One problem that is common for a lot of people is the dilemma of how to stay awake in class. Sometimes the teacher just drones on and on, almost as if they are trying to lull you to sleep with the monotone nature of their voice. Or, perhaps you pulled an all-nighter the day before to finish an upcoming project that you had procrastinated too much on. If your teacher allows food and drink in the classroom, you could bring in a drink and snack – having something to snack on can help you stay awake. Also, if boredom is your problem, you could try working on something on the side like a Sudoku or crossword puzzle to keep your mind active.

There are many other times when it might be important to know how to stay awake, such as at work, or on the road. When on the road, talk to people if possible; always request that at least one passenger also remain conscious to talk to you and keep you company. If you are alone, be sure and listen to music, and keep your eyes away from the hood of your car – looking too close to the front of the vehicle can result in something called highway hypnosis that actually makes it even harder to keep your focus on driving safely. If you can, it’s always best to drive during the daytime to avoid the hazardous risks of falling asleep at the wheel. Even if you manage to stay awake until you pull up into your carport, there still is a risk of falling asleep before getting out of the car! It is hard to imagine but if a person fell asleep after shutting the carport door and with the ignition still on, this could actually result in carbon monoxide poisoning.

The ways to stay awake that have been listed here work in some cases, but not always – different things work for different people, and variety in circumstances makes it hard to predict how your body will react in each situation. If it’s truly imperative that you remain awake to drive, work, or study, you might have to find another foolproof method, as playing Sudoku or listening to music won’t always get the job done. A mechanical nap alarm may be in order.

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Chemical Ways to Stay Awake

When you are in a pinch for how to stay awake, most people choose caffeine as their drug of choice. Caffeine is most popular in coffee but is now being used heavily in energy drinks that have become the fad in the last few years. While both of these drinks are fine when taken in moderation, they can have side effects. Energy drinks in particular often contain much more caffeine than coffee and can give you the jitters as well as as as a post drink headache from the excessive sugar. While some people will get the desired energy boost with no problems, others may experience an elevated heart rate as well as increased blood pressure. Both of these factors put you at risk for blood clots which can actually be life threatening. People with known high blood pressure and certainly with a history of heart disease should never drink energy drinks. Healthy people are OK most of the time but studies have shown that they do experience the physiological boosts mentioned above which are not healthy on a regular basis.

Caffeine withdrawal is a real physiological response to changing your caffeine intake. If you get used to caffeine as a way to stay awake or to wake up, when you don’t have any you can get a withdrawal headache. If you are used to drinking 5 cups of coffee a day to stay awake during your night shift, when your day off comes around and you don’t drink as much, you very well may get a nasty withdrawal headache.

A Mechanical Method to Stay Awake

Another way to help you stay awake is to use a device that will sound an alarm or beep if you start to nod off. An alert device can be a much healthier option for people who don’t want or can’t drink caffeinated drinks. Alert devices come in different sizes so it is important to find one that is comfortable. They can be placed behind your ear or around your wrist. A keep awake ear piece is more effective especially for drivers as they react to your head falling forward, the motion that occurs as you start to nod off to sleep. These stay awake gadgets were patterned after medical alert devices. Those are the devices that people with medical conditions or elderly people wear. Usually the person has to push a button to activate their medical alert device and it sends a message to a central command that dispatches an emergency responder. Others work more on the premise of a stay awake alert device in that they respond to a physiological change in the body.

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