How to Stay Awake Until Midnight on New Year's Eve

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: December 6, 2024 Approved

If you’re used to going to bed early, it can be tough to stay awake until midnight on New Year’s Day. No one wants to fall asleep too early to see the ball drop. This year, keep your eyes open long enough to countdown to the New Year!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Staying Active

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1
Talk to people. If you’re around friends or family for New Year’s, make conversation with them to stay awake. Keep your mind entertained by being social.
- Listen to their stories.
- Laugh at their jokes.
- Talk to them about their interests.
Dance, walk around the house or even challenge your friends to a push up contest. Whatever you do, just make sure not to sit or lay down. You don’t want to get too comfortable or you might end up drifting off to sleep.

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3
Do fun things. Play games with your friends and family. Play pranks on people. Take turns making New Year’s resolutions with everyone. Do anything that entertains your mind and keeps you up.^{[1]
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- If it's legal in your city, shooting off fireworks can be really exciting. Just be very careful around fire and supervise little kids.
- Taking pictures of everyone in funny poses can make for a really great time.
If you’re at a party, you can help the cook prepare food for everyone. You can even play bartender and make cocktails for everyone. Volunteer to clean up a bit as well. Not only will helping out ingratiate you with the host, it will keep your mind focused and awake.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Fighting the Sleepiness

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1
Use caffeine. Caffeine blocks sleep inducing neurotransmitters in your brain to keep you awake.^{[2]
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Research source} When you start to feel yourself getting sleepy, drink a cup of coffee or something else with caffeine. Avoid caffeine in the days leading up to New Year’s Eve as it becomes less effective with overuse.
- Most sodas have caffeine.
- Energy drinks like Redbull and Monster have a lot of caffeine.
- Some dark chocolates contain caffeine.
- Keep in mind that while this is a very effective method, it's not healthy. Don't drink caffeine at night often, as disrupting your sleep cycle can be bad for your health.
2
Change your body temperature. Vary your body temperature from hot to cold to jolt yourself into alertness. The shock will give your body and mind an instant burst of energy.
- Splash some cold water on your face.^{[3]
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- Take a quick shower. Switch the water from cold to hot and then back again to wake your body up and improve your circulation.
- You can get a similar effect by chewing ice or drinking a cold beverage.
3
Flip on the light switch. It will be harder for you to fall asleep with all the lights on. Make your environment is as bright as possible.
- You may want to move to a different room and turn the lights on there to avoid bothering other people.
4
Listen to music. Put on your favorite upbeat tune and let it energize your spirit. Turn up the volume as loud as you can.^{[4]
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- Use headphones if there’s other people around. However, don't turn up the volume too high or you might risk hearing damage.
- Avoid slow songs that could relax you to sleep.
If you’re with a lot of people on New Year’s Eve, the atmosphere may be very crowded. This can make the air very hot and humid which can make you very sleepy.^{[5]
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Research source} Go outside to get some fresh oxygen to rejuvenate yourself.
6
Enjoy a film. Watch a really fun film to engage your senses. A good action film will wipe away your sleepiness and keep you on the edge of your seat.
- Avoid films that are too long or slow. Keeping up with a long, complicated plot can leave you feeling drained.
7
Use peppermint oil. The smell of peppermint can wake up your senses. Rub some oil on your hands, temples and upper lip. The smell may be very strong, so you might have to keep your distance from people for a while.^{[6]
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- Strong citrus scents can also do the trick.
- Don’t use lavender, it can be too relaxing.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Preparing to Stay Awake

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1
Eat nutritious foods throughout the day. Eat vitamin rich foods that will give you energy. You’ll need plenty of Vitamin C and B and omega-3 fatty acids to give yourself the energy to stay awake. Avoid foods with tryptophan like turkey that can make you feel tired and sluggish.^{[7]
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- Salmon and walnuts are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids and will boost your metabolism.
- Oranges and other citrus fruits are a great source of Vitamin C.
- Eggs and beans are very B vitamin rich.
- Eat small meals often to keep your metabolism running. Larger meals can make you sluggish.
2
Get a full eight hours of sleep the night before. Make sure your body has enough sleep to operate. It will be really hard to have enough energy to stay awake on New Year’s Eve if you’re sleep deprived from the night before.
- Don’t over do it. Sleeping too much can make you feel groggy.
3
Take a walk. Low-impact exercise can give you extra energy. Take a thirty minute walk on New Year’s Eve to get your blood pumping and help you stay awake. The sunlight you get from outside will also help your body absorb Vitamin D.
- Keep it light. Heavy exercise can burn you out and make you feel tired.
4
Take a nap. If you’re worried you still won’t be able to make it to midnight, take a nap in the middle of the day. Set an alarm to make sure you don’t oversleep. A short nap of forty-five minutes or less will leave you feeling energized. If you go longer, it could make you more tired.
- If you have time, a ninety minute nap will allow your body to get through a rem sleep cycle which can make up for some sleep you’ll be losing on New Year’s.

Community Q&A

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Question

I want to stay up for New Year's this year, but I always fall asleep as I get tired easily. What should I do?

Community Answer

Make sure you surround yourself with very awake people. Eat and drink to keep your stamina up. Get involved in games and activities. Splash your face with cold water if you have to.

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What if all music puts me to sleep and I'm trying to stay up secretly?

Jerry Cat

Community Answer

Try watching a video with headphones, playing a game, texting a friend or bringing something that will keep you awake into your room.

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Should I pour cold water on my head?

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That would help. You could also just splash water on your face whenever you begin to feel tired.

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Tips

Always keep your mind occupied to stay awake.

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Ask a friend to wake you up in advance just in case you do fall asleep.

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Chew gum or put a mint in your mouth to engage your senses and wake your body up.

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Warnings

Don’t start drinking caffeine too early, or your energy level will crash.

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Don’t drink too much alcohol. It will make you extremely drowsy.

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Try not to eat turkey, there is a chemical which will make you drowsy.

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