In an interesting article I read in the weekend edition of New York City’s daily newspaper Metro, a recent study found that “people who napped for an hour in the early afternoon of a workday were able to perform at 100 percent for the rest of the day. Those who stayed awake dropped by more than 50 percent in performance levels.”

Well duh! But at least now research confirms it, and some bosses are catching on. There has been a rise in bosses encouraging a nap in the employee lounge and some companies are even installing nap rooms. Hopefully your boss is one of the cool ones, but if not here are some alertness-boosting alternatives to catching a few winks at work. (Bonus: These may work well in class, too.)

Chewing: My neurobiology professor, Dr. Griffin, swears by it. Although he didn’t have enough time to explain the exact mechanism to our class, he says that there is a link between chewing and alertness, that as long as you chew something you won’t fall asleep. So whether it’s gum or a box of candy, just make sure you have a big enough supply to get you through the day.

Being Uncomfortable: Ever woken up in the middle of the night because you were freezing? Or because you ached from sleeping on a very hard bed? You need to be fairly comfortable to fall asleep, so try to avoid comfy things as much as possible. If you can, lower the thermostat to where you are slightly chilly, or find a straight-backed chair. This way your body will be so annoyed with the conditions that it will refuse to go to sleep until it finds somewhere better, like your bed at home.

Your Sense of Smell: When you’re feeling sleepy, whip out something pungent. Apparently a strong smell, whether good or bad, will keep you awake (but really, who wants to smell stinky shoe all afternoon?). The best smell for the job is peppermint, which a study has shown can lower fatigue by 15 percent, increase alertness by 30 percent and decrease frustration by 25 percent. Also, the smell of coffee beans, whether au natural or brewed, can do the trick.

Bright Light: It’s almost impossible to sleep when someone’s shining a glaring light in your face, so turn your desk lamp on and keep it pointed directly at yourself. In a less dramatic measure, simply expose yourself to sunlight. This way your body will realize that it’s still day out and it will perk up. (Sunshine also improves your mood.)

Music: Who doesn’t love a little techno in the afternoon? Listening to invigorating music, whether it’s jarring or enjoyable, will chase away your sleepiness. I recommend checking out Pandora Radio; it’s an online radio station where you can create your own playlist by typing in a song or a band and the Web site will find similar songs for you. In addition, you can try to stay awake by “dancing along.” Whether tapping your foot or bobbing your head, movement increases alertness. Just try to keep it low-key so you don’t distract your co-workers by turning into Will Ferrell or Chris Kattan from A Night at the Roxbury.

So when your venti Starbucks isn’t doing the trick, try some of these tactics to keep yourself on your toes. You’ll get more stuff done than Mr. Naptime, or at the very least, you’ll keep yourself awake until you can get home and pass out on the couch.