Fight the Sleep Monster!

Just about everyone is getting back into the swing of things at work or school, which can be difficult after the food coma of the holidays.

By now, your few days of post-holiday lethargy sympathy are probably over. So how do you get that boost of energy that you so desperately need to get through these first couple of weeks and adjust back to normal?

Everyone has heard the usual “eat well, sleep lots, drink water, and don’t get stressed”. But, we’ve scoured the web and found some other ways to liberate yourself from fatigue that are a little more fun. Enjoy!

1. Wear comfy shoes. If your feet are tired, you’ll likely be feeling it too. So why not ditch the heels for some cushy loafers under the desk? Nobody will notice and those that do will just be jealous that they didn’t think of it first!
2. Close your eyes and place your forehead under a nice warm lamp. Pretend you’re in a far off tropical paradise and let the soothing begin. The heat and light from the lamp is supposed to be both calming and energizing.
3. Scrub away your worries. After your shower, scrub down your skin with either a rough washcloth or coarse sea salt. Not only will you have done your skin a favour by removing dead cells and toxins, but you’ll feel refreshed and ready to tackle the world with your new glowing complexion.
4. Brush your teeth. Dental hygiene is always important, and the tingling sensation from the toothpaste does wonders when you’re feeling groggy. The minty freshness is a plus too!
5. Go for a game of glow in the dark bowling. As Meg (Operations Director) says “who doesn’t love bowling?” ;) Doing something fun with friends lifts your spirits and will give you something to smile about the next morning when you’re stuck in traffic.
6. Try a detox. Trish (BikeHike founder) noticed that there were a lot more options on the market this week and has just started one today. Follow our tweets at @bikehiketravel to see how it’s going.
7. Our personal favourite: Plan a vacation! Even if you don’t have any vacation hours coming up, the simple act of planning for a big adventure is rejuvenating and such a great break from pushing paper. Click HERE for some inspiration.
8. Sing and dance like there’s nobody around! Singing at the top of your lungs while driving to work or dancing and skipping on your walk to the office is guaranteed to cheer you up.
9. It doesn’t have to be January 1st for you to take a dip in the deep blue. Take a polar bear swim to perk up before or after work. Just remember to bring a towel!
10. Eat a few guaranas. Each fruit has twice as much caffeine as a coffee bean and is about the same size. Be careful not to overdo it or get addicted though. This is the same fruit found in many energy drinks found on your supermarket shelves.
11. Avoid fruit (at least in the morning). Didn’t expect that one did you? Fruit has a lot of sugar, which is what you want to avoid in the morning so that you don’t crash before lunch.

If you try any of these, let us know how it goes! You can leave a comment on the blog, tweet us at @bikehiketravel or write on our Facebook Fanpage wall.

Anny Chih