How to Reduce Daytime Sleepiness: 7 Actionable Strategies

Excessive daytime sleepiness can feel like a constant fog, dulling your focus and draining your motivation. While it can be a symptom of an underlying sleep disorder, many cases can be significantly improved by adopting targeted lifestyle strategies.

If you’ve scored high on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), it’s time to take action. Here are seven strategies to help you reclaim your daytime energy and alertness.

1. Prioritize Your Sleep Schedule (Non-Negotiable)

This is the foundation upon which all other strategies are built. Your body craves consistency.

• Action: Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day—yes, even on weekends. This anchors your circadian rhythm, promoting deeper, more restorative sleep at night and more stable wakefulness during the day.

2. Use Light to Your Advantage

Light is the most powerful external cue for regulating your internal clock.

• Morning: Get bright light exposure within the first hour of waking. Open the curtains, go for a short walk, or use a light therapy lamp. This signals to your brain that the day has begun and shuts off melatonin production.
• Afternoon: If you hit an afternoon slump, go outside for 10-15 minutes of bright light. It’s a more effective pick-me-up than a cup of coffee.
• Evening: Avoid bright lights, especially blue light from screens (phones, tablets, computers), in the 1-2 hours before bed. This allows your brain to produce melatonin, the hormone that makes you sleepy.

3. Nap Strategically

A short nap can be a powerful tool to combat midday sleepiness, but it must be done correctly.

• Action: Keep naps short, around 20-30 minutes. This “power nap” provides cognitive benefits without letting you enter deep sleep, which can cause grogginess (sleep inertia) upon waking. The best time for a nap is typically in the early afternoon, between 1-3 PM.

4. Move Your Body

Physical activity increases blood flow to the brain and can have an immediate energizing effect.

• Action: When you feel drowsy, get up and move. Do some stretching, walk up and down the stairs, or take a brisk walk around the block. Regular daily exercise also improves nighttime sleep quality, which in turn reduces daytime sleepiness.

5. Hydrate and Eat for Energy

Dehydration is a common but often overlooked cause of sleepiness. What you eat also plays a huge role in your energy levels.

• Action: Drink water consistently throughout the day. Avoid large, heavy meals high in carbohydrates and fats, especially at lunchtime, as they can induce post-meal drowsiness. Opt for a balanced lunch with protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs.

6. Use Caffeine Wisely

Caffeine is a tool, not a solution. Used correctly, it can temporarily boost alertness.

• Action: Have a cup of coffee or tea in the morning or early afternoon. Avoid caffeine within 8 hours of your bedtime, as it can severely disrupt your nighttime sleep and create a vicious cycle of poor sleep and daytime sleepiness.

7. Know When to See a Doctor

If you have implemented these strategies consistently and still suffer from significant daytime sleepiness, it’s time to seek professional help.

• Action: A high score on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) is a clear sign that you should talk to a doctor. Your sleepiness could be caused by an underlying sleep disorder like sleep apnea or narcolepsy, which requires medical treatment.

By taking a proactive and multi-faceted approach, you can fight back against daytime sleepiness and enjoy a more alert, productive, and energetic life.