How to stay up all night? How to stay awake at night "owl" and "lark"? How to survive a sleepless night and day after it

Even a day without sleep negatively affects the body.

But it depends on age.

In my youth, I could not sleep for a day (two - not even once). There was only slight fatigue, but performance remained.

Now, in adulthood, sometimes I don’t sleep for a day (for various reasons). And not just not getting enough sleep, but really not sleeping (I don’t even make out the bed). So the next day I'm nothing. I even have difficulty walking. From somewhere there is a strong muscle fatigue and, of course, drowsiness. This is on the condition that during the day I have the opportunity to sit in a chair with a cat once or twice and take an hour and a half to take a nap. But I still feel bad.

And what are the consequences of two days without sleep, I'm even afraid to imagine.

It is better to follow the regime. And if it doesn’t work out, at least find some time to take a nap during the day. Otherwise, a strong destruction of the body will begin - both physical and psychological.

It's not easy not to sleep for two days, but it's quite real. I had such that I did not sleep at all for about 30 hours. Your head starts to hurt a lot and you are in some kind of state of slight intoxication and you cannot collect your thoughts.

So if you do not sleep for 48 hours, I think these symptoms will be even more significant. I think if the immune system is weak, then you can faint or just fall asleep on the go.

Not bad help energy drinks, coffee and caffeine.

I have friends who are security guards, who sometimes work for two days and only manage to sleep for just an hour. It is the caffeine pills that bring them to life.

If you do this only once, then nothing will happen - fatigue will be great, but then a day of sleep and everything is fine. However, if such tricks are repeated, then there will be no time for jokes - exacerbation of diseases (chronic), neurosis, mental problems. Still, it’s better to take a nap for an hour and a half or two within two days.

If you do not sleep for two days, then nothing special will happen, just fatigue will accumulate. The body will persistently and convincingly make it clear that you need to sleep. But if you do not sleep for a week, then problems will begin. In this way (not allowed to sleep) they are even tortured in some places.

Here, each individual. I'm used to not sleeping for two days. I don't even drink coffee or energy drinks. I have a strong body and on a typical weekend I only get 6 hours of sleep. The more I sleep, the less any desire / strength to do something around the house / work.

No, I don't always have it. Twice a month for sure. Doesn't affect my body in any way. =) Internally FIG knows, maybe yes, maybe not. I do not get tired quickly and am always full of energy, which I wish everyone and everyone!

The body will be very exhausted, it will be very desirable to sleep, mental activity will noticeably decrease, the cells of the body will not renew well. Two days without sleep does not threaten death. However, if a person does not sleep for more than 3 days, then he may die. Therefore, it is better to get enough sleep every day and not exhaust your body.

Nothing will happen if you are a healthy person. The condition is certainly not pleasant. In principle, probably most people, due to some circumstances, did not sleep for 2 days or more. If you do not sleep for more than 3-4 days, then a nervous breakdown or loss of consciousness is possible.

For a healthy person - nothing special. Unless fatigue, there may be a slight change in pressure. Less healthy - more sensitive to stress. Even three days is not yet critical for a young / healthy person (and many students will support me here). Five days, especially with high psychological and / or physical stress - this is already a disaster. Here both the heart fails and the brain (pressure, hallucinations, loss of vision and hearing, etc.). I remember well how after 5 days of work we slept for more than a day in a row, while getting up, even eating, but did not wake up completely. This is no longer a gift.

That was at 18-20, and now, at 44, it is already difficult for me to spend more than 2 days on my feet, but it is still possible. Last year, I observed what 2 days without sleep cost my father (this fall he will be 80), and even then he pumped him out. My son (16 years old) almost did not notice three days without sleep at the festival, except that he turned a little pale, but then slept for 12 hours.

The ability to get hallucinations of various kinds ... Visual, auditory, olfactory. A whole bunch! Choose for every taste) Although Nefertiti did not sleep for 4 days ...

If you do not sleep for two days, then the consequences can be bad for the body and well-being of a sleepy person:

• severe fatigue;
• unbearably want to sleep;
• the person becomes irritable;
• the heart beats faster;
• sore muscles and joints;
• headache;
• abnormal blood pressure.

In some people, after two days without sleep, on the contrary, hyperactivity occurs, after which expect a colossal decline.



Sometimes we just wonder what kind of experiments people can go to, for the sake of their usual curiosity. Let's analyze together what will happen to a person who has not slept for two whole days.

Firstly, an increased breakdown, because the body is completely exhausted.

Secondly, the head is told, muscles and joints may even hurt.

Thirdly, a person may experience increased irritability associated with who he unbearably wants to sleep.

It is best not to deplete your body like this, but still find a precious few hours for a full-fledged healthy sleep in order to be a fully healthy and rested person in the future.

Your body will be completely exhausted. After all, proper sleep is necessary for the normal function of the nervous system. It is at this time that the body is fully restored and ready to work further at full power!

In general, such long sleep delays are very destructive and dangerous.

While teens need to get enough sleep, sometimes it may be necessary to go all night without sleep. Whether you're studying for an upcoming exam or looking to spend the night with a friend, there are ways to keep you awake all night long!

Steps

Part 1

Find out how your body will react to the absence. Approximately 24 hours after waking up, you are likely to feel as tired as possible and want to sleep badly.

Take care of your safety when you feel tired. If you need to study at night, do not forget about safety. Keep in mind that sleep deprivation is bad for your health. Lack of sleep leads to the release of the stress hormone, cortisol.

Part 2

Take a short nap in the evening or at night. Although in this case you will not stay awake all night long, even a few minutes of sleep will have a beneficial effect and help you get through the morning. You can just close your eyes and relax a bit.

Don't forget to turn on bright lights. Your body's internal clock reacts to changes in light: light promotes wakefulness, and darkness induces sleep. Physically, the internal clock is connected to the eyes.

• If after a sleepless night you feel very tired, go outside. Sunlight also helps to cheer up. In the dark, the body produces the sleep hormone (melatonin).
• Often people instinctively dim the lights at night, which increases drowsiness and signals the body that it's time to sleep. Turn on the lights brighter to fool your body.

1. Keep doing something and keep moving. Movement increases brain activity. If you don't have time to exercise, you can talk to someone, wash the dishes, or do something else. At the same time, try to concentrate all your attention on the current lesson.

   • Vary your activities to make you less sleepy. Changing activities will also help you stay alert. At the same time, you will focus on the current lesson, get distracted from thoughts about sleep and get less tired.
   • Mental activity also helps to keep alert, as it distracts from thoughts of fatigue. Try to play some game. However, keep in mind that some mental activities, such as reading a book, can induce sleep, especially if you do it lying down. You can also turn on the radio and listen to some talk show.

2. Cool down the room. As a rule, during sleep, the body temperature drops, so it is better to sleep in a cool room. However, too warm air can be drowsy.

   • Another way to cheer up is to take a cold shower and change into your normal day clothes.
   • To lower the temperature in the room, open the window. Cool (if it is colder outside than indoors) and fresh air will help to cheer up.

Part 3

1. Drink caffeinated drinks during sleepless nights. Coffee or an energy drink will help you stay up all night. However, do not drink large amounts at one time. The drink will work more effectively if you stretch it all night. According to some studies, caffeine increases the ability to concentrate.

   • For most people, one cup (about 150 milliliters) of coffee or other caffeinated drink is enough to cheer up. This equates to approximately 100 milligrams of caffeine. Caffeine begins to work about half an hour after consumption, and its effect lasts about two hours.
   • You can also purchase over-the-counter caffeine tablets in 100 or 200 milligram dosages. Be aware that too much caffeine can cause restlessness, anxiety, and some other side effects. You may feel very tired and low on energy after you stop using caffeine.
   • If you don't drink coffee, eat apples. Apples contain enough sugar to keep you awake.

2. To cheer up, eat high-energy food. Some foods contain more energy than others. If you're going to stay up all night, your body will need enough fuel, so don't skip meals.

   Avoid things that can increase fatigue or cause unhealthy addiction. Choose natural and healthy ways so as not to put your health at additional risk. Be careful what you eat and drink.

   • Teenagers should not drink alcohol at all (until they reach legal age), and be aware that alcoholic beverages cause drowsiness.
   • When trying to stay up all night, do not use drugs that are prescribed as stimulants. Don't put your health at undue risk. Such behavior can be extremely dangerous and even illegal.

3. Develop healthy habits that will save you from having to stay awake at night. Sometimes (but very rarely) staying up at night is simply necessary. However, if you have to do it regularly, consider organizing your time better.

• In no case do not lie down, otherwise you will immediately want to sleep.
• If you're having a hard time staying awake, consider drinking a caffeinated soda like Pepsi or Coca-Cola. However, try to do it secretly from your parents.
• Try not to do anything that could wake up the household. Otherwise, you will find that you are not sleeping, and you may have problems.
• Be sure to sleep at night if you have to go to school in the morning.
• If you listen to music, make sure it is not soothing. Soothing music relaxes the brain and induces sleep!
• Drink plenty of green and black tea. The tea tastes great and if you add some sugar to it it will help you stay awake.
• If you have to go to school the next day, do your homework and prepare ahead of time.
• Drink strong coffee in the evening - this will help you stay awake.
• Don't stay in one comfortable position for too long, otherwise you might relax. Try to change your posture about once every half an hour.
• Watch an action movie to get your adrenaline pumping.
• Do not drink too many carbonated drinks, coffee or tea as this can make you sleepy.
• Watch a horror movie - it will help you ward off sleep.
• The blue light of electronic monitors helps to drive away sleep, so you can use a mobile phone or computer. However, don't lie down!

Who likes to walk around sleepy? Nobody. But it has to. All night long you can study tickets for the exam, finish the project, wait for boarding a delayed flight at the airport. It needs to be experienced. How - read this article.

No one denies that even a small shortage negatively affects the body. The mood deteriorates, the brain works more slowly, metabolic processes are disturbed, the risk of obesity and diabetes increases. Unfortunately, no amount of fighting spirit will help you make the right decisions if you don't get enough sleep. Even stimulants, such as coffee, will not allow you to think better.

But you can prepare for the night wake as well as possible. How to stay awake and survive the night away from bed and recover as soon as possible? So…

How to survive a sleepless night

1. Try to get enough sleep

It is not always possible to plan a sleepless night, but if you guess that you will have to suffer, prepare your body for the load. If you already sleep little, and then do not sleep at all, the negative effects of such a regimen will only accumulate.

But if you usually adhere to the regime and rest within the normal range, from seven to nine hours, then one sleepless night will not hurt. And if you sleep longer for a few days before a night marathon, then the consequences for the body will be minimal.

Yes, the article is about how not to sleep. But sometimes 20 minutes is better than nothing. If you can get some rest, it is better to give preference to short sleep.

Two problems. The first is the risk of oversleeping. The second, just as serious, is the inability to sleep. Well, how to take a break for 20 minutes if your head is full of business, tasks, tickets? Lie down on the floor in the yoga pose "Shavasana". Even if you are not a fan of meditation and other things, just lie down on a flat, hard surface, spread your arms and legs to the sides, set the alarm (20 minutes!), And then relax the muscles in turn, starting from your toes and up to the top of your head. Consciously, forcing yourself to be completely liberated. It will take two minutes to relax. Another 18 you will either sleep, or at least just rest.

If possible, sleep for an hour or a half. This will wake you up from REM sleep and feel refreshed.

3. Turn on the light

We need darkness to produce melatonin, the sleep hormone. If you don't want to fall asleep, turn on the lights. For example, a light source located near the eyes (table lamp, monitor) will bring the brain into an active state.

4. Ventilate

We sleep better when the room is cool, that is, the temperature is kept at about 18 ° C. If you want to be cheerful, the room should be neither warm nor cold. 23–24 ° C is the temperature at which it will not make you sleepy.

5. Take a cool shower

Sometimes the mere thought that it is time to climb into cold water wakes you up. It is necessary, it is necessary to wash (at least) if an invigorating shower causes panic. The action of the method is short-term: the charge is enough for half an hour or an hour, then you have to go through the procedure again. But remember that she is.

Replace washing and showering with ice cream or popsicles. No more than once a night, so as not to conflict with the next paragraph.

The candy will respond with irresistible fatigue in a few hours. Sweets will not help to keep energy: sugar will sharply raise the level of energy, and then the forces will leave you just as abruptly.

It is better to eat foods that will provide you with energy for a long time. For example, light foods with a high protein content. What is this food? Nuts. Eggs. Nuts again. Eat it with vegetables and fruits.

Do not put anything heavy and greasy on your plate, temporarily forget about fried chicken legs and hamburgers. And instead of gorging yourself once, eat small meals throughout the night to keep you fueled all the time.

7. Drink coffee, but in small portions

Coffee, of course, is a stimulant, but the dose of caffeine should not be exceeded.

A couple of liters of coffee invigorates just like a couple of cups, it's not just about the quantity. The main thing is not to drink the entire dose of coffee at once.

When you have a night without sleep ahead, you need to focus on tasks. If you drink more than two cups at once, you will overexcite the nervous system and lose concentration.

Therefore, when you start to get tired, slowly drink a cup or two, it is better to chew something. Then, after four hours, you can go for a coffee supplement.

When the norm for coffee (which is four cups a day) has already been completed, switch to water. With sufficient fluid supply to the body, each cell works better, and it is much easier to focus on work.

There are also folk remedies for cheerfulness. For example, tincture of Eleutherococcus or ginseng. Add them to tea (in therapeutic doses!), they are natural tonics that will help fire up the brain and make it work.

8. Chew Better

Chewing gum increases activity and can even improve brain performance. Help yourself and choose mint gum. Peppermint promotes brain activity, and its aroma improves memory.

By the way, about smells. Essential oils of mandarin, lemon, orange, rosemary also invigorate. Do not like flavorings and oils - just seize your dream with oranges, or better - a fruit dessert with citrus and mint.

9. Get up and walk

Every 45 minutes, take a short break to take a short walk. If you drink a lot, as advised above, then you will have to constantly go to the toilet, so use the forced break to walk a little more.

This is especially important if you work all night at the computer. From time to time, do the well-known exercise: take your eyes off the screen and focus on a distant point.

Instead of a little warm-up, do a massage. A full body massage will turn you off, but it’s better to stretch individual points. Neck, ears, head, fingers - restore blood circulation in these areas to make it easier to think and move.

10. Choose an active background music

Set aside sounds of nature, mantras, lullabies and romantic music until the next day. Tracks that are too monotonous, even sharp and loud ones, will also not help to keep cheerfulness. Make a dynamic playlist that you want to dance to. At three o'clock in the morning there will be no time for entertainment over the abstract, but it will not pull you to sleep.

Sit in an uncomfortable chair. Straighten your back, grab your gadgets and set reminders. Only no armchairs, sofas and soft pillows. Stools, a flat floor - these are your jobs. Keep the body in good shape so that the brain does not relax either.

12. Find bright impressions

When the eyes are covered with a sleepy veil, you need to wake yourself up with an emotional bomb. Talk to someone whose views are obviously opposite to yours, and on the most sensitive topic (you can arrange a discussion in the comments). Open a link to a resource that you sincerely hate. The task is not to get carried away and not to prove to your opponent that you are right with all your might, but simply to get a dose of adrenaline and open your eyes wider.

How to survive the next day

All attempts to artificially add vivacity can only be a temporary measure.

You don't add more resources to yourself when you pour an energy drink inside. You're just helping your body burn its own fuel by working two or three shifts in a row.

Therefore, throw all your strength into recovery.

1. Don't drive

Studies show that a sleepy driver is no better than a drunk driver. So if you have a sleepless night on your schedule, ask someone to drive you to work or take public transport. Until you get at least four hours of sleep in a row, no driving.

Do not want to destroy the normal mode - do not go to bed during the day. Otherwise, you risk falling asleep so that you open your eyes only in the evening. And then it will be much more difficult to return to a normal schedule. If you sleep, then according to the night mode: 20, 60, 90 minutes. Not more.

3. Save coffee for later

When your hands reach for the coffee can and energy drinks, resist. Even if you drink coffee six hours before bedtime, caffeine disrupts your rest. You need to drink a couple of cups in the morning, but after 16:00, stop going to the coffee machine. Otherwise, despite the nightly adventures, you will not sleep well.

4. Stop multitasking

It is better to choose two tasks and work on them in turn. When you feel that you no longer understand what you are doing, take a break, and then sit down for another task. Don't do them all at the same time - your brain just can't do it fast enough. But he also cannot be busy with routine work. From the same actions you will be pulled into a dream, and a new task activates thought processes. Leave yourself room to maneuver to keep your thoughts on track.

5. Keep Drinking and Eating Vegetables

Yes, yes, yes, drink water! We are aware that this is the most popular advice when it comes to health. Well then, follow him. :)

If we sleep little, we crave high-calorie foods and eat more often than usual, although physical activity is reduced. Therefore, by the way, regular lack of sleep is associated with a high body mass index.

Proper nutrition is especially important when you are not doing well with the rest of the regime.

The way out is to crunch vegetables and fruits, nutrients, vitamins and antioxidants will protect cells until you can provide them with a normal recovery.

6. You need to do at least exercises

It is better to pull iron on another day, as well as to run many kilometers. But they will help to survive a difficult day and disperse sleep. Well, after light physical activity, even an overloaded brain will sleep better.

7. Eat little. And don't drink

A tired brain will crave pleasure, and the easiest way to get it is through food. The dangers of overeating have been known for a long time, so you will only feel unbearably tired if you eat an extra piece.

And advice from the cap: don't drink anything alcoholic. Lack of sleep + alcohol = disaster.

Scientists have long established that alcohol generally has a detrimental effect on sleep, so if you want to recover from yesterday's night run, even a glass of wine will be superfluous.

Even if you are chronically sleep deprived, you can improve your condition if you sleep 10 hours in a row. Such a dream will help restore motor skills, and in the morning you will feel much better.

Results

So, if you need to survive a sleepless night, remember that the body will not be delighted. This means that in other areas you need to take care of health: proper nutrition, a sufficient amount of liquid (and not alcohol), both at night and the next day. Schedule opportunities to recover and take breaks from work.

Nothing will happen to you from one such night, of course. Maximum - you will be irritated for a couple of days.

But chronic lack of sleep affects health, but that's another story.

Deadlines hitting again? We tell you how to deceive the body, if you really need to stay awake until the morning.

1. Think safety

It is clear that the body will not thank you for a sleepless night. But it can also threaten your life directly.

The next day, you can’t drive: lack of sleep affects the body in the same way as. 17 hours without sleep = 0.05 ppm. After 24 hours, the concentration will be 0.1%. Legally, you will be drunk.

And if you constantly deprive yourself of sleep, you will dramatically increase the risk of obesity, stroke, cancer, heart disease and diabetes. When it's over, let your body recover. And try to keep those nights as few as possible!

2. Take a nap for at least a few minutes

NASA scientists have found that a 26-minute session improves pilot performance by 34%. This is a great way to "reboot" and last until the next morning. The main thing is to force yourself to get out of bed afterwards.

3. Turn on a bright light

Our body reacts to light: in the dark, it begins to produce the hormone melatonin. Therefore, in the evening, you instinctively want to light a table lamp instead of a chandelier. Fight this desire. Down with nightlights and dim light from the computer! Only all the lights in the house, only 300W lamps!

4. Fight someone online

Prove to this fool that he is wrong. will trigger the “fight or flight” response, and the body will begin to produce stress hormones. They will instantly put you on alert. You don’t want to sleep - you don’t even want to sit still.

5. Wash your face with cold water

Or stand under an icy shower to be sure. This is another way to cause stress. Working away from home? Open all windows or turn on the air conditioner. In the warmth and stuffiness, you will definitely want to take a nap. 23–24 °C is the optimal temperature for a night in front of a computer.

6. Chew gum

The brain decides that it will need to digest food and causes the body to produce insulin. And it evokes a feeling of cheerfulness.

7. Drink a little coffee

Pouring a liter of espresso in one gulp is a bad idea. You will overexcite the nervous system and lose concentration. It is better to drink a cup every 3-4 hours and have a snack at the same time.

The maximum safe dose of caffeine for an adult is 300 mg. If you count in the same espresso, this is 4-6 cups of 30 ml.

8. Don't Eat Dinner

It takes a lot of energy to digest food, so after a hearty dinner you will feel lethargic and sleepy. A slight hunger, on the contrary, invigorates: your body will decide that you need to go in search of food.

9. Get moving

Physical exercise provides extra energy. You can squat, do push-ups, run, but the best thing is just to walk. Research shows that 15 minutes of walking in the fresh air gives you energy for 2 hours of work.

What helps and what does not help after a night spent without sleep

A night spent at work, studying, or some other urgent matter can make you feel like a hero. You did the right thing no matter what!

But as the day comes on, the nighttime enthusiasm evaporates, and suddenly you begin to feel a little tired. Surviving the day after a sleepless night can be harder than being awake all night before.

A night without sleep affects the state of the brain - the speed of reaction, the ability to concentrate, the perception of information and the ability to remember it. Indeed, studies have shown that after a sleepless night you are about the same state as if you had drunk well before that.

Trapped in morning fatigue

You will feel bad already at the beginning of the next day.

"You might think that the more awake you are, the more lethargic you will be, but that's not necessarily the case," says sleep expert David Dinges, PhD, who is chair of the University of Pennsylvania's Department of Sleep and Biorhythmology and editor of the journal "SLEEP" ("SLEEP").

Because of the circadian and natural rhythms of your body clock, "24 hours after your normal wake up time, you actually start to feel worse," says Dinges. “At this time, it’s hard to stay awake and be active.”

This is also the worst time to drive yourself, even if you are driving home from work. "If you've been up all night, you shouldn't be driving because you're distracted," says Mark Rosekind, Ph.D., an expert in fatigue management and a member of the National Transportation Safety Board. He warns that the monotony of the road, combined with a lack of sleep, can cause you to fall asleep at the wheel without knowing it. According to statistics from the American National Sleep Foundation, in 2005 more than a third of drivers were seen snoozing while driving.

The brain will help you

If you need to keep working, your brain will try to compensate for the lack of sleep.

In an experiment using functional magnetic resonance imaging, 16 young adults who had previously been awake for 35 hours completed tasks of increasing difficulty. When the subjects exercised "brain power," activity increased in some parts of the brain, as if they were well rested.

“Sleep-deprived people can take advantage of mental resources that are not normally used to perform any tasks. This allows them to cope with the task well enough, but not as well as if they had a rest, ”says Dr. Sin P.A., doctor of psychology who conducted the experiment. Drummond, Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California at San Diego and San Diego Public Health Activist.

Your biological clock gives you cyclical activity because it sends wake-up signals to your brain. You can feel a second wind in the middle of the morning (around 10 am) and then in the early evening (at 6 or 7 o'clock). "You may feel better, but you'll still be forgetful, inattentive, and you'll still have a bad reaction," says Dinges.

Luckily, there are several tricks on how to become less sleepy and get through the day after a sleepless night.

take a nap

According to Rosekind, who runs the Fatigue Program at NASA, the pill to stop you wanting to sleep is sleep. In a study conducted by Rosekind, Pacific flight pilots who took an average of 26 minutes of naps experienced a 34% temporary increase in performance, half as well as being fully asleep.

Dinges claims that even a short nap, such as a 10-minute nap, can benefit you because the brain quickly enters slow-wave sleep. If you sleep more than 40-45 minutes, then after waking up you may feel not quite confident. This is called sleep inertia and happens when you wake up from a deep sleep. By learning to shake off that feeling, Dinges says, you'll benefit from short naps and feel more alert than if you didn't sleep at all.

Drink coffee or some other caffeinated drink

Drink coffee or an energy drink right away, and this will be an additional help to wake up. Rosekind says that most people, depending on their body weight, need between 100 and 200 milligrams of caffeine (a 120 milliliter cup of coffee contains about 100 milligrams of caffeine, but the amount can vary depending on the strength of the brew). Caffeine tablets, available without a prescription, also come in 100 or 200 milligram dosages.

Rosekind says that it will take about 15 to 30 minutes for the effects of caffeine to be felt, and the effect will last for three or four hours. Rosekind states, “If you consistently consume caffeine every few hours, you will have a high level of activity all this time.”

The best strategy: Take some caffeine and take a 30-minute nap. When you wake up, you will feel rested.

But there is a caveat: when you stop taking the caffeinated drink, you will feel a breakdown. “Caffeine hides the desire to fall asleep, but during this time the desire to fall asleep does not go away, but waits in the wings,” says Rosekind.

Turn on the light

Your body clock is designed to cycle between dark and light, so bright light will wake you up.

“The more tired a person is, the more unpleasant the bright light seems to him and the more he wants to turn it off,” says Dinges. “Instead, you need to turn on the lights or go outside where the sun shines,” Dinges confirms Drummond.

Get moving

Fast walking or a walk will disperse your blood. It also helps to activate the brain. “When you move, the muscles automatically send wake-up signals to the central part of the brain,” says Sharon Keenan, PhD, founder and director of the School of Sleep Medicine at Stanford University's Center for Improved Diagnosis and Treatment of Sleep Disorders.

Rosekind says that even if you just change activities or start talking to someone, it can be uplifting. But as soon as you stop acting or talking, you will begin to fall asleep again.

Avoid hard work

“After a night without sleep, your short-term memory is weakened. That means you can't hold a lot of detail in your brain at once," says Drummond.

A study done with 40 young adults who didn't sleep for 42 hours (that's equal to being awake during the night and the next day until evening sleep) found that short-term memory capacity was reduced by 38%. Imaging studies have confirmed that the part of the brain that is responsible for the perception of information is not active in sleep-deprived people.

Know your limits

You can try to stay awake by washing your face with cold water, or by airing out the room, or by going out into the cold. You may feel better after showering and if you change your clothes as the day begins. But the body and the brain cannot be held. A feeling of vivacity will be followed by a rapid decline in activity.

"The biological need for sleep is so strong that it can't be fooled," says Drummond. “Sleep is as important to life as water, oxygen and food.”

But there is a positive side to staying awake at night. When you finally get to bed, you will sleep much better than usual, and it will be deep slow wave sleep. "In these cases, it's best to sleep until you wake up," says Dinges. “That means you need nine or ten hours of sleep. And it will be the best treatment after a sleepless night.”