How to Stay Awake: 10 Science-Backed Ways to Beat Sleepiness

To stay awake when you are tired, combine a moderate dose of caffeine with a short nap of 20 minutes or less, then get light, movement and water. In a driving simulator study, caffeine plus a nap of under 15 minutes cut driving incidents to 9% of the placebo level, compared with 34% for caffeine alone (Reyner and Horne, 1997). A 10 minute brisk walk raised energy for about 2 hours in another study (Thayer, 1987). These tricks buy hours, not days: only sleep pays back a sleep debt. This guide covers how to stay awake at work, while studying, at night and after a bad night, and when sleepiness is a warning sign.

It is educational, not medical advice.

Key Takeaways

• Caffeine plus a short nap works best: 200 mg of caffeine taken just before a nap of under 15 minutes cut driving incidents to 9% of placebo in sleepy drivers; caffeine alone cut them to 34% (Reyner and Horne, 1997).
• Keep naps short: after a short night, a 10 minute nap improved sleepiness and performance right away, while a 30 minute nap caused grogginess first (Brooks and Lack, 2006).
• Move: a 10 minute brisk walk raised self-rated energy for about 2 hours (Thayer, 1987).
• Drink water: losing about 1.4% of body weight in fluid lowered vigor and raised fatigue in young women (Armstrong and colleagues, 2012).
• Watch the clock on caffeine: the FDA cites 400 mg a day as an amount not generally linked to negative effects in healthy adults (FDA), and caffeine even 6 hours before bed disrupted sleep (Drake and colleagues, 2013).

Why You Feel Sleepy During the Day

Caffeine keeps you alert mainly by blocking adenosine receptors in the brain; adenosine is one of the signals that builds up the longer you are awake (StatPearls). On top of that, an afternoon dip in alertness is part of normal human biology. It happens even without lunch, though a high carbohydrate lunch makes it worse (Monk, 2005). The biggest driver, though, is simply too little sleep: the CDC recommends 7 or more hours a night for adults aged 18 to 60 (CDC). If you are often short, our guide to sleep debt explains how to catch up, and why am I so tired all the time covers the other common causes.

10 Ways to Stay Awake

1. Take a caffeine nap

Drink a coffee, then lie down straight away for no more than about 15 to 20 minutes. In 12 sleepy volunteers driving a simulator in the afternoon, 200 mg of caffeine plus a nap of under 15 minutes worked better than caffeine alone, and even naps that were only light dozing helped (Reyner and Horne, 1997). A review of sleep inertia also found the clearest evidence for caffeine taken before a short nap of about 20 minutes (Hilditch and McHill, 2019).

2. Keep naps to about 10 to 20 minutes

After a night of restricted sleep, a 10 minute afternoon nap improved sleepiness, fatigue, vigor and performance right away, with some benefits lasting up to 155 minutes. A 30 minute nap caused grogginess before the benefits arrived (Brooks and Lack, 2006). Our guide to how long a nap should be goes deeper.

3. Use caffeine wisely

For most healthy adults, the FDA cites 400 mg of caffeine a day as an amount not generally associated with negative effects, though sensitivity varies widely (FDA). The average adult clears half of a dose in about 5 hours (StatPearls), so a late coffee is still working at bedtime. Our guide to the caffeine crash explains the slump that can follow.

4. Pair caffeine with L-theanine

L-theanine is an amino acid found in tea. In 27 healthy adults, 50 mg of caffeine with 100 mg of L-theanine improved speed and accuracy on an attention-switching task and reduced distraction during a memory task, compared with placebo (Owen and colleagues, 2008). It does not cancel caffeine, so the same limits apply. See L-theanine and caffeine for ratios.

5. Take a brisk 10 minute walk

In 18 volunteers, a 10 minute brisk walk raised self-rated energy and lowered tension for about 2 hours (Thayer, 1987). Stairs, a lap of the office or a walk around the block all count.

6. Skip the candy bar

In the same study, a candy bar gave a short lift, then an hour later people felt more tired, had less energy and felt more tense (Thayer, 1987). Pair carbohydrates with protein and vegetables instead (Monk, 2005).

7. Drink water

In a placebo-controlled study of 25 healthy young women, losing about 1.4% of body weight in water worsened vigor, fatigue and mood and made tasks feel harder (Armstrong and colleagues, 2012). Keep a glass or bottle within reach.

8. Get bright light

Light reaching your eyes is the main signal that keeps your body clock in step with the day (Blume and colleagues, 2019). Step outside, sit by a window or turn the lights up. Our morning routine builds daylight in early.

9. Keep moving through the day

In a randomized trial, sedentary young adults with persistent fatigue who exercised 3 times a week for 6 weeks felt more energetic, and low intensity exercise lifted energy as much as moderate intensity (Puetz and colleagues, 2008). Our guide to how to get more energy has 12 daily habits.

10. Fix tonight's sleep

Every trick above borrows against tonight. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, avoid alcohol and large meals before bed, and turn off screens at least 30 minutes before bedtime (CDC). Alcohol helps you fall asleep faster but disrupts the second half of the night (Ebrahim and colleagues, 2013).

How to Stay Awake in Common Situations

Situation	What helps most
At work after lunch	A lighter, protein-rich lunch, a 10 minute walk, water, daylight
Studying	Short breaks to move, water, moderate caffeine early in the day, a 10 to 20 minute nap if you can
After a short night	A caffeine nap, bright light, an earlier bedtime that night
Night shift	A short nap before or during the shift, caffeine early in the shift, not near the end
Driving	Stop. Pull over safely, take caffeine and a nap of under 15 minutes, or do not drive

Caffeine late in a night shift can make the sleep after it worse, since caffeine even 6 hours before bed disturbed sleep (Drake and colleagues, 2013).

Never Fight Sleep Behind the Wheel

Opening a window or turning up the radio is not a fix. In the simulator study, sleepiness peaked in the afternoon, and only caffeine plus a short nap removed that peak (Reyner and Horne, 1997). If you feel drowsy while driving, stop somewhere safe. If you are short on sleep, plan not to drive.

Where Our Products Fit

No product replaces sleep. Low vitamin B12 can make you feel tired or weak (NIH ODS), and our Methyl B-12 Nasal Spray provides 408 mcg of vitamin B12 as methylcobalamin per two-spray serving, once a day. The Energy Stack pairs it with NAD+ Nasal Spray and Forage in one daily energy routine. Our guide to the best time to take B12 explains why morning is the simple choice. Learn more on our methyl B12 ingredient page and in our non-stimulant energy and focus hub. Talk to your doctor before starting a new product if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or take medication.

When to Talk to a Doctor

Ordinary sleepiness eases with a good night or two. Tiredness that does not lift with better habits, or that comes with other symptoms, is a reason to see a doctor (MedlinePlus). So is falling asleep at times you did not intend to, loud snoring or gasping in your sleep, or needing caffeine to get through every day. A doctor can also check iron and B12, two common, checkable reasons for tiredness (NIH ODS).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the fastest way to stay awake?

Caffeine followed by a nap of under 15 to 20 minutes. In sleepy drivers it worked better than caffeine alone (Reyner and Horne, 1997).

How do I stay awake without caffeine?

A 10 minute brisk walk raised energy for about 2 hours (Thayer, 1987), and a 10 minute nap helped after a short night (Brooks and Lack, 2006). Add water and daylight.

How long should a power nap be to stay awake?

About 10 minutes. A 30 minute nap caused grogginess before the benefits arrived (Brooks and Lack, 2006).

How much caffeine is too much?

For most healthy adults, the FDA cites 400 mg a day as an amount not generally linked to negative effects (FDA).

How do I stay awake after lunch?

The afternoon dip is normal and worse after a high carbohydrate lunch (Monk, 2005). Eat a lighter lunch with protein and take a short walk. Our guide to why you feel tired after eating has more.

How do I stay awake all night?

Short naps, caffeine early in the night rather than near the end, light and movement help. Then protect the sleep that follows, because caffeine even 6 hours before bed disturbed sleep (Drake and colleagues, 2013).

Does drinking water help you stay awake?

It helps you avoid the fatigue of mild dehydration: losing about 1.4% of body weight in fluid lowered vigor in young women (Armstrong and colleagues, 2012).

Can you stay awake with B12?

B12 is not a stimulant. Low B12 can make you feel tired or weak (NIH ODS), so getting enough supports normal energy. See vitamin B12 benefits.

Sources

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2. Brooks A, Lack L. A brief afternoon nap following nocturnal sleep restriction: which nap duration is most recuperative? Sleep. 2006. PubMed 16796222
3. Hilditch CJ, McHill AW. Sleep inertia: current insights. Nat Sci Sleep. 2019. PubMed 31692489
4. Thayer RE. Energy, tiredness, and tension effects of a sugar snack versus moderate exercise. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1987. PubMed 3820066
5. Puetz TW, Flowers SS, O'Connor PJ. A randomized controlled trial of the effect of aerobic exercise training on feelings of energy and fatigue in sedentary young adults with persistent fatigue. Psychother Psychosom. 2008. PubMed 18277063
6. Armstrong LE, Ganio MS, Casa DJ, et al. Mild dehydration affects mood in healthy young women. J Nutr. 2012. PubMed 22190027
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11. Blume C, Garbazza C, Spitschan M. Effects of light on human circadian rhythms, sleep and mood. Somnologie (Berl). 2019. PubMed 31534436
12. Evans J, Richards JR, Battisti AS. Caffeine. StatPearls. Updated 2024. StatPearls
13. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much? FDA
14. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About Sleep. CDC
15. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin B12: Fact Sheet for Consumers. NIH ODS
16. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Iron: Fact Sheet for Consumers. NIH ODS
17. MedlinePlus. Fatigue. MedlinePlus

Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. This article is for education only and is not medical advice.