For the past couple of weeks, I haven’t logged in enough Zzzs. Although I sleep all night, I don’t schedule enough slumber time. I tend to overbook my evenings, thinking I can accomplish more than humanly possible. Even extra caffeine in the mornings barely takes the edge off my exhaustion. The day after a recent 90-minute acupuncture session, however, I felt refreshed from morning until evening and wished I could harness that energy on days I feel dull, drained and unmotivated. Which got me to thinking about quick pick-me-ups to help revive and refresh the tired soul, short-term, when we don’t get the amount of sleep we should: 1) take a power nap—no more than 10-20 minutes; 2) eat a handful of nuts or a snack that combines protein with slow-burning carbs; 3) take a brisk walk; 4) drink a glass of water and/or 5) soak in a few minutes of Vitamin D. Better yet? If time permits, take a hike.

How do you battle the yawns?

Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.