echo74

from someone who doesn't sleep, here are my top five tips to staying awake for when you need to lock in without caffeine

1. eat food/stay hydrated. because your body is running low on sleep, you're going to need to replenish it with other energy sources. while being hungry can keep you up for a few hours, the energy crashes you get from not eating is not worth it. if you eat, you'll have more energy to complete the tasks you need to complete.

2. movement. when you sit still, your body grows complacent and comfortable. even just moving positions every few minutes will keep your body uncomfortable enough that you won't fall to sleep. you've just got to stimulate your brain every couple of minutes by reminding it that you are not going to sleep. you get tired when you're comfortable. make sure you're comfortable enough to focus, but not comfortable enough that you would fall to sleep. chewing gum, taking a quick walk, readjusting every few minutes. these are all effective tools that you can use to stay awake.

3. brighten your space. don't be out here doing homework in the dark. first of all, you're more likely to fall asleep when it's dark. you're already tired, that's generally a bad idea. even if you stay awake, your work is going to be less productive if it's in the dark because you have to distract yourself from falling asleep in the dark and then do the work as well. just make sure you're doing your homework in a well-lit place where your body will have to fight to sleep.

4. never underestimate the power of cold water. splash your face a few times before studying. you're probably going to have a more productive study session. even better, take a cool shower for like ten minutes or something. you'll feel 10x more awake and energized to do your work.

5. take breaks!!! i cannot emphasize this enough. you're tired, you're at your wit's end, i know. but pushing yourself too hard will only result in low-quality work. it doesn't have to be super often, but every half hour or so, just get up and stretch. don't get on your phone, though, because scrolling will just suck whatever energy you have left.

of course the most important thing is to sleep. you're going to feel like crap if you don't sleep, even with my amazing advice. so, if you can, get as much sleep as you can. i joke about my bad sleep schedule, but it's actually really really bad. don't be like me, because it actually freaking sucks and i'm working on fixing it right now.

but if you are in a pinch, these might help a little bit  

(if i ruin your life because of these tips, i am so so sorry.)

anyways

how are you guys doing?