How can you effectively stay awake during late hours. What are the best strategies for combating sleepiness at night. Which techniques help maintain alertness during overnight shifts. How does light exposure affect your ability to stay up late. What role does caffeine play in staying awake through the night. How can napping be strategically used to stay up late.

The Science Behind Staying Up Late: Understanding Your Body’s Natural Rhythms

Staying up late can be a challenging endeavor, as it goes against our body’s natural circadian rhythms. Dr. Christopher Drake, a sleep researcher at the Henry Ford Sleep Disorders Center, explains, “Our bodies are programmed to sleep during the night and be awake and alert during the day. When we try to stay up late and sleep during the day, we are working against our own bodies.”

This internal programming makes it particularly difficult for individuals like Officer Shane Sevigny, who works graveyard shifts for the Salem Police Department. At 47 years old, Sevigny notes, “As you get older, it’s harder. I have a harder time sleeping during the day. My body clock would like to be sleeping at night.”

Strategic Napping: The Key to Boosting Late-Night Energy

One of the most effective ways to prepare for a late night is through strategic napping. Dr. Drake suggests “banking” sleep by either sleeping longer each night before your late night or taking an afternoon nap on the day of your planned late night. He advises, “Prior to your all-nighter, get nine hours of sleep a night for a week and bank some sleep.”

But what about napping during your late-night stint? Short naps during a night shift can be beneficial, but some people may experience grogginess afterward. To combat this, Dr. Drake proposes a clever solution: “Drink an 8-ounce cup of coffee, which is about 75 milligrams of caffeine, before your nap. Taking a small cup of coffee right before one takes that short nap will eliminate the sleep inertia effect.”

Tips for Effective Power Napping

• Keep naps short (15-30 minutes) to avoid deep sleep
• Find a quiet, dark place to nap
• Use a sleep mask and earplugs if necessary
• Set an alarm to avoid oversleeping

The Caffeine Strategy: Maximizing Alertness Throughout the Night

Caffeine is a well-known ally for those trying to stay awake, but it’s crucial to use it strategically. Rather than consuming one large caffeinated beverage at the beginning of your late night, Dr. Drake recommends a more measured approach: “My recommendation is not to utilize a giant Venti Starbucks but to use small doses equally spaced throughout the night shift. That will help maintain alertness throughout the shift but also avoid people having significant sleep disturbance once they are home and ready for bed.”

By spacing out your caffeine intake, you can maintain a steady level of alertness without the crash that often follows a large dose. This method also helps minimize the potential for sleep disturbances when it’s finally time to rest.

Optimal Caffeine Consumption Schedule

1. Start with a small cup (8 oz) of coffee at the beginning of your shift
2. Consume another small cup every 2-3 hours
3. Switch to decaf or herbal tea 4-6 hours before your intended sleep time

Harnessing the Power of Light: Tricking Your Body’s Internal Clock

Light plays a crucial role in regulating our internal clock, and leveraging this can be a powerful tool for staying up late. Dr. William Kohler, medical director of the Florida Sleep Institute, explains, “That circadian clock has connections to the eye, and bright light can reset our internal clock. That clock is what tells us when we’re alert and when we’re tired.”

To take advantage of this biological mechanism, stay in extremely well-lit rooms or use a light box that produces between 2,000 and 10,000 lux. This exposure to bright light can temporarily convince your body that it’s not yet time for bed, helping you stay alert and focused.

Creating an Optimal Lighting Environment

• Use bright, cool-toned LED lights in your workspace
• Invest in a high-quality light therapy box
• Take periodic “light breaks” by stepping outside or using your light box
• Avoid blue light from screens in the hours before your intended sleep time

Staying Engaged: The Role of Mental Stimulation in Combating Sleepiness

One of the most effective ways to push through sleepiness is to keep your mind engaged and busy. Officer Sevigny notes that on busy nights, “If we stay busy, you don’t even notice it until you’re done with your shift and you’re on your way home.” This observation aligns with research showing that people who remain mentally active while sleepy tend to rally, pushing aside fatigue as they become absorbed in their tasks.

To leverage this phenomenon, try to engage in stimulating activities throughout your late night. This could include tackling complex problems, engaging in creative pursuits, or even playing mentally challenging games during breaks.

Mentally Stimulating Activities for Late Nights

• Solve puzzles or brain teasers
• Learn a new skill or language
• Engage in thought-provoking discussions with colleagues
• Write or journal to keep your mind active
• Listen to educational podcasts or audiobooks

Navigating the Danger Zone: Strategies for the Early Morning Hours

Even with the best preparation, the hours between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. present a significant challenge for those trying to stay awake. Dr. Drake warns, “You can’t escape the negative effects of the circadian clock. One is going to be sleepy around 4 a.m. to 5 a.m. because that is the sleepiest time of the day.”

Knowing this in advance allows you to prepare and implement specific strategies to combat this intense period of sleepiness. During these hours, it’s crucial to use all available countermeasures to maintain alertness.

Tactics for Surviving the Early Morning Slump

• Take a short walk or do light exercises
• Use aromatherapy with invigorating scents like peppermint or citrus
• Engage in conversation with others to keep your mind active
• Use cold compresses on your face and neck
• Increase your exposure to bright light

Long-Term Strategies: Adapting to Regular Night Shifts

For those who need to work night shifts regularly, a more comprehensive approach is necessary. While it’s important to recognize that sleeping during the day is fundamentally different from night sleep, there are strategies that can help ease the transition.

A 2013 study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that night shift nurses were best able to adjust to their schedule by manipulating their light exposure. The study recommended exposing oneself to extremely bright light at the beginning of the shift and then wearing dark sunglasses on the way home to minimize light exposure.

Creating a Faux Day-Night Cycle

To help your body adjust to a night shift schedule, try to establish a fake day-night cycle:

• Use blackout curtains to create a dark sleeping environment during the day
• Maintain a consistent sleep schedule, even on days off
• Use a dawn simulator light to help you wake up naturally
• Avoid bright light and blue light from screens before your daytime sleep
• Consider melatonin supplements under the guidance of a healthcare professional

By implementing these strategies, you can help your body adapt to a reversed sleep-wake cycle, making it easier to stay alert during night shifts and sleep restfully during the day.

The Impact of Diet and Exercise on Late-Night Alertness

While caffeine is often the go-to solution for staying awake, your overall diet and exercise habits can significantly impact your ability to stay alert during late nights. A balanced diet rich in nutrients can provide sustained energy, while regular exercise can improve overall sleep quality and daytime alertness.

Nutrition Tips for Night Owls

• Eat small, frequent meals to maintain steady blood sugar levels
• Choose complex carbohydrates and lean proteins for sustained energy
• Stay hydrated with water and herbal teas
• Avoid heavy, fatty meals that can induce sleepiness
• Consider timing your meals to align with your new sleep-wake cycle

Exercise Strategies for Shift Workers

Regular exercise can help regulate your sleep-wake cycle and improve overall energy levels. However, timing is crucial:

• Exercise at least 3 hours before your planned sleep time to avoid disrupting sleep
• Consider a brief workout at the beginning of your shift to boost alertness
• Incorporate light stretching or yoga during breaks to improve circulation and reduce fatigue
• Use exercise as a tool to reset your body clock when transitioning between day and night shifts

The Role of Technology in Staying Awake: Apps and Gadgets for Night Owls

In our digital age, various apps and gadgets have been developed to assist those who need to stay awake during unconventional hours. While these tools should not replace healthy sleep habits, they can provide additional support for those times when staying up late is necessary.

Useful Apps for Late-Night Alertness

• Sleep cycle alarms that wake you at the optimal point in your sleep cycle
• Productivity apps that use the Pomodoro technique to maintain focus
• Mindfulness and meditation apps to help manage stress and improve alertness
• Blue light filtering apps for your devices to protect your circadian rhythm

Gadgets to Support Late-Night Wakefulness

• Light therapy glasses that provide targeted light exposure
• Smart watches with sleep tracking and alert features
• White noise machines to improve daytime sleep quality
• Aromatherapy diffusers with alertness-enhancing scents

While these technological aids can be helpful, it’s important to use them in conjunction with, not as a replacement for, the fundamental strategies of proper sleep hygiene and circadian rhythm management.

The Psychological Aspect: Mindset and Motivation for Night Owls

Staying up late, especially for extended periods or on a regular basis, can be mentally challenging. Developing the right mindset and finding motivation can make a significant difference in your ability to remain alert and productive during late hours.

Cultivating a Positive Night Owl Mindset

• Reframe your perspective: View late nights as opportunities rather than burdens
• Set clear goals for your late-night hours to maintain focus and motivation
• Practice gratitude for the unique experiences and opportunities that come with late-night work or activities
• Develop a nighttime routine that signals to your brain it’s time to be alert and productive

Finding Motivation in the Quiet Hours

Many people find that the quiet of the night can be conducive to creativity and productivity. Embrace these aspects of late-night work or study:

• Use the lack of distractions to tackle complex tasks or creative projects
• Connect with other night owls online for support and camaraderie
• Reward yourself for accomplishing late-night goals
• Keep a journal of your late-night achievements to track progress and stay motivated

Remember, while these psychological strategies can help, they should be balanced with proper sleep hygiene and respect for your body’s natural rhythms. Long-term sleep deprivation can have serious health consequences, so use these techniques judiciously and seek professional advice if you’re consistently struggling with late nights.

Recovery Strategies: Bouncing Back After a Late Night

Even with the best strategies for staying up late, it’s crucial to have a plan for recovery. How you handle the aftermath of a late night can significantly impact your overall well-being and ability to function in the following days.

Immediate Post-Late Night Recovery

• Avoid the temptation to oversleep; stick to a consistent wake time
• Get exposure to natural light soon after waking to reset your circadian rhythm
• Hydrate well to combat the dehydrating effects of caffeine and fatigue
• Eat a nutritious breakfast to replenish energy stores
• Consider a short (20-30 minute) nap if absolutely necessary, but not too close to your next sleep time

Long-Term Recovery and Sleep Debt Management

If late nights are a regular occurrence, it’s important to manage your sleep debt to prevent chronic fatigue and health issues:

• Gradually adjust your sleep schedule back to normal over several days
• Prioritize sleep on your days off to repay sleep debt
• Practice good sleep hygiene consistently to improve overall sleep quality
• Consider consulting a sleep specialist if you’re struggling to adapt to a night shift schedule

By implementing these recovery strategies, you can minimize the negative impacts of late nights and maintain your overall health and well-being. Remember, while occasional late nights may be necessary, chronic sleep deprivation can have serious long-term health consequences. Always prioritize getting adequate, quality sleep whenever possible.

6 Tricks to Stay Up Late at Night – Sleep

Try these tips for keeping the sandman at bay when you just have to be awake.

By Dennis Thompson JrMedically Reviewed by Farrokh Sohrabi, MD

Reviewed: October 2, 2013

Medically Reviewed

Staying up late can be tough on the body, but sometimes it’s unavoidable. Maybe you’re working late, or you might need to stay up for a one-time event like a family trip or a kid’s sleepover or even adjust your sleep schedule to accommodate a new night shift assignment. Either way, there are tricks you can use to successfully become a night owl.

Keep in mind that success is relative when it comes to staying up late. The longer you’re up, the more your mind and body will feel the effects of sleep deprivation. “Our bodies are programmed to sleep during the night and be awake and alert during the day,” said Christopher Drake, PhD, a sleep researcher at the Henry Ford Sleep Disorders Center and an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences at the Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit. “When we try to stay up late and sleep during the day, we are working against our own bodies.”

Officer Shane Sevigny can testify to that. During the summer he works the graveyard shift patrol for the Salem Police Department in Salem, Ore., which runs from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.

“As you get older, it’s harder,” said Sevigny, 47. “I have a harder time sleeping during the day. My body clock would like to be sleeping at night. I have experience doing it, but going back and forth is the hardest for me, especially if it’s for a short time. I just don’t feel rested.”

6 Ways to Stay Up Late

If you’re pulling a single all-nighter or trying to adjust to a night shift, there are some basic ways you can improve your chances of staying up late.

Nap beforehand. Either sleep a little longer each night before your late night or grab an afternoon nap that day. “One can bank sleep,” Drake said. “Prior to your all-nighter, get nine hours of sleep a night for a week and bank some sleep. “

Keep busy. People who stay busy while they are sleepy tend to rally, pushing sleepiness aside because they are interested in the new task. That’s what helps Sevigny get through the night. He’s happy that his night shifts start on Friday and Saturday, typically the busiest nights for police officers. “If we stay busy, you don’t even notice it until you’re done with your shift and you’re on your way home,” he said.

Use caffeine…the right way. Caffeine is an effective aide for staying up late. However, just chugging one big caffeinated beverage at the start of the shift will not help you through the whole evening. “My recommendation is not to utilize a giant Venti Starbucks but to use small doses equally spaced throughout the night shift,” Drake said. “That will help maintain alertness throughout the shift but also avoid people having significant sleep disturbance once they are home and ready for bed.”

Nap smart at night. Taking a short half-hour nap during a shift can be effective, but some people will feel sluggish afterward. Drake’s solution: Drink an 8-ounce cup of coffee, which is about 75 milligrams of caffeine, before your nap. “Taking a small cup of coffee right before one takes that short nap will eliminate the sleep inertia effect,” he said.

Stay in bright light. Light has a powerful effect on your internal clock, and bright light can temporarily fake the body into thinking it’s not yet time for bed. “That circadian clock has connections to the eye, and bright light can reset our internal clock,” said William Kohler, MD, medical director of the Florida Sleep Institute in Spring Hill, Fla. “That clock is what tells us when we’re alert and when we’re tired.” Stay in extremely well-lit rooms or intermittently use a light box that produces between 2,000 and 10,000 lux.

Prepare for 4 a.m. to 5 a.m. Banking sleep will get you only so far through the night, however. “You can’t escape the negative effects of the circadian clock,” Drake said. “One is going to be sleepy around 4 a. m. to 5 a.m. because that is the sleepiest time of the day.” Be prepared to feel extremely sleepy in the hours just before dawn and use all possible countermeasures to help you stay awake.

Adjusting Your Schedule

Switching to a regular night shift schedule takes more effort. You have to work hard to fool your mind and body, and even then you must expect that it won’t be completely successful. Sleeping during the day is fundamentally different from night sleep.

Keeping that in mind, people who need to work night shifts should try these strategies:

Establish a fake day-night cycle. A 2013 study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that night shift nurses were best able to adjust to the schedule if they exposed themselves to extremely bright light during the beginning of their shift and then wore dark glasses after the shift. You can extend this effect by using a sleep mask and earplugs once you’re in bed.

Don’t try to sleep all at once. Many people make the mistake of trying to replicate night sleep during the day. “Most night shift workers will go to sleep within 10 or 15 minutes, but after four hours, their sleep becomes fragmented,” Drake said. “They fall asleep and wake up and fall asleep and wake up. It’s probably better to use two sleep periods that last three or four hours. Don’t try to stay in bed. Get up and do what you need to do. Run errands. After three or four hours of wakefulness, take another three- or four-hour nap before going back to work.”

Avoid alcohol. The idea of a nightcap doesn’t work during the day (nor does it work at night). Alcohol may help you fall asleep, but it can cause disturbances that ruin the quality of your sleep.

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For Work, Studying, and More

Sometimes the dreaded all-nighter just can’t be avoided. Maybe you have a new job working night shifts, it’s finals week, or you’re having a sleepover party. Regardless of your reasons, staying up all night is tough.

Human sleep patterns follow natural circadian rhythms. Your circadian rhythms are like internal clocks affecting the way you think, feel, and behave throughout the day. Circadian rhythms are based on the lightness or darkness of your environment.

When your brain perceives darkness outside, your body begins to release a hormone called melatonin. Melatonin makes you drowsy and prepares your body for sleep.

Staying up all night means fighting this natural process, which is not only difficult, but also unhealthy. Sleep deprivation can impact your ability to learn and focus. It can even be dangerous. In 2013, there were at least 72,000 car accidents caused by drowsy driving.

If you must stay up all night, the following tips can help you do it safely.

The easiest way to stay up all night is to reset your internal clock. This can take up to one week, but it’s possible. You may experience serious drowsiness at first, but your body does catch on.

If you’re switching to the night shift, give your body a few days of practice. Your circadian rhythms still rely on light cues, so make sure you’re sleeping in a very dark room during the day. Blackout curtains and eye masks are particularly helpful.

Caffeine is a helpful pick-me-up and can increase your alertness. It helps fight one of the natural substances your body releases to make you drowsy.

Studies have found that moderate doses of caffeine (600 milligrams [mg] or more than four cups of coffee) can improve your ability to think and perform tasks, but high doses (900 mg or more) have the opposite effect. High doses of caffeine can cause symptoms like anxiety and shakiness that make it harder for you to concentrate.

To stay up all night, don’t rely on one big dose of caffeine. Too much coffee can lead to stomach upset. Instead, try taking several smaller doses throughout the night such as espresso shots, caffeine pills, or caffeinated gum.

Energy drinks contain varying amounts of caffeine, typically the equivalent of one to five cups of coffee. They also contain guarana, an ingredient that also contains caffeine, which makes the total amount of caffeine higher than it appears.

When using energy drinks, it’s difficult to know exactly how much caffeine you’re ingesting, and extremely high doses of caffeine can be toxic. They’re especially dangerous when mixed with drugs or alcohol. In 2011, more than 20,000 people went to the emergency room because of energy drinks.

Taking a series of small naps throughout the night may help you stay alert. Although it’s not equal to a full night’s sleep, short naps can be restorative. Most studies on night-shift workers find that naps reduce sleepiness and improve performance.

Try to catch 15 to 20 minutes of sleep during a break. If you’re driving through the night, pull into a rest stop for a quick nap.

Daily exercise helps you maintain a healthy sleep schedule, but experts recommend avoiding exercise late at night, if you want to sleep well at night. That’s because your body produces a lot of energy when you exercise, which can keep you awake.

If you’re trying to stay up all night, try 30 to 40 minutes of aerobic exercise. If you don’t want to exercise, try getting up and moving around. Pace back and forth for 10 minutes, take a walk outside, or do a few jumping jacks.

Darkness cues your body to release melatonin, a hormone that makes you feel sleepy. One study found that using bright lights at night and creating darkness during the day can help night-shift workers reset their circadian rhythms.

Find a lamp that can distribute light widely throughout the room. Look for an LED bulb that can simulate sunlight. This should help you stay awake longer.

Your electronic devices, including laptops, tablets, TVs, and phones, emit something called “blue light.” The blue light emitted from your devices can delay the release of melatonin, the sleep hormone. This can prevent you from becoming sleepy.

To keep yourself awake, use a device that you can interact with. Try playing video games on your computer or tablet. The closer the blue light is to your face, the more awake you will feel.

Taking a cold or lukewarm shower can help wake you up when you start to get tired. If you don’t want to shower, splashing your face with cold water can help. Brushing your teeth can make you feel refreshed.

Staying up all night isn’t good for you and should only be done as a last resort. After staying up all night, you’ll feel very drowsy. Try to make up the sleep the next day.

For more sleep support, check out our sleep shop.

How to stay up all night if you really need to

Adviсe

October 1, 2020

Discomfort, coffee with chocolate and trolling will help you stay awake until the morning.

You can listen to this article. If it’s more convenient for you, turn on the podcast.

1. Avoid sleep rituals

Getting ready for bed usually involves some sequence of activities: putting on pajamas, drinking milk, reading a book. For ordinary days, this is an advantage: the body immediately understands that now you are going to bed. If you need to stay awake, these habits are best avoided.

2. Don’t overeat

Being slightly hungry will keep you awake, as you are supposed to be active in order to get your own food.

3. Choose the right clothes

Do not change into pajamas, even if they are very comfortable. Wear something you can’t sleep in, like brand new, unworn jeans. Another helper will be shoes with laces. It will not give you the opportunity to “just lie down for five minutes.” Unless, of course, you are used to falling asleep in your shoes every Friday.

4. Avoid sofas and beds

If you want to sleep badly, you will fall asleep even on a hard chair with nails sticking out in some places. A soft bed will not leave you a single chance to hold out until the morning. Therefore, choose not the most comfortable seats.

5. Make the Light Brighter

Studies have shown that bright light suppresses drowsiness. Turn on the overhead light, sconce, table lamp. It is impossible to overdo it in this matter. True, this trick should not be turned at parties: other visitors to the nightclub may be unhappy with the lights suddenly turned on.

6. Find out who is wrong on the Internet

Find a person with a questionable position on Facebook* and try to convince him. You can sincerely argue or frankly troll, but the effect will be the same: from indignation, you will not only fall asleep – you will not be able to sit still.

7. Get enough sleep the day before

Not the most unexpected, but working way. A sleepless night the day before leaves you virtually no chance to be productively awake. Unless, of course, you flew from the future to save John Connor. Therefore, before a strategically important night, sleep as hard as you can.

8. Drink coffee or caffeinated beverages

Caffeine does suppress sleepiness. True, there are nuances of drinking coffee, depending on how you want to spend the morning. If you drink it too actively, there is a risk that you will be too alert even when it’s time to go to bed. If you drink just a little bit of coffee, you will easily fall asleep when the caffeine leaves your bloodstream.

9. Eat spicy food

Instead of trying to pinch yourself to stay awake, outsource this activity. Eat a portion of spicy, burning food. It will irritate the mucous membrane in your mouth enough to make you forget about sleep.

10. Load up on fast carbohydrates

On a sleepless night, just the property of fast carbohydrates that adherents of a healthy diet scold them for is useful: they quickly break down into simple sugars and give a strong, albeit short-lived burst of energy. So ignore the advice of grandmothers “do not eat sweets at night, otherwise you will not fall asleep” and stock up on sweets.

Keep an eye on your level of fatigue, as the energy will leave your body just as quickly: as soon as you feel tired, it’s time to take another bite from the chocolate bar.

11. Wash with cold water

Rinse face and wrists. Cold water is a kind of stress for the body, and therefore it will inevitably cheer up to eliminate discomfort.

12. Chew gum

Research has shown that chewing will keep you awake. The brain receives a signal that food is on its way to the stomach, and does not allow the body to relax in anticipation of a portion of energy. In general, you can chew anything, but chewing gum will be a longer-lasting option than food.

13. Drink water

Dehydration can lead to fatigue, so listen carefully to your body’s signals of thirst. The advice has an added bonus: Have you ever tried to sleep with a full bladder?

14. Squat

Physical activity invigorates, and if you get up every hour and do 15 squats or push-ups, this will significantly extend the period of wakefulness. But jumping is better to avoid, although communication with the police squad, which the neighbors will call because of the noise, can invigorate better than any squats.

15. Keep your head busy

Surely there are puzzles that make you forget about everything in the world. For some, these are puzzles, for others – a new level of computer games. If you choose a movie or game, it is better that they are new to you and that you have to carefully follow the twists and turns of the plot.

16. Switch attention

A sleepless night is a great time to practice multitasking. Switch between different tasks to avoid switching to automatic work mode.

What methods do you use? Share in the comments.

Read also 🧐

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*Activity of Meta Platforms Inc. and its social networks Facebook and Instagram are prohibited in the territory of the Russian Federation.

10 ways to stay up all night

Is it possible to stay up all night without harm to your health and what, apart from a few cups of coffee, will help you stay awake? Share the answers to these questions and help prepare for a sleepless night

Contents

• Consequences of a sleepless night
• Why people decide not to sleep
• How to stay up all night

What happens if you don’t sleep

Sleep is necessary for health: even one sleepless night can negatively affect the body. If you do not sleep for more than 17 hours in a row [1], the reaction rate will decrease by 50% and the brain will not work at full capacity. In addition, due to increased sleepiness, the risk of an accident will increase.

In 1963, researcher William Dement and test subject Randy Gardner set up an experiment to find out how long a person could stay awake. Their record is 11 days and 25 minutes (by 2022 it is still unbeaten) [2]. During the experiment, Randy’s mood fluctuated, he had hallucinations, he could not speak clearly, he forgot facts and got confused in his memories. This effect was from 11 days without sleep, but even one sleepless night can lead to health consequences.

Without sleep, the brain cannot “refresh”: fluid from the spine does not flow into it, which “washes away” toxins, some of which cause Alzheimer’s disease [3]. And this is not the only harmful effect of sleep deprivation: a study in Sweden showed that just one sleepless night increased the risk of damage to brain cells by 20% [4].

Why people decide not to sleep

The reasons can be different: accumulated deadlines at work, shift schedule, upcoming exams or a night event. Recently, psychologists have noticed a new reason for refusing healthy sleep – procrastination. In English, it is called Revenge Bedtime Procrastination – “procrastination, taking revenge on sleep patterns” [5]. This is the name given to situations when a person refuses sleep in favor of leisure: doing a hobby, flipping through a feed on social networks or watching TV shows. However, for this, no additional prescriptions that do not allow you to fall asleep are required.

But sometimes work or school makes us neglect sleep. We tell you how to do business at night, minimizing the risk to health.

How to stay up all night

1. Turn on the light

Our brain reacts to the change of day and night, and when it’s dark, we automatically fall asleep. This is how the internal biological clock works [6]. To drive away drowsiness and increase vigilance, provide yourself with a bright source of light (and it is desirable that it be not yellow, but white). In dim lighting, you will only want to sleep more, and your concentration will drop.

2. Get moving

Physical activity usually helps you fall asleep at night, but if you do sports 1-2 hours before bedtime, you will only cheer up [7]. Do a little exercise: jump, stretch or stretch. Do this every time you want to go to bed.

3. Take breaks

Staring at a computer screen for a long time can strain your eyes and cause dryness that will make you want to sleep even more. Try sometimes to take your eyes off the monitor: for example, go for tea or coffee or do a warm-up for the eyes.

4. Drink water

Dehydration reduces blood flow to the brain, resulting in a feeling of fatigue and increased sleepiness [8]. To avoid this, place a bottle of water near your workspace and drink when your mouth feels dry.

5. Drink coffee

One of the most obvious ways, but it works. Studies have shown that if the human body has more than 600 milligrams of caffeine per day (that’s about four mugs), it will be able to cope with tasks faster and more efficiently. But be careful: large doses (from 900 mg) have the opposite effect. You will become more anxious and unable to concentrate [9].

Energy drinks also contain caffeine, but their use can be dangerous. One drink is equal to about five mugs of coffee. In addition, energy drinks contain guarana, which also contains caffeine. It is quite difficult to calculate the exact dose, and you can overdo it: your head will start to hurt and feel dizzy, nervousness and anxiety will appear.

6. Take a shower

A cold or cool shower will help you feel refreshed and tired. If you don’t have time for it, you can rinse your face and neck with cold water and brush your teeth to freshen up.

7. Get 15–20 minutes of sleep

Short sleep will help you relieve accumulated fatigue and increase your own productivity [10]. Set yourself several alarms so you don’t oversleep. If you sleep for more than 20 minutes, you will most likely snap yourself out of deep sleep and feel more overwhelmed than you were before.