Dozing off in the company of colleagues is often looked down upon as a foil to etiquette. Quite like a burp — neither can you gulp it down nor can you let it out unobserved. But while the sound of a burp is followed by an embarrassing silence, an unintentional bout of slumber at a public place can often be shattered by an uproar. And the guilty one is instantly written off as careless and inattentive. But did you know that anyone — starting from enterprising students to braveheart ministers — could fall prey to such an attack? So sleepyheads needn’t lose heart. There are ways to evade forty winks at your work place and stay wide awake.

First and foremost, you need a good night’s sleep to avoid a sluggish day at work. But, then, how does one define sound sleep? Take, for instance, Sangeeta Sharma, a Calcutta-based event manager. Despite sleeping for about seven to eight hours every night, Sharma feels groggy during the day.

Dilip Heble, fitness director of Addlife Fitness & Spa in Calcutta, offers an explanation. He says a good night’s sleep does not necessarily mean that seven to eight hours of sleep will suffice. “The quality of sleep should be restful — with no disturbance before or after sleep sets in. Alcohol, caffeine, nicotine and even an intense bout of exercise or over-exhaustion may adversely affect the quality of sleep, never mind the number of hours,” he points out.

Undisturbed sleep for six to eight hours is imperative to enable the body to undergo a replenishment of tissues. Also, since the body channels all its energy to implement this process of repair and replenishment, disturbed sleep erodes one’s energy and the process of tissue replenishment remains incomplete. So with the body not getting enough sleep at night, the next morning it looks for any compensatory mode and the person tends to doze off anytime, anywhere.

To ensure sound sleep, Kiran Sawhney, a Delhi-based wellness trainer, advises one to practice good sleep hygiene. “This includes going to bed at the same time every night, getting up at the same time every morning, not watching television in bed, sleeping in a quiet and comfortable bedroom and using your bed only for sleep and sexual activity,” she says.

But what perhaps arouses serious concern is that sleeplessness is gradually becoming a way of life. With chat rooms, DVDs, television and an active nightlife, youngsters like 17-year-old Saloni Agarwal take pride in sleeping for fewer hours and making productive use of the “dead” hours.

However, according to experts, sleep is imperative for higher productivity. Apart from leading to slow reflexes and low stamina, sleep deprivation may result in poor levels of calcium and other minerals, thus making you feel sluggish and irritable the next morning.

That’s not all. An individual’s problem-solving skills and verbal skills may also suffer a setback. Doctors warn that less sleep can cause potentially harmful hormonal and immune-system changes in the body. As a result, over a longer period, it can cause problems ranging from insulin resistance to weight gain.

However, sleeping well is not enough. Once you have managed to regularise your sleeping pattern, turn your attention to exercising and orient yourself for the day ahead. Ideally once you wake up, you should go for either jogging or walking. “It acts as an energy booster by enabling better blood circulation,” says Anita Dutta, professor at the department of medicine, NRS Medical College, Calcutta.

A mix of yoga, breathing exercises and meditation can also help. The idea, as Sawhney points out, is to condition the body and mind to be stress-free and ready the body so that physical exhaustion is never able to overcome mental exhaustion.

Heble agrees. He suggests a five-minute walk around the office every hour or so and 10 to 15 minutes of walking after lunch. Stretching from time to time is also a good idea. Loosening your shoulder, back and thigh muscles facilitates blood circulation and keeps you alert.

But nothing can save you if you are a glutton. Remember, a heavy lunch could spell doom. It may start with your eyelids growing heavy and, God forbid, you being transported to Neverland. Sawhney offers a word of advice to those who live to eat. “Have light meals to avoid drowsiness. Ideally, satvik bhojan — a diet comprising light fruits and vegetables, milk and milk products — is recommended,” she says.

No breakfast, a heavy lunch and an even heavy dinner is a sure way to gain fat and lose sleep. “Rather, eating small meals frequently enables one to sustain energy levels throughout the day and prevents fatigue from setting in,” says Heble. Travel agent Subal Chatterjee, 42, agrees. “There was a time when I couldn’t do without steamed rice and fish curry for lunch. But I have realised that a lighter lunch is a better option to stay active.”

So, next time you feel sleepy, don’t pinch yourself to death. Instead, eat light, sleep tight and wake up bright.

Sweet dreams

An erratic schedule just before going to bed can lead to poor sleep.

Sip water throughout the day and avoid having too much tea or coffee.

Have lots of energy foods, especially fruits.

Avoid getting overstressed. It may result in physical tautness and lead to disturbed sleep.

Consuming alcohol or drinks which are high on caffeine may disrupt your sleep pattern.