Do you tend to feel tired or ‘out of it’ midday? Do you not want to waste the rest of the day feeling like garbage?
Try a Cool Reboot!
It layers together six different techniques for feeling awake and only takes 30 minutes.
Ingredients (all optional, skip any that you can’t do now or don’t like):
– a very caffeinated beverage
– a timer with an alarm (e.g., on your phone or alarm clock)
– earplugs and/or eye mask
– a bed or couch
– a bright source of light (e.g., a S.A.D. light, or bright lamp, or sunny day)
– a shower
– a high energy inspiring YouTube music video ready to play (e.g., Upside Down & Inside Out by OK Go, or Level Up by Vienna Tang, or Thunderstruck by AC/DC, or Rise by Katy Perry)
Note: I don’t recommend this technique if you are bipolar or have ever had a manic episode. Also, if you feel weird partway through, stop early. Use at your own risk, and use your best judgment.
Step 1 – Load Up. Chug the highly caffeinated beverage. You’re now going to take advantage of the fact that caffeine takes some time for your body to process.
Step 2 – Power Down. Set a timer with an alarm to go off in 20 minutes, plus however long you think it will take you to fall asleep (or whatever your ideal short nap period is – I suspect 20 minutes works well for many people without causing them to go into a deep sleep, which you want to avoid). Now put your earplugs in and your eye mask on, and go to sleep! If you have trouble falling asleep, don’t worry. Even 10 minutes of non-sleep resting is still good (get up and continue onto the remaining steps when you’re ready!)
Step 3 – Reset. When your alarm wakes you up, hop up immediately and go to your source of bright light. Get close to it WITHOUT staring directly at it, and bask in its intense glow for 1-3 minutes (stop, or back away, or turn your head if it feels uncomfortable – it should not hurt).
Step 4 – Shock. Take a 30 second to 2 minutes very cold shower.
Step 5 – Inspire. Put on clothes, then start the high energy inspiring YouTube video, preferably at a loud volume.
Step 6 – Energize. As it is playing, start doing jumping jacks or dancing (either works well). Begin very slow, and as the music continues, go a bit faster, and then a bit faster still. By the time the song ends, you should be jumping/dancing at super high intensity! If it hurts, slow down or stop, of course.
Congratulations, you’ve done a Cool Reboot! Hopefully, you’re now feeling different than you did 30 minutes ago.
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