How to Stay Awake for a Long Period of Time

Last Updated: March 5, 2021 References

Are you at a sleepover with friends and you want to stay up all night? Are you working a double shift or trying to stay up to study for an exam? You’re in luck – the longest recorded instance of a person staying awake is 11 days, though their level of cognitive ability declined as the experiment continued.^{[1]
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Research source} There are other documented instances of humans staying awake for eight to 10 days and of special operations military trainees staying awake for five days with very minimal rest, such as during Navy SEAL training called Basic Underwater Demolition and SEAL training (BUD/S).^{[2]
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Research source} While these extremes are possible, keep in mind that staying awake for long periods can cause health problems.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Keeping Your Body and Mind Active

1
Keep moving. BUD/S candidates who have successfully completed “Hell Week,” in which they are awake for virtually five days, say that it is difficult to fall asleep when you are moving around. During Hell Week, BUD/S candidates are subjected to running, calisthenics, and exercises with logs and rubber boats.^{[3]
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Research source
Navy SEALs: BUDS Class 234. The Discovery Channel, 2000. Film Documentary.} The soldiers are almost constantly in motion. Try some of the same techniques:
- Run sprints or jog around the room.
- Create an exercise circuit for yourself. Try doing 10 pushups, 10 sit-ups, 10 jumping jacks, and 10 air squats. Repeat this until you feel more awake.
- Play a game of tag with a friend who is also trying to stay awake.
- Throw a football or baseball with a friend.
2
Talk to a friend. Conversation can help you stay awake. Stories can capture your attention; laughing can help wake you up.
- Tell your funniest story.
- Discuss your most embarrassing moment.
- Tell a suspense story.
- Chat about what you will do when your period of extended wakefulness is over.
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3
Play a game. Try games that make you use your brain, such as trivia or 20 Questions. Try games that force you to stand up and move around.
- Play a game of chess, Monopoly, Trivial Pursuit, Risk, or other board game.
- Shoot pool or play a game of darts.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Manipulating Your Environment

1
Create a cold environment. Warm or hot environments can make us feel tired, sluggish, and sleepy. In contrast, cold environments can make us feel more alert. Indeed, BUD/S candidates say that when you’re freezing cold, it’s almost impossible to fall asleep. ^{[4]
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Research source} They are subjected to up to 15 minutes immersed in water that is barely above 60 degrees Fahrenheit.^{[5]
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Research source
Navy SEALs: BUDS Class 234. The Discovery Channel, 2000. Film Documentary.}
- Go outside and jump in the snow.
- Drink a glass or two of ice water.
- Sit in an ice bath.
- Adjust the air conditioning to make the room cold.
- Take a cold shower.
- Perform the above techniques with caution. Too much time spent in the cold can cause your body temperature to drop too low, resulting in hypothermia. Hypothermia is a potentially deadly condition.
2
Create an uncomfortable environment. You’re less likely to fall asleep when you're uncomfortable, according to one military member who successfully completed Hell Week.^{[6]
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Research source} This may involve getting “wet and sandy” like the BUD/S candidates do or standing up instead of sitting or lying down.
3
Listen to loud, upbeat music. Crank up the volume on your stereo. Loud noises will make it difficult to relax and fall asleep. For added benefit, get up and dance to the loud music.
- Listen to rock, death metal, or upbeat pop. Avoid slow, boring music.
4
Change your surroundings. Go outside or move to a different room in your house if you feel yourself getting tired. Often, new surroundings can provide novel things to focus your attention on. This can help you feel less tired.
- If you are inside, go outside and vice versa.
- Move to a different room. Avoid rooms with beds, comfortable couches, and comfortable chairs.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Staying Mentally Strong

1
Take it one hour (or one minute) at a time. Set short, manageable goals for yourself. Break your time down into small chunks. Congratulate yourself when you reach these small goals.
2
Repeat or chant a mantra. Often times, repeating a mantra can help focus your mind on something other than the difficult experience you are having. Good mantras are short, encouraging, and rhythmic.
- Make up a mantra.
- Use someone else’s mantra and repeat it. Try out: “Feeling strong, feeling good.”
- Try out: “All the way! Hey let’s go! All the way to Tokyo!”
- Try out: “Looking good, feeling good, oughta be in Hollywood.”
3
Believe in yourself. Plenty of people before you have stayed up for days on end. If you are truly committed to this goal, you will be able to succeed.
- Say your goal out loud or write it down.
- Visualize yourself succeeding.
- When you feel doubtful, return to your goal. Say it out loud or look at what you have written down. State out loud that you can and will achieve your goal.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Consuming Stimulants or Other Drugs

1
Try taking caffeine. Caffeine is a legal drug found in coffee, chocolate, energy drinks, and in pill form. It is a stimulant and can make it difficult to fall asleep.^{[7]
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Expert Source

Alex Dimitriu, MD
Sleep Specialist
Expert Interview. 16 October 2019.} Caffeine has other effects including increased blood pressure, increasing heart rate, dizziness, dehydration, and headaches.
- According to experts, up to 400 milligrams per day of caffeine is safe for most people.^{[8]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  Mayo Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  Go to source}
- Children and teenagers should not consume more than 100 milligrams of caffeine per day.^{[9]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  Mayo Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  Go to source}
- Over-the-counter caffeine pills for adults should not be more than 100–200 mg every three to four hours as needed.
- Avoid over-consuming caffeine. In large doses it can be dangerous.
2
Avoid alcohol. Too much alcohol has a depressant effect on the nervous system (the opposite of the stimulant effect that caffeine has). Moreover, even a little alcohol will likely help you to relax, and this is exactly what you do not want when trying to stay awake for many hours.
3
Avoid illegal drugs. Although some illegal drugs are stimulants (methamphetamine, cocaine), you should avoid using these as a method to stay awake. These drugs can be harmful and potentially deadly.
- Unintended adverse side effects of cocaine include anxiety, irritability, panic attacks, suspiciousness, paranoia, psychotic symptoms, delusions, and hallucinations.
- Side effects of methamphetamine include similar symptoms of hypertension, rapid heart rate, severe agitation, and psychosis.
4
Avoid using legal prescription drugs contrary to how they are prescribed. Do not take someone else’s prescription drugs. Do not take your own prescription drugs in a manner that is different from how your physician prescribed them to you. Failure to follow the directions on the prescription label can result in severe medical complications and even death.
- Adderall (Ritalin) is a commonly misused prescription stimulant. Never take someone else’s pills or misuse your own prescription drugs.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do I stop being tired instantly?

Alex Dimitriu, MD
Sleep Medicine & Psychiatry Professional
Alex Dimitriu, MD is the Owner of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, a clinic based in the San Francisco Bay Area with expertise in psychiatry, sleep, and transformational therapy. Alex earned his Doctor of Medicine from Stony Brook University in 2005 and graduated from the Stanford University School of Medicine's Sleep Medicine Residency Program in 2010. Professionally, Alex has dual board certification in psychiatry and sleep medicine.

Alex Dimitriu, MD

Sleep Medicine & Psychiatry Professional

Expert Answer

Try to keep yourself distracted as much as you can. Being bored can make you feel sleepier.
Question

How can I force myself to stay awake?

Alex Dimitriu, MD
Sleep Medicine & Psychiatry Professional
Alex Dimitriu, MD is the Owner of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, a clinic based in the San Francisco Bay Area with expertise in psychiatry, sleep, and transformational therapy. Alex earned his Doctor of Medicine from Stony Brook University in 2005 and graduated from the Stanford University School of Medicine's Sleep Medicine Residency Program in 2010. Professionally, Alex has dual board certification in psychiatry and sleep medicine.

Alex Dimitriu, MD

Sleep Medicine & Psychiatry Professional

Expert Answer

Caffeine and power naps is an effective method. Drink a strong cup of coffee, then immediately take a nap for 45 minutes. Right as you're waking up, the caffeine will kick in and you'll feel more alert.