breathing exercises. This will work for many people.

I also have a friend who claims that holding her breath for spurts helps keep her awake.

Do with that what you will.

(ps if you're trying the holding your breath method, I am NOT endorsing holding your breath for more than 15 seconds at once…..)

15) Switch things up to a different medium

When your eyes start to get dozy, switch it up. If you're working on something on the computer, switch to something reading or writing-based instead. If you're getting tired of reading, pick a different subject that's more hands-on.

You can also just switch things up with the same material. If you're reading your notes, switch to something more physical. You can try speaking aloud or acting out the text in front of a mirror. The change will help wake up tired eyes for sure!

16) Chew gum

Chewing gum is a great way to keep you awake. The constant movement keeps your mouth and tongue working, so it's like having an exercise machine in your mouth! Plus, people rarely fall asleep with chewing gum in their mouths…right??

I'm personally not really a chewing gum person, but that's just me…it can actually be a handy tool if you're into it.

17) Laugh

Laughter is like a miracle drug. So, if you're feeling sleepy, laugh to get your energy up and wake up faster!

Are you the kind of person who can't just laugh on cue?

Really?

All the cool people can….

Well, if you can't just randomly laugh, then bookmark some things on your computer that make you laugh every time. That way, when times are tough, they're all there waiting for you with an instant giggle.

18) Brush your teeth

When you're starting to drift off, brushing your teeth is a great way to get your brain back on planet earth. Mouth wash is excellent for this as well! A minty-fresh mouth is a fantastic way to re-energize.

You can chew on mints as well, but that satisfaction tends to wear off faster. Also, if they're sugar-based, they'll come with a side of sugar crash afterwards. 

19) Turn ALL the lights on

A dim room will give your brain night-time signals, so the more lights are on, the better. 

This is particularly important if you're working on the computer. While you CAN work on the computer without the room lights on, it's challenging and confusing for your eyes. This makes you more tired than necessary, and it can also screw up your sleep patterns. It's better to keep all the lights on whenever you're trying to focus.

20) Journal

Maybe the thing that's making you tired is an extra weight on your brain. Journalling is a great way of unloading and unpacking those things you can't talk to other people about. It's also perfect for dealing with anything you really don't know how to articulate well. Journalling allows you to be honest without consequence and lets you put whatever you want on the page without judgement.

Give your mind a little TLC by taking a moment to write out everything that's bothering you AND everything that's going RIGHT right now. That's right - it feels so wonderful to write out all the awful things sometimes, don't forget to write out some of the positives as well!

21) Dress up fancy

When you wear lazy clothes and don't brush your hair, it makes you feel sluggish. The next time you need a pick-me-up, look down at how you're dressed and see if there's any relationship.

If you're in sweats and a hoodie, maybe try some jeans and a little hair fixer-oo.

I'd still be too lazy for makeup, though, unless I had to…because makeup also has to come OFF at the end of the day…

22) Run a brush/comb over your back and arms

Have you ever heard of dry-brushing? It's like, a THING. There's this particular way to do it that actually helps exfoliate your skin properly. BUT if you don't feel up for going all-in on it right now, then try running a brush or even a comb over your back and arms. Sometimes just some scratching can really re-invigorate your brain!

23) 20-20-20 screen time

Every 20 minutes, stare at something that's 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This will help your eyes not get as exhausted from being locked in screen mode all day.

24) Try blue light glasses

To be completely honest, they might also do next to nothing….but they totally MIGHT help if you feel like trying something new.

I'm not going to lie - I have NOT tried them myself…

…but it sounds like other people have found that blue light blocking glasses help them sleep better at night….which would, in turn, help you feel more refreshed in the morning...

25) Change locations

When you're falling asleep where you're working, move to somewhere else.

Once your brain has shut off, it's going to be near impossible to trick it into re-focusing in the same space without a big break. Get past this by packing up your stuff and working somewhere else.

Even something simple like turning to face another direction can make a difference!

26) Take care of your eyes

When you're staring at a computer, you also tend to stop blinking - this is why your eyes tend to get dried out when you're computer-ing all day.

If you're a naked-eye person or a glasses person, this might not be as big of a deal, but if you're a contacts person, you're going to notice this a whole lot faster. If you've had a long day staring at a screen, take your contacts out for a while and use glasses. Your eyes will thank you.

You could also maybe try artificial tears and see if they make a difference? (Don't forget to talk to your ophthalmologist first if you try this one!)

When in doubt, blink it out. Make sure you keep blinking when you're working in front of a computer all day.

27) Don't work where you sleep

Working where you usually sleep is a sure-fire way to teaching your brain to fall asleep while working. You've literally trained yourself to fall asleep RIGHT THERE! 

You are NOT more intelligent than a puppy, no matter how superior you feel. If you go in your crate at night to sleep, then whenever you go into your crate, your brain will assume you're supposed to be sleeping…and will send you "it's time to sleep" signals.

This doesn't fully eradicate the possibility of working on your bed, though. All you need to do is set things up differently to sleep vs. work. This may mean facing a different direction or maybe setting the pillows up differently. It will also become even more important to get dressed and not work in your PJs if you're on your bed.

Ok - NOW.

WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS.

Disclaimer: This is NOT highly recommended to use every day…..BUT…..if you're DESPERATE….and if you only need another hour or so….

28) Sugar. Sugar. Sugar.

(shh…I didn't say that)

I hope you found some useful ideas in this post, because being exhausted is NOT fun!

It might take a while to find your best alternative to caffeine and coffee, but it’ll certainly be worth a try!

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Who is Nadya Corscadden?

Nadya holds an MA in Musical Theatre and is no stranger to the home learning scene. Having spent a good chunk of her younger years in distance education (and opting for some correspondence electives at university), she has accumulated many tricks to help maintain focus and inspiration. She has a passion for independent learning and wants to help anyone and everyone find their stride in this atmosphere whether it’s homeschooling or simply studying for that next big test!

She is also a triple threat singer, dancer and actress….and can’t wait until stages are alive again!