How do you cope with sleep deprivation?

[SilentShadow]

Lets say that, no matter what the circumstance, you are unable to sleep at all at night. Nothing works, you choose to stay up in the end, and you're fed up with your yelling sister and her crying baby. Then, after getting zero hours of sleep and fighting off a massive headache, you have to get ready and go to school. What would you do (in the morning before school) to prepare for the day?
Examples: Eating lots of sugar, drinking caffeine, napping during lunch break, etc. I do all of those but it still isn't enough.

... Now, I am NOT asking for tips to fall asleep. I need to make that clear, because a lot of people misinterpret my questions. If you say any tips, I will completely ignore your opinion (just being honest here).
If a scenario occurs in which no sleep methods at all will work, then how do you cope with it? How do you deal with the stress of pulling all-nighters and going to school the next day? Thank you. :)
- A very tired and annoyed soul, who won't be getting any damn sleep tonight.

[Syvient]

heavy loads of b12 b6 sources, lots of greens or if you go the vitamin route then get the liquid. you will absorb it faster and your body can utilize it more efficiently.

try and walk briskly (or jog) throughout the day to keep your heart rate up.

caffeine can help but only drink it up to about noon, otherwise it could linger in your system and cause more insomnia. sugar rushes are fast, but also finish fast leaving you feeling even more drained. for sugar stick to hard fruits like apples and such, the sugars absorbed will last longer as your body slowly breaks it down.

best I got my friend and I feel ya, it is 5am here and no sleep either. though I am my own boss and after I get the kid off to school I won't have to stress over it.

Cheers!

[SilentShadow]

Thanks. I do walk quickly between my classes, and I only drink tea in the mornings. Sometimes the caffeine from it actually helps me sleep, so there are times when I'll drink it at night. As far as foods goes, my options is a kiwi, apple, celery, and I think there's cucumber that's been in there too long. Everything else is processed crap that will make me tired.

[Syvient]

Well for the food your going to want to stick with fruit rather than veggies (with the exception of carrots, they have a decent amount of sugar) stick with the apple and kiwi, though I think the kiwi is a soft fruit but it will still last longer in system than a candy bar.

I also drink hot tea with honey before bed, doesn't help me sleep though. I used to drink coffee with a shit ton of creamer and sugar right before bed and would sleep all night, but that's been about 8 years ago. Doesn't work like that anymore with me.

Exercise, yea brisk walking. When you mentioned classes just now it made me remember my class routines in high school. If I felt a wave of drowsiness hitting me, I would start still flexing. You know, just sitting there still but consciously making you calves flex, then your upper leg muscles, and so on... this will not only refocus your mind off of your tired state, but will also increase blood flow throughout the body which will wake you up even more.

[Chico_brah]

Push through it. Get used to it over time. Don't load up on caffeine and sugar. That crash is deadly. Vitamin B/Good nutrition with all your macro/micronutrients/stay hydrated. Avoid large meals as well.

[SilentShadow]

Thanks. Are there any whole foods you can recommend? Or something with a good source of vitamins?

[Chico_brah]

Supplement with Multi's forsure. One serving of fruit and leafy greens a day. I would avoid simple carbs unless you desperately need that energy. Complex carbohydrates like oats and rice are good. Protein intake at at least a gram per lb of bodyweight. Healthy fats.. they regulate the production of your hormones which can be thrown off balance when sleep deprived. I'm talking olive oil.. avocado.. cashews. Not a hamburger. Caffeine can help but I'd take it in the supplement form. Just make sure it's moderate and consistent throughout the day rather than shooting for a burst of energy.

[Tephra]

Do some physical exercise before and after school. Even if its just a simple walk for an hour but has to be for an hour and no less. Even sign up for a gym or take up a sport. Exercise will make you so tired; when I first started I hit the pillow and I was off lol
Also when your awake do something productive with your time like assignments or homework so at least then you won't have to worry about it at school. But I seriously reccommend a doctor because it sounds serious

[SilentShadow]

I could start walking again before school. The reason I don't is because it doesn't get daylight out until 7 or so, and it is very cold outside. Also, I get anxious at the thought of walking alone, because the bike path cannot be seen from the road.

I don't need a doctor. I need my sister to move the f*** out. :P

[Tephra]

Do you have a pet that you can take or ask a friend who wants to come with you? If not join a gym and going running on the treadmill.. or just buy your own treadmill.
Usually I go rollerskating in the morning with my dog for her daily exercise for a good 45 minutes.
Why dont you move out to your grandparents for awhile if it really gets that bad? 😂

[SilentShadow]

I can't do any of those. Not a chance.

[ginny_weasley]

Coffee. Lots and lots of coffee. Also try to not sleep unless your body can not take it. When you're sleep deprived and you fall asleep, you will have difficulty getting back up. And you'll just want sleep even more.

[SilentShadow]

What if I don't like coffee? I get caffeine from tea (1/3 the caffeine of a cup of coffee).

[ginny_weasley]

If you like tea, drink Earl grey tea. It's the most caffeinated tea.

[SilentShadow]

I only have Oolong, but I'll look for that one someday

[ginny_weasley]

You can also try black tea. You get about 60% the caffeine compared to a cup of a coffee. But they are very stout and are very strong.

[SilentShadow]

Oolong is black and green tea mixed. If I couldn't sleep then I'll have two cups instead of one.

[GingerGuy]

You just do. Carry on with the day tired. What choice do you have? I tend to wake up VERY early for some reason, no matter what time I go to bed I wake up early so I'm often very tired. Usually end up drinking more coffee. Otherwise it's just another one of those days lol. Sometimes (but very rarely) I'll get to have a nap in the afternoon, but sometimes I can't even do that even though I'm tired enough I just can't fall asleep.

[codyccc]

I you to go 3 or 4 days with out sleep naturally but if you absolutely need to stay awake a med student once told me if you shove a caffeine pill into your rectum it will absorb and keep you really wired because it's not pre digest by your digestive system

[greycadillacs]

Eat as much healthy stuff as you can with antioxidants. Fruit, oatmeal, tea. Stay away from sugar, or sugary foods. That will only make it worse.

[Aaron2401]

I get that it isn't always an option, but I'd consider taking a day off from school if you really got zero sleep.

[SilentShadow]

I can't, because it becomes a habit. Once I skip one day, I'll want to skip a day every week, and my mom got pissed at me for doing that in the past. It's fine. I can just sleep in class. She never said I had to participate - she just told me to go to school. :P

[Nelsoen]

I've been awake for 3 days as of now lol I don't cope, I just suffer

[SilentShadow]

HOW? :p That's not healthy. Lol, please sleep.

[Nelsoen]

It's certainly not healthy lol but I work and go to school.

[kingofknights]

I just push through, I may drink coffee or something but not too much as I don't want to crash later.