How to Make It Through the Day After You Have Stayed up All Night

Co-authored by Alex Dimitriu, MD

Last Updated: November 22, 2024 Approved

Whether you pulled an all-nighter to study for a test or you're just a regular night owl, you may be wondering how you can make it through the day on little or no sleep. It'll be hard to stay awake without dozing off, but not impossible. These tips will help you make the most of your day after staying up all night.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Maintaining Your Energy

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1
Eat breakfast. Studies have shown that people who eat a healthy, balanced breakfast in the morning are more alert and energetic than those who skip breakfast.^{[1]
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- Aim for foods high in protein, like eggs, tofu, yogurt, or peanut butter. Or choose nutrient-rich food options like oatmeal and fresh fruit. These foods will fuel your body through the day and give you the energy you need to stay awake and active.
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Drink coffee or tea. Caffeinated beverages can help you combat sleepiness and make you feel more wakeful and energetic.^{[2]
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Alex Dimitriu, MD
Sleep Specialist

Expert Interview. 16 October 2019.} And drinking coffee or tea can bring plenty of health benefits, too. These naturally caffeinated beverages are chock full of antioxidants^{[3]
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Go to source}, and recent studies suggest that drinking coffee can even decrease your risk of developing depression.^{[4]
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- Don't drink too much! Excessive caffeine consumption can cause anxiousness and irritability. Drinking too much coffee can also interfere with your ability to have a good night of sleep after you make it through the day.^{[5]
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- Opt for coffee over energy drinks. An 8 oz. cup of coffee typically contains more caffeine than the same serving size of most energy drinks.^{[6]
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Drinking enough water is important to maintain your body's natural functions, and dehydration can actually make you feel even more tired.^{[7]
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The physical act of chewing keeps your body awake, and ice comes with the additional benefits of being refreshing and hydrating.^{[8]
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Snacks high in protein and vitamins, like nuts or fresh fruit, can help give you an energy boost between meals when your body starts to drag.^{[9]
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6
Take a nap, if you can. Short naps can boost your energy levels and leave you feeling more alert, awake, and able to perform at work.^{[10]
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Alex Dimitriu, MD
Sleep Specialist

Expert Interview. 16 October 2019.} Even just a brief 15-20 minute nap can help.^{[11]
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- Don't nap for too long. Napping for more than 30 minutes can lead to increased grogginess after waking.^{[12]
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- Remember that you may feel groggy for about 15 minutes after waking. It might be a good idea to drink coffee immediately after a nap.^{[13]
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Eat a hearty lunch. Your body needs most of its calories in the morning and afternoon. Give yourself the fuel you need when you need it most.^{[14]
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- Be sure to make healthy food choices. Overdoing it on calories or sugar at lunch can leave you feeling more tired in the afternoon.^{[15]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Staying Active

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Even a short, brisk walk can help wake you up and give you the energy you need to make it through the day.^{[16]
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Experts have found that being immersed in natural light can increase wakefulness and make you feel more alert as you go through your day.^{[17]
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If possible, work with the windows open to allow fresh air to enter, and try listening to music to keep you going.^{[18]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Managing Your Time

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Plan out everything you need to do during the day, and arrange them in order of importance. This will help you remember everything you need to get done. It will also give you a sense of capability and provide you with a visual reminder of both what you've accomplished and what tasks remain.^{[19]
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Aim to get your most challenging or complex tasks done earlier in the day, when you have more energy.^{[20]
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Disengaging from homework, studying, or work projects for a short period of time can improve productivity by making you feel more refreshed and recharged, and it can motivate you to get through your next set of tasks.^{[21]
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After pulling an all-nighter, it's important to return to your regular habits. Go to bed around the time you normally would, or perhaps a little earlier than usual, and set your alarm for the same time you would normally wake up.

Expert Q&A

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Question

What do you do when you accidentally stay up all night?

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

If you need to stay awake, try to keep yourself distracted and engaged. Boredom can make you feel sleepier.

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Question

How long does it take to recover from an all-nighter?

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

Around 5-7 days of good sleep is required for you to catch up on your sleep debt. Waking up feeling refreshed involves not having a sleep debt, which will likely take more than one night to catch up on.

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Question

I am pulling an all-nighter before a 10 hour work shift. I am a server at a casino and only have a 20 minute break. Any tips?

Chris M. Matsko, MD
Family Medicine Physician
Dr. Chris M. Matsko is a retired physician based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With over 25 years of medical research experience, Dr. Matsko was awarded the Pittsburgh Cornell University Leadership Award for Excellence. He holds a BS in Nutritional Science from Cornell University and an MD from the Temple University School of Medicine in 2007. Dr. Matsko earned a Research Writing Certification from the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) in 2016 and a Medical Writing & Editing Certification from the University of Chicago in 2017.

Chris M. Matsko, MD

Family Medicine Physician

Expert Answer

You may want to get something small to eat on your 20 minute break, or perhaps you want to take a power nap.

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Tips

If you are so tired you can barely keep your eyes open, (which is totally normal for this situation), splash yourself with water, dunk your head in a tub of ice water, or slap yourself really hard. These may not be very enjoyable ways to keep yourself awake, but they will do the trick.

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Put red stop signs or warning signs around couches and beds so you remember not to lay down and rest, trust us, if you lay down and start relaxing you will doze off into slumber land and wake up around 5pm. This will ruin your sleep cycle!

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To keep yourself awake early in the day, drink an energy drink or have coffee with your breakfast, even soda, anything with caffeine.

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The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

If you're going to take a nap but you're worried about not waking up, drink a cup of coffee before lying down and set a timer for 15-20 minutes. The caffeine will kick in while you're resting your eyes and you'll wake up feeling much more refreshed.
If it's an emergency and you're really struggling to stay up, hold an ice cube, take a cold shower, or shove your face in a bowl of ice water. Anything that makes you cold will stimulate your nervous system and make you feel much more awake.
Put two big spoons in the fridge for 10 minutes. Then, take them out and put them against your eyes. It'll soothe any strain you have from keeping your eyes open for so long while waking you back up.
If you're going to chew on ice to stay awake, just be aware that ice chewing can be really bad for your teeth. It will wear away your enamel and may lead to chips or cracks.
Play video games and listen to loud music. Stimulating tasks that force your attention to prioritize something engaging is the best way to stay up in my experience.
Don't sit down! If you can stay standing, it'll be a lot harder to fall asleep. No matter how tired you are, stay on your feet.

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Warnings

Don't drive if you're sleep-deprived.

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"Microsleeping" is fine as long as you have an alarm or someone to wake you. Be careful as it can make you sleep longer than intended.

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Avoid staying up all night if you work in an environment where drowsiness could pose a risk to you or others.

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