How teachers can avoid sleeping in the classroom

Every teacher knows the feeling. Most teachers have a problem of sleeping in the classroom every now and then. Staying awake in class is a challenge due to several reasons. Most literature available tends to focus only on students sleeping in class. However, teachers too suffer from it. Picture this scenario, you arrive in the classroom with the best of intentions, take out your notes and start teaching your students, suddenly, you feel your head bobbing uncontrollably and your eyes gradually closing. Imagine what is running through your student's minds at this point.

Maybe you spent the night preparing notes for your students or you had to work late. Because I am a teacher I once had this problem. I frantically tried to keep my eyes open but uncontrollable, unrestrained and unconscious drowsiness took over. It could happen at any time of the day; morning or afternoon. Here are some tips on how teachers can avoid sleeping in the classroom.

Sleep lots and sleep well 

One thing I understand is that teachers have busy schedules. They must prepare their notes, read a lot, structure classes, extracurricular activities and do lab practicals for students. Also, as a teacher, you have a family that you are looking after. However, if you're a chronic classroom sleeper, you might run into this problem. The amount of sleep required varies as we age. This is also dependent on genetics, therefore, it's not an accident. Good news! Make sure you sleep a lot especially during your free time. To ensure optimum performance, sleep at least 8 to 9 hours each night. Sleep well and ensure there is no disturbance. The truth is that you'll be able to avoid sleeping in the classroom.

Sit up, focus on your posture 

Most teachers love teaching while sitting. It may be beneficial because there is a lot of relaxation and comfort, but it may also be too comfortable and trigger sleep. Ensure you sit up comfortably and ensure you see all your students. Roll your shoulders back and make sure you don’t slouch. Remember slouching can lead to unnecessary stress on your body especially your muscles. Moreover, it can cause tiredness which eventually leads to sleep. So, your sitting posture is very important.

Eat well

Before you attend to your students it’s advisable to stay away from sugar and refined carbohydrates. Instead, go for a meal which is rich in protein. This will keep your full, strong and focused when teaching. If it is allowed, you can bring fruits and carry a bottle of water with you in the classroom. With this, you’ll have the morale and more energy and hence a huge boost. Also, ensure you’re hydrated by drinking plenty of H2O the whole day.

Interact with your students 

Interacting is one method used to eliminate stress and boring moods. Ask questions and let them answer through class participation. Also, when the lesson is at the climax and you discover you're tired, give them a chance to ask questions. The questions make you active as you'll focus on what they're asking. This will help you to stay focused. Note that you don't fall asleep when you're active. Think about it.

Don’ be a sleeping master in the classroom. In fact, it weird to see a teacher sleeping during class. In most cases, we expect students to sleep but not their teachers. Simply put, sleeping in front of students is a bad thing. The tips above will help you solve this problem.