Let's take a closer look at 5 effective ways to stay awake at work.

We've all been there, a late night out with friends or up with the kids all night, then you get to work and the tiredness sets in. Just as you face a grueling 8 hour day ahead at the office the eyelids sag and the fatigue hits. Here at MoneyBuildr.com we decided to put together for you this handy list of top 5 ways to stay awake at work that will get you through your work day. Of course we strongly suggest you get the recommended 7-9 hours good quality rest a night that the experts suggest, if you can. You can find more on this at sleepfoundation.org which has some vital information regarding healthy sleep and sleep patterns.

If like most people you just don't manage to get that many hours rest during the night then you need to read on.

1. Chew Ice

When you chew ice it is almost impossible to fall asleep. The refreshing coldness of the ice revives you whilst stimulating the brain to give you that little extra you need to stay awake. As Ice is cold, it ensures your metabolism is busy as it warms the ice to body temperature.

In fact, chewing anything, gum, candy or even a pen tip can also be vey effective and help to keep your brain stimulated and you awake.

2. Exercise

There is nothing quite like a few minutes of physical exertion to get the juices flowing so it's time to get up from that comfy office chair and don your headband! It is proven that a few minutes exercise is the best thing to revive you when you feel tired. The stimulation of the muscles combined with the expanding of the lungs for greater air intake send messages to your brain waking it up and assisting with alertness. This is often a problem after lunch especially if a large or heavy meal is consumed. When the tiredness sets in do some light exercise in your office or workplace, you don't need tons of room. Things like jumping jacks, push-ups, stomach crunches and sit-ups are very effective and get the blood flowing just enough to give you that midday boost that you need.

3. Eat properly

As we mentioned already it is not a wise move generally to eat a huge lunch during a work day. Steak, burgers, pizza and french fries are best left for the weekends when you can rest more and your body can easily digest the food. High energy, healthy snacks are a much better option when at work. What you really want to avoid though is the crash often followed by a sugar or caffeine spike. You know the feeling, after you drink a sweet coffee or eat a cake, that unbearable tiredness that overcomes you. A good way to avoid this is to eat properly, plenty of fruit and vegetable, nuts and seeds and if you can replace your usual strong morning coffee with green tea you will feel the difference almost immediately

4. Acupressure

This is an excellent way to remain awake and alert. Simply by applying pressure to certain parts of the body you can ward of fatigue and increase stimulation. An interesting article posted by Thorin Klosowski of Lifehacker.com has some great diagrams and further information you can see here. Acupressure is basically just physical pressure applied to trigger points on the body. In order to stimulate circulation and a feeling of well-being and alertness it is recommended you apply pressure to The top of the head,The back of the neck, the back of the hands and also the point between the thumb and index finger.

5. Power naps

It was said of the recently deceased ex British minister Margaret Thatcher that she slept only 4 hours a night then gave herself energy boosts by taking two or three well-timed 20 minute power naps throughout the day. If you have the time during your busy day sleeping for just 15-20 minutes can increase your alertness and give you that revived feeling you need to get on with your day.