Staying up all night and skipping sleep is definitely not healthy to make a habit of. However, there will be those times in life when you can’t sleep. Here are some tips on how to stay awake when forgoing your nightly rest.
Get really good sleep the night before. At the very least, get some good exercise and then nap during the day so you are well rested. If you are sleep deprived to begin with, staying awake all night may be nearly impossible. Try to take a nap that exceeds an hour, or take several.
Stay hydrated and nourished. If you are deprived of vitamins and water you will feel sluggish. So have a lot of fluids on the day you’re going to be skipping sleep.
Avoid sugars and carbohydrates. These will give you a kick of energy, which you’ll only crash down from later, resulting in you feel tired. The goal is to stay awake, so steer clear of these things.
Drink coffee or a natural energy shot. Don’t overdo it because the idea is to not crash. So scatter cupfuls or half-cups throughout the evening every couple of hours. Continue to drink plenty of water as well. This also is helpful since you will need to take trips to the restroom. Many find it hard to sleep with a full bladder!
Stay interactive. Have someone talk to you. If you’re not with someone then call somebody or play an interactive game. Keep your mind busy. If you start to let your thoughts drift off to la-la land you’re more likely to doze off for a snooze. Once you fall asleep, it will be very difficult to wake up again. Trust me, I’ve been there and done that.
Adjust the temperature. Some people sleep better when they are very warm and bundled up; others when it’s a bit cooler in a room. Create a temperature for yourself that isn’t so cozy so you won’t fall asleep.
Munch on some snacks. Eat constantly. Look for things like nuts, apples, protein bars and the like. It gives you energy and its one more thing to keep yourself busy. Crunchy things that take more effort to chew may work the best.
Turn up the tunes. Listening to music on full blast should keep you alert. If the last word is far gone in your vocabulary at this point, at the very least it should keep you from falling into slumber.
Move around. Don’t sit around on a couch or even the floor. Try to stay standing. Walk around, use good posture and even stretch periodically.
Well there you go. Remember when you’re very sleep deprived it’s never good to operate a vehicle. For hard-working students, new moms or the night-shift folks, these ideas may come in handy.
