Download ArticleDownload ArticleX
This article was co-authored by Alex Dimitriu, MD. Alex Dimitriu, MD is the Owner of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, a clinic based in the San Francisco Bay Area with expertise in psychiatry, sleep, and transformational therapy. Alex earned his Doctor of Medicine from Stony Brook University in 2005 and graduated from the Stanford University School of Medicine's Sleep Medicine Residency Program in 2010. Professionally, Alex has dual board certification in psychiatry and sleep medicine.
There are 21 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
How.com.vn marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 17 testimonials and 82% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status.
This article has been viewed 496,920 times.
Whether you pulled an all-nighter to study for a test or you're just a regular night owl, you may be wondering how you can make it through the day on little or no sleep. It'll be hard to stay awake without dozing off, but not impossible. These tips will help you make the most of your day after staying up all night.
Steps
Eat breakfast. Studies have shown that people who eat a healthy, balanced breakfast in the morning are more alert and energetic than those who skip breakfast.[1]- Aim for foods high in protein, like eggs, tofu, yogurt, or peanut butter. Or choose nutrient-rich food options like oatmeal and fresh fruit. These foods will fuel your body through the day and give you the energy you need to stay awake and active.
Drink coffee or tea. Caffeinated beverages can help you combat sleepiness and make you feel more wakeful and energetic.[2] And drinking coffee or tea can bring plenty of health benefits, too. These naturally caffeinated beverages are chock full of antioxidants[3], and recent studies suggest that drinking coffee can even decrease your risk of developing depression.[4]- Don't drink too much! Excessive caffeine consumption can cause anxiousness and irritability. Drinking too much coffee can also interfere with your ability to have a good night of sleep after you make it through the day.[5]
- Opt for coffee over energy drinks. An 8 oz. cup of coffee typically contains more caffeine than the same serving size of most energy drinks.[6]
Advertisement
Stay hydrated. Drinking enough water is important to maintain your body's natural functions, and dehydration can actually make you feel even more tired.[7]
Chew ice. The physical act of chewing keeps your body awake, and ice comes with the additional benefits of being refreshing and hydrating.[8]
Take a snack break during the day. Snacks high in protein and vitamins, like nuts or fresh fruit, can help give you an energy boost between meals when your body starts to drag.[9]
Eat a hearty lunch. Your body needs most of its calories in the morning and afternoon. Give yourself the fuel you need when you need it most.[14]- Be sure to make healthy food choices. Overdoing it on calories or sugar at lunch can leave you feeling more tired in the afternoon.[15]
Advertisement
Get in a light workout. Even a short, brisk walk can help wake you up and give you the energy you need to make it through the day.[16]
Spend some time in the sun. Experts have found that being immersed in natural light can increase wakefulness and make you feel more alert as you go through your day.[17]
Change your environment. If possible, work with the windows open to allow fresh air to enter, and try listening to music to keep you going.[18]
Advertisement
Make a list. Plan out everything you need to do during the day, and arrange them in order of importance. This will help you remember everything you need to get done. It will also give you a sense of capability and provide you with a visual reminder of both what you've accomplished and what tasks remain.[19]
Work efficiently. Aim to get your most challenging or complex tasks done earlier in the day, when you have more energy.[20]
Reward yourself with a break. Disengaging from homework, studying, or work projects for a short period of time can improve productivity by making you feel more refreshed and recharged, and it can motivate you to get through your next set of tasks.[21].
Return to your normal sleep schedule. After pulling an all-nighter, it's important to return to your regular habits. Go to bed around the time you normally would, or perhaps a little earlier than usual, and set your alarm for the same time you would normally wake up.[22]
Advertisement
Expert Q&A
Search
- QuestionWhat do you do when you accidentally stay up all night?
Alex Dimitriu, MDAlex Dimitriu, MD is the Owner of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, a clinic based in the San Francisco Bay Area with expertise in psychiatry, sleep, and transformational therapy. Alex earned his Doctor of Medicine from Stony Brook University in 2005 and graduated from the Stanford University School of Medicine's Sleep Medicine Residency Program in 2010. Professionally, Alex has dual board certification in psychiatry and sleep medicine.
Sleep Medicine & Psychiatry ProfessionalIf you need to stay awake, try to keep yourself distracted and engaged. Boredom can make you feel sleepier. - QuestionHow long does it take to recover from an all-nighter?Alex Dimitriu, MDAlex Dimitriu, MD is the Owner of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, a clinic based in the San Francisco Bay Area with expertise in psychiatry, sleep, and transformational therapy. Alex earned his Doctor of Medicine from Stony Brook University in 2005 and graduated from the Stanford University School of Medicine's Sleep Medicine Residency Program in 2010. Professionally, Alex has dual board certification in psychiatry and sleep medicine.
Sleep Medicine & Psychiatry ProfessionalAround 5-7 days of good sleep is required for you to catch up on your sleep debt. Waking up feeling refreshed involves not having a sleep debt, which will likely take more than one night to catch up on. - QuestionI am pulling an all-nighter before a 10 hour work shift. I am a server at a casino and only have a 20 minute break. Any tips?
Chris M. Matsko, MDDr. Chris M. Matsko is a retired physician based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With over 25 years of medical research experience, Dr. Matsko was awarded the Pittsburgh Cornell University Leadership Award for Excellence. He holds a BS in Nutritional Science from Cornell University and an MD from the Temple University School of Medicine in 2007. Dr. Matsko earned a Research Writing Certification from the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) in 2016 and a Medical Writing & Editing Certification from the University of Chicago in 2017.
Family Medicine PhysicianYou may want to get something small to eat on your 20 minute break, or perhaps you want to take a power nap.
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
SubmitAdvertisement
Video
Tips
- Put red stop signs or warning signs around couches and beds so you remember not to lay down and rest, trust us, if you lay down and start relaxing you will doze off into slumber land and wake up around 5pm. This will ruin your sleep cycle!Thanks
- If you are so tired you can barely keep your eyes open, (which is totally normal for this situation), splash yourself with water, dunk your head in a tub of ice water, or slap yourself really hard. These may not be very enjoyable ways to keep yourself awake, but they will do the trick.Thanks
- To keep yourself awake early in the day, drink an energy drink or have coffee with your breakfast, even soda, anything with caffeine.Thanks
Submit a Tip
All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
Advertisement
Warnings
- Don't drive if you're sleep-deprived.Thanks
- Avoid staying up all night if you work in an environment where drowsiness could pose a risk to you or others.Thanks
- "Microsleeping" is fine as long as you have an alarm or someone to wake you. Be careful as it can make you sleep longer than intended.Thanks
Advertisement
References
- ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22218013
- ↑ Alex Dimitriu, MD. Sleep Specialist. Expert Interview. 16 October 2019.
- ↑ http://www.health.harvard.edu/family_health_guide/coffees-health-benefits
- ↑ http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/coffee-depression-women-ascherio-lucas/
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/caffeine/art-20045678
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/caffeine/art-20049372
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dehydration/basics/symptoms/con-20030056
- ↑ http://www.businessinsider.com/do-this-when-youre-exhausted-at-work-2015-5
- ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21123465
- ↑ Alex Dimitriu, MD. Sleep Specialist. Expert Interview. 16 October 2019.
- ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21075238
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/napping/art-20048319?pg=2
- ↑ https://www.sleepfoundation.org/excessive-sleepiness/safety/how-stay-awake-road-tips-combat-drowsy-driving
- ↑ http://healthland.time.com/2013/07/23/why-you-should-eat-breakfast-and-the-best-times-for-the-rest-of-the-days-meals/
- ↑ http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=1&ContentID=503
- ↑ http://sleepfoundation.org/shift-work/content/tips-staying-awake-the-job
- ↑ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/25/tricks-waking-up-sleep_n_2718257.html
- ↑ http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/factsheets/24/fatigue.html#improve
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-creativity-cure/201403/how-making-lists-can-quell-anxiety-and-breed-creativity
- ↑ http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2014/08/how-to-get-through-a-workday-on-no-sleep.html
- ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/17/jobs/take-breaks-regularly-to-stay-on-schedule-workstation.html?_r=0
- ↑ http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/getting/overcoming/tips
About This Article
Sleep Medicine & Psychiatry Professional
This article was co-authored by Alex Dimitriu, MD. Alex Dimitriu, MD is the Owner of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, a clinic based in the San Francisco Bay Area with expertise in psychiatry, sleep, and transformational therapy. Alex earned his Doctor of Medicine from Stony Brook University in 2005 and graduated from the Stanford University School of Medicine's Sleep Medicine Residency Program in 2010. Professionally, Alex has dual board certification in psychiatry and sleep medicine. This article has been viewed 496,920 times.
Co-authors: 70
Updated: April 17, 2024
Views: 496,920
Categories: Featured Articles | Staying Awake All Night
Article SummaryX
To make it through the day after an all-nighter, drink caffeinated beverages like tea and coffee to keep your energy up. Additionally, try to drink water consistently during the day since dehydration will make you feel more tired. For a quick boost to your energy, chew ice to keep your body awake or take a quick 15 minute nap. Alternatively, go for a short, brisk walk outside to wake your body up. For more advice from our Medical co-author, like how to be productive after an all-nighter, keep reading!
Did this summary help you?
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 496,920 times.
Reader Success Stories
"I am a regular night owl myself, and I can't fall asleep when I am supposed to, so I end up pulling all-nighters. I tried quite a few of these tricks and they work pretty well, even if you are at school."..." more
Did this article help you?
⚠️ Disclaimer:
Content from Wiki How English language website. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License; additional terms may apply.
Wiki How does not encourage the violation of any laws, and cannot be responsible for any violations of such laws, should you link to this domain, or use, reproduce, or republish the information contained herein.
- - A few of these subjects are frequently censored by educational, governmental, corporate, parental and other filtering schemes.
- - Some articles may contain names, images, artworks or descriptions of events that some cultures restrict access to
- - Please note: Wiki How does not give you opinion about the law, or advice about medical. If you need specific advice (for example, medical, legal, financial or risk management), please seek a professional who is licensed or knowledgeable in that area.
- - Readers should not judge the importance of topics based on their coverage on Wiki How, nor think a topic is important just because it is the subject of a Wiki article.
Advertisement
