Staying up all night can be bad for health. Maybe you need to stay up late for some reason, for example to hang out with friends or complete an assignment. This article provides tips to keep you awake when you stay up late.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Preparing to Stay Up late
Step 1. Know how your body reacts to sleep deprivation
After waking up in the morning according to a regular schedule, 24 hours later the body will run out of energy and very tired.
- Experts think this is caused by the circadian rhythm, which is the biological clock that regulates the body's functions to keep it working properly. The circadian rhythm makes us feel more tired after being awake for 24 hours than if we don't sleep for 30 hours.
- The biological clock will give a second cycle periodically. The body will send a signal to the brain so that we are not sleepy and stay energized, even if we don't get enough sleep. There are several things you can do to keep yourself awake.
Step 2. Put safety first when you're tired
If you absolutely must stay up late, do so in a safe manner. Whatever the reason, lack of sleep makes the body produce cortisol, a stress hormone that is bad for health.
- Do not drive a vehicle if you are sleepy or staying up late because this is very dangerous for yourself and other drivers. Studying all night has something to do with low grade point averages. Therefore, do other ways so that you don't have to stay up late again because you have to study.
- Realize that staying up late is the trigger for some other bad results. People who are sleep deprived tend to forget more often, react more slowly, and are less able to perform multiple tasks simultaneously due to decreased memory skills.
- Long-term sleep deprivation has negative health consequences, for example: weight gain, emotional lability, and muscle fatigue. If you are forced to stay up late, try to make time to get enough sleep and avoid staying up late.
Part 2 of 3: Preventing Sleepiness
Step 1. Take a moment to sleep while staying up late or just before staying up late
Even if you don't stay awake all night, you can improve your performance and reduce drowsiness if you have time to rest for a few minutes. You will stay awake all night after closing your eyes for a while.
- Research shows that respondents who slept for 26 minutes showed an increase in performance. So, by closing your eyes for a moment, you will be better prepared to stay up late and stay awake the next day. You have to take time to sleep for a while so you don't fall asleep so it's very difficult to wake up.
- The day before staying up late, get a longer night's sleep as a savings so you don't fall asleep when you stay up late.
Step 2. Make sure the lamp stays on with a bright enough light
The biological clock is able to detect changes in light from light to dark and we tend to be more awake in bright conditions. The biological clock is physically connected to the optic nerve.
- If the next day you feel very tired, go outside to get some sun so that you are more energized. If it is in the dark, the body will produce melatonin, the hormone that makes us fall asleep.
- Many people prefer to turn off the light before going to bed at night, but this will trigger sleepiness because the body will interpret the signal as night. You can get around this by turning on the lights brighter than usual.
Step 3. Get busy and keep moving
The brain will be more awake if we do physical movement. If you don't have time to exercise, invite friends to chat, tidy up study equipment, or do other different movements to keep your body in an active condition.
- The body will be more awake if we do various activities because we have to make adjustments to new activities. Busyness can prevent fatigue because you will focus on the activity you are doing, not on feeling sleepy.
- Mental activity keeps us awake because the mind is focused on something else, not fatigue. For example: playing a game or listening to a seminar on the radio. However, some mental activities, such as reading a book, tend to trigger drowsiness, especially when done lying down.
Step 4. Adjust the room temperature to keep it cool
Body temperature will naturally drop when we sleep. Cool air makes sleep more soundly. A hot room triggers drowsiness.
- Another way to stay awake is to take a shower using room temperature water and dress like you would do your daily routine.
- In addition to regulating the room temperature, open the window. If the temperature outside is lower, the cool breeze that blows in makes the air feel cooler and keeps you awake.
Part 3 of 3: Eating Food and Drink
Step 1. Drink caffeinated drinks during the night
Coffee or energy drinks can be a source of energy to stay up late, but don't drink it all at once. Drink little by little so that you will stay awake all night. Several studies have shown that caffeine can improve the ability to focus.
- In general, people need to consume about 150 ml of coffee or a caffeinated beverage which is equivalent to 100 mg of caffeine to meet their energy needs. The effects of caffeine will wear off after a few hours and only start working 30 minutes after consumption.
- You can take caffeine pills with a dose of 100-200 mg which can be purchased at drug stores. Keep in mind that caffeine can trigger anxiety and other side effects if too much is consumed. When you stop drinking caffeinated drinks, you may feel sleepy and very tired.
- Eat apples instead of coffee. Apples can be a source of sugar intake so you don't get sleepy.
Step 2. Eat high-calorie foods to keep your body energized
Choose foods that provide higher energy intake because your body needs more calories if you want to stay up late. So, don't skip meals.
- Eat foods that contain protein, fiber, and complex carbohydrates, for example: whole wheat bread and a glass of milk or granola and fruit. Drink water as needed because a hydrated body is a natural source of energy.
- Whole grains, tuna, mushrooms, nuts, eggs, chicken, beef are high-calorie foods. Avoid non-nutritive foods and sugar because they will cause a spike in blood sugar levels so that the increase in energy is only temporary.
Step 3. Don't stay up late in a way that triggers fatigue or is dangerous
If you want to stay up late, do it in a good way and don't have a negative impact. Think carefully about what you want to consume.
- Teenagers are prohibited from drinking alcohol (unless local laws allow teens to consume alcohol after they reach a certain age). In addition, alcoholic beverages trigger drowsiness.
- Do not take medications that are commonly prescribed as stimulants to prevent drowsiness. This method is bad for the body, risky, and illegal.
Step 4. Form good habits so you don't have to stay up late
Under certain conditions, you may be forced to stay up late. Arrange a daily activity schedule so you don't have to stay up late again.
- Improve study habits. Many teenagers feel burdened when they think about piling up tasks. This can be overcome by making a checklist. Establish a daily routine by making a study schedule and get into the habit of studying at the same time every day.
- Researchers have shown that teenagers' sleep patterns differ from those of adults. The physical condition of teenagers is naturally better prepared to stay awake until late at night. Calm your mind by turning off computers, devices, and video games.
Tips
- Do not stay up while lying down for too long because you can fall asleep.
- To avoid sleepiness when you stay up late, drink fizzy drinks that contain caffeine, but don't let your parents see you.
- Don't do activities that wake other people up so no one will know and prevent problems from occurring.
- If tonight you want to stay up late, make sure tomorrow is a day off.
- If you want to listen to music, don't choose relaxing music. Calm music will calm the mind so that it is easier for you to fall asleep.
- Drink plenty of green tea and English tea. Besides the taste is good, add a little sugar to the tea so that you get energy intake to stay up late.
- If you stay up late because you have to do homework, finish your homework for tomorrow morning, then get ready for school.
- Drink strong coffee before staying up late to stay awake.
- Don't stay still for too long in certain relaxing postures. Move to change postures about every 30 minutes.
- Watch a thrilling film for an adrenaline rush.
- Don't drink too much soda, coffee, or tea so you don't fall asleep.
Warning
- Do not often stay up late because a good night's sleep plays an important role in maintaining a healthy body.
- Make sure you don't have to go to school the next day.
