Our brain has adapted over millions of years to maintain focus and energy when our eyes sense light. These treats will fill your gas tank and make you feel on top of the world, or at the very least, at the top of your game’s scoreboard. Instead, opt for foods that have slow-acting carbs such as oatmeal, bananas, fruit or almonds for a healthy dose of fat. When you feel a bit of fatigue manifesting itself in the corners of your eyes, head to the kitchen or cupboard and grab a small snack.Īlthough they used to call me ‘Dorito King’ back in the day, avoid junk food and sugary snacks. I won’t lie to you: I didn’t learn the power of light snacking until later in my life. If you know that a few friends are going to be over drinking a few brews while you’re staying up, make sure they know where you stand before they arrive.Įven though you may get a few jokes thrown your away about not having a drink, you’ll be the one laughing the next morning when they’re nursing hangovers! 7.

in beerology during my stay at college, but alcohol is your arch-nemesis during all-night sessions. Thinking back on it, I could’ve earned a Ph.D. Try this out if you’re serious about staying up all night. When my heart rate was elevated, and my sweat was flowing, I dominated my fatigue and crushed my gaming sessions. Anytime I even remotely felt a bout of fatigue, I would hop up and do five pull-ups, followed by 30 seconds of light jump rope. What I used to do is get a jump rope and a pull-up bar and put them in my room. At some point during your all-nighter marathon, you’re going to have to bring in the cavalry to get a few more hours of wakefulness. I’m not a scientist, but I’m pretty sure it’s impossible to stay awake while you’re exercising. The key here is to recruit outside help to force yourself awake.Īlthough you may tell yourself that you’ll wake up after a small nap, your natural response will be to slam the ‘snooze’ button and drift off into a blissful slumber. Listen, staying awake for long periods without being tired is rather difficult: Taking a small nap here and there when you can’t muster the willpower to keep your eyes open is OK! Set a timer for a short window of time, and have a friend or relative wake you up after the alarm goes off. The shock to my central nervous system may have caused my screams and yelps to sound like a baby dolphin crying for his mother, but it got the job done! While I may have taken my efforts to a new level, taking a shower or lightly spraying your face with water is a great way to refocus your energy and kick fatigue to the curb. Likening myself to a gaming Navy Seal, I began taking cold showers when I felt my energy dipping low. When I was younger, I remember sitting down with a friend and watching the Navy Seals force themselves to maintain focus during ‘hell week.’ When a soldier was becoming tired or lazy, they would splash cold water on his face to make him refocus and snap back to reality. Although it may seem a bit excessive, it gives you a buffer that you can tap into on your marathon session. While many people say you need between seven and eight hours of sleep, I would often get around ten or eleven. Leading up to the time you know you’re going to be awake, sleep excessively in the days leading up until the event. The most success I ever had when trying to stay awake for an entire day was when I prepared the night before. A good cup of coffee will gradually coax you into a state of focus and energy while avoiding the dreaded energy-dump that will inevitably come. Although these drinks don’t provide as much caffeine as an energy drink, they don’t have the crash that’s often associated with gas-station options. Instead, I learned to rely on black coffee and tea as a means of keeping my eyes open for extended periods. Your first course of action may be to head down to your gas station and load up on energy drinks loaded with caffeine don’t do this! That was a rookie mistake that I would often perform early on in my ‘stay up all night’ career. If you’re someone that wants to see if they can stay up for an entire day - whether for school, work or fun - here’s what you need to know. Yeah, I know, I’m pretty awesome and talented.īut now that I’m a bit older and my life has become filled with responsibilities and precommitments, 24-hour sessions have become a rarity, and if I do pull one off, I can’t do it unless I plan ahead. And to be honest, there were moments when a new game came out - Halo 3 - where I stayed awake well past 24 hours to beat the campaign on legendary difficulty. I would often catch myself watching the sun emerge from the darkness as I finished my study session or YouTube binge. In my late teens and college years, pulling an all nighter was not a big deal.

Ways to stay awake during night