Caffeine or water? How to stay awake as long as possible?

[ski]

I'm looking to stay focused and awake as long as possible tonight, but probably only 6 more hours (till 3 or 4am EST). I have a 2 litre of diet soda with caffeine and a whole ton of water, which should I drink?

I got diet because you get a low after sugar intake apparently... I don't know.

I don't have any coffee in the apartment unfortunately, but I guess I could always go get some, but coffee really stirs up my stomach.

[ialsohaveadream]

Slurpee! It's the only way to go. And I don't know if this is universal, but caffeine only works for me because I don't drink soda or coffee. Back when I did, it never helped keep me up.

Now that I only drink water, a jolt of caffeine kicks in strong.

[kimchicowboy]

usually a good powernap (~30-60 min) will keep me good for a whole night. but during that 30-60 min, i need to sleep really well. :)

[bachviet]

Water...

Sometimes coffee can't make me stay awake. :D

[Leebo]

Slurpee! It's the only way to go. And I don't know if this is universal, but caffeine only works for me because I don't drink soda or coffee. Back when I did, it never helped keep me up.

Now that I only drink water, a jolt of caffeine kicks in strong.


This would really help him avoid sugar now wouldn't it.

[ski]

Well here's the next question:

I want to have this project done by Tuesday at 3pm. It's due Wednesday morning, but I have a final on Wednesday that I want to start studying for at 3pm Tuesday.

So I have about 40 hours till I want this to be finished... the report will take about 8 hours to write, and I have about 8 hours allotted to debug my matlab script. So 16 hours of work.

How should I alot it? My plan is to get most of the script done tonight so I can get some help finishing it tomorrow. Gahhh, sorry, I just don't want to blow this because I stayed up too long, or vice versa -- if I slept and should have been working, you know...

:confused:

EDIT: Easy summary --

16 to 20 hours of work
40 hours available
When to sleep... hahaha

[molecularfire]

Cold shower, no hot water at all. The only down side is the shrinkage.

[Maarchk]

I dont think his matlab is gonna care about the variable size of his package.

Ski, I have read and practiced that people seem to do best in 4 hour blocks. They can focus and get into a subject without losing focus for about 4 hours and then it starts to get hard. I would reccommend some kind of block rotation with approximately 4 hours blocks. If something is pissing you off, or you have a really good thing going, then its not neccessary to stick to the exact time. but that is supposed to one of the most efficient time periods for a person to focus on one thing.

[ski]

I like that idea Maarchk -- now after a 4 hour work block, should I take a nap, play Counterstrike or websurf, etc.? I don't know if sleeping "blocks" will help or hurt, or if a 30-60 minute nap or a 2-4 hour nap would keep me going...

Thanks for the ideas so far, I appreciate your input

[Gothic Girl]

I have to agree with Maarchk. When I was working the graveyard shift, I'd come home and sleep for about 4 hours. Then before I'd go back to work, I'd sleep for another 4 hours. That was a really good system that worked for me.

[zippyjuan]

For me, four hours is the cutoff- less that that and I feel more tired than staying awake. I can do four hours for several days if necessary. I worked on a bike race settting up and tearing down the barricades, finishline, drive to next town start again, etc for two weeks and never got more than five hours. I crashed for about twelve when I was done though. Keep lights bright if you want to stay awake- it makes your body clock think it is still daytime. Like sabrinasr I also worked split shifts for awhile- day shift followed by night and then back again and slept four hour blocks then.

[GracieBayb]

tea... love it, and its good for you

[g222leav]

well...depends on what you're planning on doing while you're awake?

caffiene (and most stimulants) actually cause your concentration levels to fluctuate: read = difficulty concentrating

so caffiene may not always be the best thing if you're trying to study or what not

a "powernap" may be good cause it'll upset your natural sleep rythyms...

[kei2]

:stupid: Yeah it's all about awake vs. awake and paying good attention. Caffeine will keep me awake, but I still get kind of ADD-ish when it gets late.

[avlena]

when i'm driving on long road trips, what helps me stay awake is munching. The activity keeps away the boredom (and thus dozing). I've also heard that apples and orange can do more to keep you awake and alert then coffee, so you could try munching on some apples and oranges while studying! ;-)

[molecularfire]

Study for a few hours (4 sounds fine) and when you're tired, take a 20 minute nap. It'll let you into a light sleep to refresh you but won't get you into REM to make you sleepier when you wake up. Wake up and take a quick 5 minute shower with just cold water and then sit down and study with a couple red bulls. You'll regret doing this afterwards but it'll get the job done.

[BrewMaster]

Water. drink so much of that it that you have to pee a lot. you can't sleep when you have to pee a lot.

...although you may get so tired that you fall asleep and you wet yourself while you're out. that would suck, but it would be funny as all hell!

[faither]

Coffee and water. All that water + the caffeine and you'll never be able to lay down.

[brainsmile]

I don't know... neither works for me. Maybe Mojo standing next to me threatening to do something to me if I fall asleep will keep me up for weeks.

[ray]

Munching on snacks actually keeps me awake.

[BrewMaster]

Munching on snacks actually keeps me awake.
after you've smoked a bunch of pot?