Olympics, Politics, Work, Kids, LIFE - Are you alert? :o)

Know the nine switches of alertness.

 

Alertness is the optimal, activated state of the brain when creative solutions to old problems emerge.  Alertness makes us make conscious decisions about what to pay attention to and what to screen out.  Alertness keeps us out of trouble, at work or at home.

 

There are nine switches of alertness!

 

Switch #1: Sense of danger, interest or opportunity. 

Nothing snaps you out of drowsiness faster than realizing you are in danger or have just survived a near miss.  We have all certainly been in a situation where we are driving, while we are feeling fatigued, and you get that “jerk” as your body realizes you were going into the alert mode.  The adrenaline rushes, you feel flushed, and your brain goes on full alert.  Conversely, if the situation is boring or monotonous, alertness fades. 

 

Switch #2: Muscular Activity.

Mild activity, such as taking a walk, stretching or even chewing gum [since I quit smoking more than two years ago, this is what I do while driving if I feel tired], is known to keep people awake.  Activities that are more strenuous, again, get your adrenaline pumping, and can raise your alertness for at least an hour afterward [so do not exercise in the evening].

 

Switch #3: Time of day on the circadian clock.

The biological is slow to adjust to newly imposed schedules; it could trigger alertness when you need to sleep and sleepiness when you need to stay awake.

 

Switch #4: Sleep bank balance.

How many hours since you last slept???  Sleeping makes deposits in our “sleep bank”; sustained wakefulness makes withdrawals.  When our balance is low, we become drowsy regardless of the time of day.  Get a good nights sleep for goodness sake.

 

Switch #5: Food

Alertness may be altered by food.  Heavy meals can induce drowsiness, while caffeine keeps us awake.  One of the biggest problems of using caffeine tokeep us alert is that brain chemistry rapidly adapts, so larger doses are needed to have the same effect.  Keep your daily intake constant, and only increase when you really need it.  See Switch #2 for other options for short term remedies.

 

Switch #6: Light

We should take our cues from restaurants.  In expensive restaurants, the lights are low and the pace is slow, we linger and spend more.  Fast-food restaurants are brightly lit, encouraging fast eating and fast departure.  Light is a good way to suppress sleepiness and keep us active.

 

Switch #7: Temperature

Cool air, especially on the face rouses one from a sleepy state.  Heat has the opposite effect.  When was the last time you felt drowsy when you were shivering :o)

 

Switch #8: Sound

Invigorating or lulling.  Rolling surf or the sound of a mountain stream is so relaxing that these sounds are electronically simulated in the white noise machines that many people use in bedrooms.  This type of white noise is especially troublesome in work situations because we do not tolerate intruding noises.  Conversely, irregular or variable sound, such as the intermittent creaking of a door in the middle of the night, keeps us awake.

 

Switch #9: Aroma and comfort

Certain aromas, such as peppermint, make people more alert.  To be fully alert, one needs to be a little uncomfortable, especially in the wee hours of the morning.  So we need to be careful in making our work areas or our automobiles too sterile.

 

Know how to combat drowsiness.  Stay Alert!