How to Stay Awake

How to Stay Awake will show you a variety of techniques aimed at increasing your energy level and reducing fatigue.
Stay Awake Tips
1. Monotony will make you tired.
2. Get plenty of rest.
3. Eat right and drink plenty of water.
4. Adjust your environment.
5. Movement stimulates.

Introduction
- Be it a boring meeting, a class lecture or last minute deadline, there are times you need to stay awake. Of course, this is not always easy. Read on to learn tips on how to increase your energy level and reduce fatigue.
The Dangers of Sleep Deprivation
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- Staying awake for long periods of time has a negative effect on the mind and the body. It is so dangerous that the The Guinness Book of Records removed the world record for staying awake from the book in 1989 because they felt it was harmful to people's health.Times Online: Man who stayed up for 266 hours awakes to bad news (May 26, 2007)
1. Sleep deprivation can increase levels of stress, anxiety, depression and willingness to take risks.CNN: Lack of sleep America's top health problem, doctors say (March 17, 1997)
2. Sleep deprivation lowers leptin levels, which tells your brain that you are hungry even when you're not.CBS: The Science of Sleep (March 14, 2008) Many scientists believe that long-term sleep deprivation can cause obesity.Scientific American: Can You Catch Up on Lost Sleep? (May 6, 2008)
3. Sleep deprivation can be dangerous. It has been linked as a partial cause for Three Mile Island, the Challenger disaster, the Chernobyl nuclear reactor meltdown, the Exxon Valdez oil spill and the 1984 Gas Leak in Bhopal, India which killed over 3,000 people.Transport Canada: Perchance to Dream...
4. Never drive when you are tired. According to DrowsyDriving.org, about 100,000 car crashes are caused by driver fatigue each year, causing approximately 1,550 deaths, 71,000 injuries and $12.5 billion in damages.DrowsyDriving.org: Facts and Stats
  1. Driving when you are tired is as bad or worse than driving while intoxicated.
  2. After being awake for 17 to 19 hours, your driving performance is about the same as if you had an alcohol level of .05.CNN: Sleep deprivation as bad as alcohol impairment, study suggests (September 20, 2000)
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Sleep
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- While it might seem obvious, getting a good night's sleep or taking a fifteen minute nap can help you stay awake.
1. Although the exact amount varies based on the individual, the average adult needs about 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Teenagers need more, about 8 1/2-9 1/2 hours each night.National Sleep Foundation: How Much Sleep is Enough?
2. Take a 15 to 20-minute power nap.Wikipedia: Power Nap Sleeping longer than 20 minutes can leave you drowsy because you enter your regular sleep cycle.DrowsyDriving.org: Detection and Prevention
3. Take a caffeine nap. A caffeine nap is a 15-minute nap that is taken after drinking a cup of coffee or other source of caffeine. By the time you are finished napping, the caffeine will be working. Sleepdex: The Caffeine Nap

Caffeine

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Caffeine is a central nervous stimulant found in most soft drinks, coffees, teas and energy drinks. It is also available in tablet and chewing gum formats. Caffeine effects everyone differently and affects people who regularly consumes it less than others.

Caffeine can be more effective than napping in making you more alert.New York Times Health Blog: For Sleepy Drivers, Coffee vs. Napping (December 4, 2007)
Caffeine can be addicting and cause withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, anxiety, fatigue and depression.American Heart Association: Caffeine
Caffeine levels vary depending on the brand and drink. For example, a cup of brewed coffee can have any where from 80-135 mg of caffeine.Energy Fiend: Caffeine Content of Coffee Here is the caffeine levels in 8 ounces of some other popular drinks:International Food Information Council: Everything You Need to Know About Caffeine

- Instant Coffee: 60-85 mg
- Decaffeinated Coffee: 2-4 mg
- Brewed Tea (U.S. brands): 20-90 mg
- Brewed Tea (imported): 25-110 mg
- Instant Tea: 24-31 mg
- Iced Tea: 9-50 mg
- Cocoa Beverage: 3-32 mg
- Chocolate Milk beverage: 2-7 mg

- Mountain Dew: 36 mg
- Pepsi: 25 mg
- Diet Pepsi: 24 mg
- Lipton Iced Tea with Lemon: 20 mg
- Mello Yello: 31 mg
- Coca-Cola Classic: 25 mg
- Diet Coke: 31 mg
- Nestea Sweetened Iced Tea 11 mg

Energy Drinks
- Energy drinks, such as Red Bull, Venom, Adrenaline Rush, 180, ISO Sprint and Whoopass contain large doses of caffeine along with other stimulating substances such as B vitamins, ephedrine, guarana, taurine, ginkgo biloba and ginseng.Wikipedia: Energy Drinks
1. Caffeine levels within energy drinks vary greatly. Some have almost no caffeine, while others have almost 200 mg of caffeine.NPR: The Buzz over Energy Drinks (January 4, 2007) Most average between 70 to 80 mg of caffeine.
2. The energy drink Red Bull has been banned in France, Denmark and Norway because of concern over health risks.Medical News Today: French Ban on Red Bull (drink) Upheld by European Court (February 8, 2004)
Water
- Water can help keep you awake in two different ways: externally and internally.
1. Splashing cold water on your face and pulse areas can help refresh you.Marc and Angel Hack Life: 17 Drug-Free Ways to Stay Awake For better results, consider taking a cold shower.
2. Drink plenty of water. Dehydration will reduce your blood volume, which can make you feel tired. Dehydration can reduce blood volume, which leads to feelings of fatigue. HealthAtoZ: Fatigue Drinking plenty of water will also increase your need to go to the restroom, a feeling that will also help you stay awake.
Movement
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- Movement is one of the best ways to energize yourself and stay awake because sitting in the same position for a long time can cause fatigue.
1. Take frequent breaks—at least every two hours or 100 miles (if you are driving).Sleepdex: Countermeasures for Drowsy Driving Exercise during these breaks to help energize your body.
2. Exercise at your desk to keep your blood moving. Don't sit in the same position for extended periods of time. Move your head, arms, legs and body.
3. Take notes.Marc and Angel Hack Life: 17 Drug-Free Ways to Stay Awake Not only will you have a record of what occurred, but it will help you stay focused.
4. Chewing gum can create enough movement to help you stay awake.Marc and Angel Hack Life: 17 Drug-Free Ways to Stay Awake
5. Certain yoga exercises, including the Warrior poses, have been known to reduce fatigue and increase energy levels.FindArticles: Perform Your Best with Yoga Yoga Journal: Warrior I Pose
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Breathing
- Deep breathing helps reduce stress, a source of fatigue, and increases the level of oxygen in the blood. Techniques can be as simple as inhaling for five seconds, holding your breath for four seconds and exhaling for four seconds.Personal Growth and Inspiration: 7 Strategies to Reduce Fatigue & Boost Energy You can also try more elaborate techniques which require different positions.HealthAtoZ: Fatigue
Environment
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- A dark, quiet, warm room can make you feel sleepy. Counteract this by adjusting your environment to help you stay awake.
1. Turn up the air conditioning.Marc and Angel Hack Life: 17 Drug-Free Ways to Stay Awake Cool air naturally stimulates the body.
2. Turn on the radio or play music. Listening to music that has a fast beat (think rock or pop) or a controversial talk radio program will help you stay awake.Marc and Angel Hack Life: 17 Drug-Free Ways to Stay Awake Sleepdex: Countermeasures for Drowsy Driving
3. The brighter your room is the more awake you will feel.Sleepdex: Countermeasures for Drowsy Driving
4. Find a friend to join you.DrowsyDriving.org: Detection and Prevention Not only will the company keep you awake, but the friend will be able to prod you if you start falling asleep.
Accupressure
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- Acupressure is a method where pressure is applied to various points of the body. It is similar to acupuncture, but does not use needles.Wikipedia: Acupressure
1. You may think that we're pulling your leg, but pulling down or rubbing your earlobes has been know to keep people alert.WikiHow: How to Stay Awake at Work Web Express Guide: Feel Good, Look Good: Raising Energy Levels
2. Rub the roof of your mouth with your tongue.Marc and Angel Hack Life: 17 Drug-Free Ways to Stay Awake
3. Five acupressure points that are known to energize are:
  1. Top of the head
  2. Top of the back of the neck on both sides
  3. Between the thumb and forefinger on the back of the hands
  4. About one hand width, or four fingers, below the knees
  5. Bottom of the feet, in the center below the ballsPsychology Today: Wide Awake with Accupressure
Aromatherapy
- Aromatherapy uses essential oils from plants to stimulate the brain through the nerves in the nasal passages. Oils can be added to bathwater, massage oil, a steam bath or vaporizer for inhalation. Essential oils that can help you stay alert and reduce fatigue include bergamot, cinnamon, clove, cypress, eucalyptus, fir, ginger, lemon, lime, lemongrass, peppermint, pine, rosemary, basil and black pepper.HowStuffWorks: How to Treat Fatigue With Aromatherapy
Food
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- When trying to stay awake, what you eat and how much you eat are two factors that can either make you tired or rejuvenate you.
1. Digestion consumes a great deal of energy and will make you feel tired.Marc and Angel Hack Life: 17 Drug-Free Ways to Stay Awake
  1. One way to counteract this is by eating smaller meals every few hours.ReliablePlant: Tips to reduce fatigue and boost your energy
  2. Foods that are higher in fat take longer to digest.HealthAtoZ: Fatigue
  3. Some of the best high energy foods include sunflower seeds, beans, fruit or fruit juices, eggs, yogurt, nuts and vegetables.Clean Energy Ideas: High Energy Foods
  4. Carbohydrates will not make you feel more energetic but will help keep your body fueled.iFit&Healthy: High Energy Foods
2. Make sure you get the proper amount of vitamins, especially vitamin D, selenium, riboflavin, niacin and the B-vitamins such as pantothenic acid, folic acid, thiamine and vitamin B-12.HealthAtoZ: Fatigue Fit 4 Fitness:Increase Your Energy Levels By Eating High Energy Foods
Conclusion
- Learning to stimulate your body is the best way to stay awake until it is possible to get a good night's sleep. For best results, combine several of these techniques until you find which ones work best for you.
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