A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry

How do you all stay awake? HELP! - flamt

Posted: Feb 22, 2011

As soon as I start playing the audio, I can't concentrate and I start falling asleep at my desk. I literally have to get up every 15 minutes to keep from snoozing at my desk. Proofing my work is a hassle because, again, audio starts and I'm falling asleep. It doesn't seem to matter how much sleep I get, how much coffee I'm drinking, protien I'm eating, or vitamins I'm taking....nothing helps! It's getting so bad that my production is seriously slowing down and it's taking me every bit of 8-10 hrs a day to do even 1000 lines. One time I was proofing a report I had fallen asleep on and realized I had typed the same paragraph 3 times!!! I'm so paranoid about mistakes I'm potentially making that I wouldn't be surprised if my supervisor starts questioning what the heck I'm doing.

I'm not a newbie...been doing this 12 years as an IC, just recently becoming an employee (I hate that someone else is telling me when to work, keeping tabs on my hrs, etc, ugh).

Anyhow....anyone have any suggestions on how to stay awake???? I'm even thinking about putting a tack under my foot just so the pain will keep me awake when I play the footpedal. HELP!

Something that helps me a lot is... - Awake and alert MT

[ In Reply To ..]
is I use a "clicky" keyboard. I had the same problem as you..I would fall asleep and near fall out of my chair many times while transcribing...(have the same problem watching movies). I bought one of the old IBM keyboards that have a very unique and audible click and that seems to do the trick for me.

Question - Lettie

[ In Reply To ..]
May I ask where you bought your "clicky" keyboard? I would love to have one of those. They are the best.

Found it on .... - Awake & alert MT

[ In Reply To ..]
Ebay. Very reasonable rate ... $15 to $20. They are the best aren't they?

reply - Lettie

[ In Reply To ..]
Absolutely correct! Thanks for the info.

Here's What I Do - MT

[ In Reply To ..]
Well, first, if this never happened when you were IC, perhaps you're subconsciously sabotaging yourself because you're mad that you're an employee now. Okay, I'll stop playing ShrinkLady.

That being out of the way, I drink ice water almost all day to keep me awake. No caffeine or sugar. Ultimately, that just causes a "crash." Also, I did notice that the times I'm stuck doing just clinic, I tend to start dosing off. That is extremely boring. The acute care stuff keeps me alert. Can't dose off there.

re staying awake - cr

[ In Reply To ..]
My brother literally couldn't stay awake while driving long stretches, so his doctor prescribed Provigil to stay awake. Maybe you have narcolepsy. If you don't want to go the drug or Red Bull route, I've found it helps to turn your head upside-down and gently and rapidly slap yourself in the face a few times. The blood rushing down seems to help renew alertness, at least for awhile.

A "happy light" - Daisy

[ In Reply To ..]
I use a Verilux "happy light" which is one of those light therapy beat the winter time blues lights. It cost me $70 or so a couple of years ago but has been more than worth it here in the New England winters. Just an hour or two with that on is better than 10 cups of coffee!

flaMT - Old Pro

[ In Reply To ..]
Good strong coffee and an occasional walk around the block (not simultaneously!) have always worked for me.

how to stay awake - pl

[ In Reply To ..]
Have you ever had your thyroid checked. I am hypothyroid and when it is off (which is often), I get very lethargic and nothing helps until I get my doseage adjusted again...I have been suffering with this for years and had many, many adjustments to synthroid...just a suggestion.

Keep the room cold - starstruck

[ In Reply To ..]
My office is freezing so I use a space heater. When I'm having trouble staying awake, I turn it off so the chilliness keeps me awake.

staying awake - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
I had my hours switched to swing shift, and I had an awful time. I agree with the above, lots of ice water, keep room cool, I have a noisy keyboard also, and I am hypothyroid, so make sure to take my pill! Only one thing to add to the above that helps for me, is peppermint or spearmint oil. (I mean the strong oils, like tea tree oil, etc) Dab a bit under your nose, at base of skull, or put in a diffuser. It is a natural stimulant. I couldn't handle the energy drinks or a lot of caffeine, it would make me sick, but this helped.

If I get to the point I am falling asleep I either - sm - ECMT

[ In Reply To ..]
take a 20 minute power nap or call it a day go to bed (presuming it is late at night). If you are on the clock then all you can do is maybe walk around a bit, do some running in place, jumping jacks, etc. I read somewhere on here I think that pineapple is a real help to sleepiness (e.g. afternoon crash), so maybe try eating some of that and see if it helps. The employee thing might be part of it, psychological and all. I did the employee thing for about a year, hated it. Went back to IC real fast, works much better for me and my schedule here (worked split shift but still was not good and hated that I was "watched" all the time). Good luck!

The only thing that works for me after 10 years - ttmt

[ In Reply To ..]
is Nuvigil. I used to take Provigil, but Nuvigil is supposed to last longer (personally, I don't think it does). I have sleep apnea also, so that contributes to my daytime sleepiness.

I have arranged my desk to be near a window, make sure the lights are bright, and I have a TV set to a news station in my office. The TV is very, very quiet and sometimes I put it on mute. The TV is a psychological thing with me. I think of it as my link to the outside world to avoid feeling too isolated. I take a break every 2 hours and go outside for a few minutes for some fresh air (no matter what the weather). I drink iced tea throughout the day.

I work very long hours so this happens to me quite often...sm - KcupMT

[ In Reply To ..]
Sometimes I think I'm immune to coffee since it doesn't really do much for me anymore.

If I get really sleepy I have to get up, go upstairs just to get the blood flow going and splash cold water on my eyes.

Other times though I have no choice but to take a 20-minute power nap with the timer set of course so I don't over sleep and sometimes that's all it takes for my batteries to recharge.

I've also been taking Melatonin Plus at night to help me sleep better and it helps except my hubby has the alarm clock set at 4:30 in the frickin morning so that gets a little aggravating having to get up super early for nothing - other times though I'm so tired I sleep right through it.

Caffeine! Also, I don't do stem-to-stern proofs anymore. - MTWordz

[ In Reply To ..]
Instead, I try to check each paragraph as I complete it, and then a quick scroll to eyeball the whole page for anything that stands out. Then I send it.

If you still have to proof a whole page, try changing the size of the type. I usually type it smaller, and proofread it bigger. Another trick is to change the font while you're proofing, then change it back to the original font before you send it.

Also, I just proofread, I don't use the sound with it unless I'm rechecking a blank I left in the report to see if I can hear what the word was once I'm finished.

Stay away from sugar - All Ears

[ In Reply To ..]
I find that I can't eat anything sugary, as it will start me on the sleepies as soon as it wears off. Instead, I snack on nuts and dried fruit, get up every now and then, and if I absolutely have to, take a short power nap. It's amazing how even 5 minutes can help recharge your batteries and get you back on track.

But I second the suggestion to see a doctor, you may have a thyroid issue or be borderline diabetic.

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