Recent events in my life have led me to wonder which techniques and tricks for staying awake during sleep deprivation actually work, and which work best. I’ve managed to find seven ways which are proven to help relieve the need for sleep, at least short-term anyways.
1. Caffeine
Everyone knows that caffeine keeps the drinker awake, however, most people don’t actually know the best way to ingest caffeine so that your body can be stimulated best. The key is to use lots of small doses of caffeine, so a cup of coffee every hour or so would work pretty good, but not one huge dosage at the beginning of your day.
2. Ear Pulling
Some studies have shown that pulling on your earlobes when you become unfocused or feel yourself dropping off can significantly refocus your mind. So give that one a go!
3. Pain
Although sawing your own arm off may be a bit extreme, pinching or nipping yourself should always wake you up. Or even better, have someone else do it to you.
4. Physical Movement
Any form of physical activity will serve to refocus your brain and alleviate tiredness. Try to raise your heart rate slightly, in theory this will increase the amount of oxygen to your brain, helping you stay alert and focussed. Do not go crazy on the physical movement though, doing so will probably result in you even more tired and drained than you were before you started.
5. Water
Water can serve more than one purpose in our battle against fatigue; usually a good splash or even a shower, if possible, will wake even the dead while staying fully hydrated is very important. Try to drink lots of water, and drink even more if you have used caffeine, to counteract the dehydrating effects of caffeine.
6. Sleep
Yes, sleep! If you know you will be pulling an all-nighter in advance, make sure you get plenty of sleep beforehand. Any adult should aim for 6-8 hours of sleep every night, any less would be considered sleep deprivation, and may have unwanted short term effects.
7. Food
Try consuming small snacks, healthy snacks are better. Cereal bars, nuts and fruit are all good options and help to give your body a quick and healthy energy boost. Numerous studies have also shown that chewing gum can relieve stress, refocus the mind and relieve fatigue, so see if this works for you.
A final note
Depriving yourself of sleep isn’t smart and should only be a very occasional happening. Sleep deprivation can lead to many mental disorders such as; stress, anxiety and depression, which in turn can produce unwanted physiological changes in the body including hypertension.
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