• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Things you do to boost your daily energy?

S

scorpionldr

Dec 10, 2002
2,613
74
Dirty Jersey, USA
#1
So these days I started a new job that pays EXTREMELY well for my age, and we're sitting for two 2-3hr classes during the day in which the company is trying to emphasize the importance of "picking up the phone" or "avoiding harassment in the workplace." I've been trying everything. Hitting the bed earlier to rack up 6-8 hours of sleep a day, having 1/2 cups of coffee each morning, then getting some sort of caffienated softdrink, stretching, etc. I'm DYING in there cuz frankly myself + idle sitting activities=snooze. I've really been working on getting better but it just seems like unless I'm getting up early and working a busy moving job DOING SOMETHING other than this training that I'm prone to dozing.
I guess this is a new part of dealing with being 25 (just turned this past monday)
Any tips?
 
#4
IME, if your're snoozing during the day, even though you've been getting 6-8 hours of sleep, you may have a sleep disorder or some other medical condition.

Do you fall asleep when you're a passenger in a car during a 20-30 minute drive? Do you have trouble while driving?

I suggest a journal noting your diet, sleep, exercise, sleepiness, etc. for a couple of weeks to see if there's a pattern. If there's no pattern, it may be worth a trip to the Doc.
 
#5
I've really been trying to go the healthy route these days. The 30 minute passenger drive? probably more like 45 mins. Driving is fine to me. Snoozing is probably the wrong word...when I'm trying to pay attention to the seminars that might as well be asking me if dirt looks like powdered chocolate I have a tendency to doze for a few seconds at a time....today was better, but I'm afraid of it continuing. As far as jogging......I gotta be there 8/9AM......and I don't really have good cardio. I've been doing more vitamin B/vitamin water as well.
 
#8
i am not a caffeine person. i drink aloe vera juice (tastes like water). it is not cheap, but very healthy and good for energy when i am tired after working all day and need energy for a gig.

however, i suffer form the same problem as you. i have since college (20th reunion this year). so, i am not young, but it never went away. i can not sit thru any kind of meeting/lecture. i can function on incredibly little sleep (always could), but i have to be moving/working/something. sit me down to listen and i slip off, no matter how much sleep i have gotten. if i am not engaged, i zone out. i have learned to live with it.

how much longer is your training? maybe you will get thru it? i managed to get thru college....
 
#10
Not being able to tolerate a 2 to 3 hour video sounds fairly normal to me. I suppose what matters is whether this is a sudden change, or if you've always been this way. Caffeine helps a lot of people but doesn't work for everyone, and it has side effects which can be as bad in high doses as some of the 'harder' stimulants.

I don't want to encourage you to prescription shop, but if you feel like your inability to stay awake is really affecting your job performance, you might ask your doctor about a drug called provigil (modafinil). It has a much better track record and is safer to take than (meth)amphetamines and it will do the job. It is the most effective thing out there for staying awake. It does NOT give you a 'high' as amphetamines do, and therefore will also not give you the extreme focus - but it also won't give you nearly as many negative side effects, it is non-addictive, there is no crash, etc.

I believe that in the near future, prescriptions for Provigil are going to go through the roof. Most people who take it love it, and so it is increasingly being used off-label. In other words, though it is intended to be used mainly for narcolepsy and shift work sleep disorder, it is frequently being used for anyone who is fatigued, or wants to stay awake to work/study.

Without knowing a lot more details about your life, your job, etc. I can't tell you for sure that modafinil is right for you (or if you have another medical condition), but it's something to consider talking to your doctor about. My friend got a prescription for it because of his crazy work hours, and it works great for him. They're also using it in the military because it lets you fly planes for hours and hours without suffering as many side effects as amphetamine.
 
#11
I personally use Monster, Rip-It, Red Bull, Full Throttle, and Mountain Dew in their various forms. I'm sure I am forgetting something.

But yes, amazing use of caffeine like mine has drawbacks. I'm an addict and I know it. Make sure that if you do decide to go that route, drink plenty of water as well. I personally use Gatorade to rehydrate, but water is truly better.

Just don't become an addict like me. I get headaches without caffeine, bad ones.

Peace,
Greg
 
#13
Drink lots of water and take notes during class. If you still fall asleep take the notes in cursive, worked for me. And if you still fall asleep invent some type of really hard shorthand that requires an insane amount of concentration. That usually works. Either that or take caffeine pills every 10 minutes. Or just sleep.
 
#14
Not being able to tolerate a 2 to 3 hour video sounds fairly normal to me.
Click to expand...

It's a lecture.

OK so basically I'm going to be moving into the insurance business as a "casualty adjuster trainee". Training is supposedly two weeks, however my title will remain "trainee" for 6 months. Basically my first day was probably my conking out at it's worst. I got called on it earlier this morning from one of the people that hired me, so I'm REALLY trying to scrap this problem before it comes any worse. Today I've been only conking out for EXTREMELY short periods (a second or two), but I gotta get rid of it altogether. As I said, I'm good ON TASK, but in these meetings with the minimalistic worksheets/incredibly complicated jargon, I'm struggling.

I've basically been battling sleep problems for about four years, first starting with an open-ended grading sociology class that kept me up for basically an entire summer. It's gotten worse throughout college and since I've graduated it's gotten much better.
I personally use Monster, Rip-It, Red Bull, Full Throttle, and Mountain Dew in their various forms. I'm sure I am forgetting something.

But yes, amazing use of caffeine like mine has drawbacks. I'm an addict and I know it. Make sure that if you do decide to go that route, drink plenty of water as well. I personally use Gatorade to rehydrate, but water is truly better.
Click to expand...

I'm trying to pull myself off of the high fructose corn syrup chain in concern for my health. Thanx tho.
Work out in the mornings, that's when I had the most energy during the day.
Click to expand...
Thanx Tpylons, I've been looking into joining a gym actually, especially since there is a company discount for specific ones in the area. I did a week of weight training with whey protein and managed to get pretty toned, but as it was "trial period" only it wasn't sustainable. HOWEVER, that protein really gave me a good boost of energy whenever I'd work out with it.

Plenty of sleep, work out a lot, eat relatively healthy, alcohol in moderation.
Click to expand...
sleep has honestly been seeing more hours than ever. These days I walk/run every day after work to get a boost, and usually around the area to get a little jolt. I do eat pretty good when I can, however I "relapse" getting something bad for me here and there. I'm fighting that problem too. Alcohol I almost never consume anymore these days.

Thanx everybody! I'm interested in anymore feedback you can provide.
 
#15
Beno said:
Drink lots of water and take notes during class. If you still fall asleep take the notes in cursive, worked for me. And if you still fall asleep invent some type of really hard shorthand that requires an insane amount of concentration. That usually works. Either that or take caffeine pills every 10 minutes. Or just sleep.
Click to expand...

caffiene i'm trying to make a last resort. Cursive? lol my handwriting is so bad I'm lucky I can write at all, let alone cursive
 
#16
Stumbo said:
IME, if your're snoozing during the day, even though you've been getting 6-8 hours of sleep, you may have a sleep disorder or some other medical condition.

Do you fall asleep when you're a passenger in a car during a 20-30 minute drive? Do you have trouble while driving?
I suggest a journal noting your diet, sleep, exercise, sleepiness, etc. for a couple of weeks to see if there's a pattern. If there's no pattern, it may be worth a trip to the Doc.
Click to expand...
Not to derail, but I can't go on a 10 minute car ride without passing out. My wife calls it car-colepsy (she's witty like that). I have intermitent issues when I drive, but I'll pull over and knock out for a few minutes if it gets bad. I've never thought this was an issue, but actually typing it makes me look like a fruitcake.

To the OP: I am obviously not the guy to help.

Mike
 
#18
mike_v_s said:
Not to derail, but I can't go on a 10 minute car ride without passing out. My wife calls it car-colepsy (she's witty like that). I have intermitent issues when I drive, but I'll pull over and knock out for a few minutes if it gets bad. I've never thought this was an issue, but actually typing it makes me look like a fruitcake.

To the OP: I am obviously not the guy to help.

Mike
Click to expand...

Understandable. I fall asleep at the drop of a hat sometimes too.
 
#19
This really sounds like some kind of sleep disorder. I read somewhere, if it takes you less than 15 minutes to fall asleep you are most likely sleep deprived. While you might be sleeping for a decent amount of time each night, the quality of your sleep is what really matters.

Exercise will help. I'd avoid caffeine as it leads to increased stress and messes with your metabolism. Not to mention in large quantities it's really not good for your heart.

If this continues to be a problem, you might want to consider taking a sleep study to find out if there really is a problem.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back