10 Ways to Go From Tired to Terrific

8. Take a tech-free break
Being at the mercy of electronic devices keeps us in “fight-or-flight mode,” Kingsley says. You get an adrenaline zap every time the cell phone rings or an email comes in. Over time, living off adrenaline exhausts you. Cell phones, in particular, put increased stress on women, research shows.

Even though both men and women say that their cell phones allow job worries to affect their home lives, only women experience the opposite effect—the spillover of home concerns into work. The solution: “Set boundaries at work and home,” Kingsley suggests, “so your attention isn’t always divided.” Give yourself at least an hour a day when you completely unplug from electronic devices. That chance to check in and connect with yourself will re-energize you, she says.

9. Meditate for a minute
Time-crunched? Great news: You can reap the benefits of meditation—a hike in alertness and attention—in three-minute mini–breaks. “They’re like little tune-ups,” Dr. Orloff says.

She recommends an a.m. session before you start your day and a noon meditation before that typical 3 o’clock crash hits. Find a quiet place (even if it’s the bathroom) and mentally focus on an image that brings you pleasure: the ocean, a flower, the sun, your cat; continue to keep the image in your mind’s eye as you breathe deeply (roughly 10 seconds for each inhale and exhale). With a little practice, Dr. Orloff says, you’ll become more skilled at maintaining focus and can add more short meditations to your day, whenever you need revitalizing.

10. Clean up your sleep
The buzzword in sleep science these days is sleep hygiene, and it’s about more than clean sheets—it helps you create an atmosphere that’s restful, so you’ll sleep well and wake up energized without the need for sleeping pills, Campbell says.

Sleep hygiene usually includes three areas: fully darkening your bedroom (turn your alarm clock away from you if the display gives off too much light), regulating room temperature to a moderate coolness (too hot or too cold, and you’ll wake up), and using white noise (a fan or quiet music) to help induce sleepiness.