25 Ways to Keep from Falling Asleep in Class (and at Work)
- Dead tired
One of the hardest things students have to learn in school is how to stay awake during class. Everyone has been there and it’s funny to watch someone else fight falling asleep in class, a victim of “The Bob”.
First your eyelids seem to be getting heavier by the minute, your breathing is getting shallower then your eyes shut even as you fight to keep them open. Then you’re momentarily jolted back into semi-consciousness as you snap your head back upright after it had fallen forward onto your chest or back until you were looking at the ceiling.
Maybe it was a late night studying, yeah right, stick with that story. More likely some gaming that couldn’t end until the end of the next round, or level 9000, whichever came first, or some late night TV, watching videos or visiting your favourite social networking sites.
High school is where many poor sleep habits start and they are many times worse in college. Apart from missing a lot of information, these bad habits will often follow you into adulthood and possibly dog you for the rest of your life.
25 Ways to Help Stay Awake in Class
- Participate in discussions or ask questions. The teacher doesn’t have to know you’re doing it to stay awake
- Sit up straight. Slouching is a sleep precursor
- Chew gum or mints
- Suck on cough drops
- Concentrate on what the teacher is saying
- Doodle
- Take lots of notes
- Bounce your crossed leg up and down
- Shift around in your chair
- Sip cold water
- Sit at the front of the class
- Move your feet
- Pinch yourself
- Stare wide-eyed into a light
- Bite your tongue
- Play with your pen
- Don’t lean on your hands
- Work on your to-do list or shopping list
- Avoid mid-week late nights or all-nighters
- Maintain a regular sleep schedule
- Try to get 8 ½ to 9 ½ hours of sleep every night
- Exercise in the morning or walk/ride to school
- Eat breakfast for an extra energy boost
- Eat healthy snacks instead of chocolate bars or chips
- Eat a light lunch – avoid the hoggie or turkey sub
If you follow this list of 25 time-tested ways to help you stay awake in class, you may develop some good sleep habits and Buddha willing, maybe you’ll learn something.
What works best for you? Leave a comment below.
what if school rules say that we’re not allowed to eat chew gum in class . then what do we do? most of the technique’s above are more of a distractions ==
Any kind of movement will help – stretching, sitting up straight or shifting position in your chair.
i am in middle school and i always end up sleeping in math its my worst subject
take a drink of water if that don’t help, splash your face with cold water
Thanks for the tips.
have some 5 hour energy thatl keep you going.
There just some nasty stuff in energy drinks that you would be better off to avoid.
Economics used to do it for me.
oh,im sorry
I got slapped cause i chewed and doodled in class.Got any better ideas?
Call the cops and get a lawyer.
At least the slap would wake you up! Good technique.
You never saw the Stooges sleeping very much.
thats cuz the stooges i think were half robot
Thanks for the tips! Today, I had breakfast and walked to school. Although this wasnt on your list, I listened to really loud music on my iPod while I got ready to leave this morning. It woke me up and kept me awake through history and spanish! Thank you so much(:
Go with something that works for you. Try not to crank up the volume too high or you’ll damage the little hairs in your inner ear and damage your hearing. Thanks for the tip!
If you’re a college student, it’s better to register for a small classroom than a large lecture. It’s really easy to take a nap in a large lecture, because you can’t participate in the class. It’s also isn’t rude to sleep in the lecture hall, but it’s rude to sleep in a small classroom.
Sitting in front of the class isn’t really effective, but it’s better than sitting in the back. I felt to sleep many times during lectures, even though I sat in the front. However, I slept more when I sat in the back. hehe
Overall, good advices.
Lecture halls can also be hot and stuffy – killers for trying to stay awake especially when the prof is droning on in monotone.
5 hour energy shot. Mtn Dew. Coffee. Ya know? The works. That helps. Just drink at least a glass of water before drinking coffee, and at least a piece of toast before the energy shot. However, drink only half. Drinking the full thing will cause yourself to become very jittery. Also, get up and go to the bathroom to splash water on your face. I’ve done that many times.
The caffiene will help but if also a diretic for stay hydrated.
Also when you brush your teeth count the brush strokes. That always helps for me.
i thought that counting makes you fall asleep ? oh well , i will try it anyways
It’s often a matter of trying several things until you come across one that works for you.
Great idea. Get the brain going in the morning.
well if you tack a rubber band and hang it and around your wrist(the tighter the better) and pull it back towards you a good distants then release is hard do that a few times in a row and you should be good for a bit. if you don’t like pain then ask to go to the bathroom have a friend yell loud, in a high pitch (like in the horror films) or just yell hard in your backpack a few good secounds. that work for me and my friend feel to use as you wan’t but the best thing to do is find a way that fits you
The rubber band can also work for quitting smoking – just snap yourself when the urge to smoke comes up.
Rubber band works well for me! Thanks for the tip!
well if you tack a rubber band and hang it and around your wrist(the tighter the better) and pull it back towards you a good distants then release is hard do that a few times in a row and you should be good for a bit. if you don’t like pain then ask to go to the bathroom have a friend yell loud, in a high pitch (like in the horror films) or just yell hard in your backpack a few good secounds. that work for me and my friend feel to use as you wan’t but the best thing to do is find a way that fits you
thats cool , i will try that ! and if i yell in my book bag , the teachers will come out and give me a detention ! but its worth it !
i just got into middle school , and my teachers yell at me for doodling, chewing gum , and drinking water in class ? any other ideas?
the same has happened for me i agree.
I like cashews.
The guy above just mentioned wearing a rubber band around your wrist and snapping it against your wrist when you get tired. I think that helps only if you do it a lot of times. Other than that, try staring in to bright lights and making notes about everything you can think of.
Great idea, thanks!
wen i wake up i ride the bus , so i try to act as crazzy as i can , so it can make me and other ppl laugh ! plus laughing is a way of working your stomach muscles . it sure does work for me ! middle school is more fun !
Laughter is a great way to keep you awake!
Try hitting a friend sitting next to you. He sure will hit you back. Continue and see how it works!
Until the teacher sees you. Best to try something else.
I have tried every technique under the sun to stay awake, all of the ones listed below and even ones such as; slapping myself, drinking lots of caffeine, drinking no caffeine, swinging on my chair, getting someone to kick or hit me, sleeping so that my arm with fall off the table and nothing works. I have an undiagnosed EDS disorder (Excessive Daytime Sleeper) and the NHS are taking so long going from one test to another. Seen as though i’ve had this since i was in year 4.. and probably earlier, being 19 now it is a pain in the ass.. anyone got any other good ideas?
You should try actively participating in class, sitting in the front, sleep more during the night, I frequently fall asleep during class so I can relate, I’m not diagnosed with anything however.
You could create a simple circuit that electrocutes you every time you put your head down, this way you associate pain with sleep… but that could lead to some more severe disorders down the line…
When I was a kid and I wanted to stay up all night gaming I would take minty tooth paste and put it underneath my eyelids. It was impossible to sleep with the burning underneath your eyelids haha.
Almost as bad as using tooth picks to keep your eyes open (not recommended).
Is it bad if I only get 4 hours of sleep daily but am wide awake all day?
In class I’m always listening to my music using my wireless IEMs (in ear monitors) all day. It’s not that bad since they don’t cause as much damage as regular earphones but do sound much better. Should I try a different method of staying awake?
Some people can get by on only 4 hours of sleep a night. If you feel awake and refreshed the next day than maybe that’s all your body needs.
as i fell sleepy at class i start moving my feet and i think it works well
Any movement is helpful. Glad it works.
I.AM.SO.SLEEPY.
nothing works when learning about fermentation.
Fermentation creates beer and wine. Think about a good time you had.
I’ve tried everything…. I always fall asleep in class
The only one that helped was more sleep, Does anyone have a Really good Tip, Not that your tips where bad, Just need a better one 
Sit on tacks, vice grips to your nuts, ice cubes in your eye sockets, think about Margaret Thatcher. Your choice. But really, if you are constantly feeling sleepy then you need to make getting enough sleep a higher priority.
Some people can get by with 5-6 hours of sleep and feel fine and other people may need 8-10 hours. Find out how much sleep you need by whether you feel alert and refreshed the next day and try to get that amount every night.
your not weird. i can get 1-4 and feel fine, but sometimes if i get 7-12 i feel like shit for half the day, so..
True enough. Sometimes over sleeping can make you feel even more tired.
eat a banana or like a hardboiled egg… some beef jerky will work too. the potassium and proteins will really help keep you awake.. avoid dairy products like cheese or milk; anything that contains the amino acid tryptophan
Great advice!
Thank you for these tips! i always falll asleep during my morning classes(its gotten really bad) so i hope this helps. ill try it tommorow! xx
Glad you can find something to help you out.
These are some pretty useful tips. I also find taking a nice cold shower in the morning is a good way of waking yourself up
kinda obvious but still…
Oh gosh. I can’t wake up in algebra for nothing ! It’s horrible and I have a D in that class I need to pass !!! Ive tried most of these but I always seem to fall asleep. I can’t sleep at night either.. /: please help
You have to find a sleep/wake cycle that works for you and stick with it. Go to sleep at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning.
And keep your bedroom as dark as possible. Any light (street light, clock, standby lights from electronics) can disrupt your getting and staying asleep.
Thanks for the suggestions Bob. Yes they all are very effective techniques.
But lately all of them have stopped working for me.
What helped me was.. taking a few deep breaths. This instantly wakes up the mind. Whenever you sleepy, try taking a few deep breaths & you will feel fresh again .
Great plan. Getting a blast of O2 always helps. Thanks.
I have algebra right before lunch at 1, gum and movement doesnt help, and furthermore that class just puts me to sleep no matter how hard i focus. i go to the gym at 5 every morning and get a good breakfast before school, i also have drill and jazz band followed by a school breakfast. but during algebra i always find myself falling asleep!
I fell asleep reading this, that is how severe my problem is
That really is a serious, ….zzzzzzzzz
These tips helped a little but not at all. I ALWAYS fall asleep in classes I’m in my culinary class trying to keep awake. Please help! I tried all the above >.<
You have to make getting sleep a higher priority. You can’t close down the pub and stay awake through a boring morning class.
Uh uh uh uh
i always seem to fall asleep in yearbook because its my first period class..i try listening to music and moving and stuff but that doesn’t help..i need your advice. :/
You have to be able to get 8-10 hours of sleep each night. If you get to sleep at midnight and get up at 7am you are short-changing yourself an hour or more each night and over the weeks you will be more and more tired.
It’s true it is happening to me.
I just take my ADHD/ADD pills
they can keep me awake all night too if I needed it.
thats…interesting…=.=
u should nvr use pills always try not to use medicine (is bad for u) it just makes u feel better but bad for ur health and bad for ur body TRY NOT TO USE PILLS AND MEDICINES [PLZ LISTEN]
I have ADD/ADHD…I have to take pills…
Whats your problem?
I deleted that person’s comments because he is a nut bar.
Good lord
Hallelujah.
I have insomnia and have for sometime now.. I sometimes only get 2 hours of sleep unless I take a sleeping pill like melatonin for example but although I never can get to sleep, I suggest to eat something really good for breakfast, for example I eat oatmeal and an egg and drink coffee. Plus the rubber band thing really works. Just pull back as hard as you can and snap it. It will jolt you awake. Also a drink mix called Emergen-C keeps me awake too. I just put it in my water bottle and shake it. It tastes good and is all natural not Like mio or monster. Hope I helped a little!!
Never heard of Emergen-C, thanks for the tip. Energy drinks can have nasy stuff in them.
Cool tips, but how can 11 year old stay awake? My teachers don’t allow me to chew gum nor doodle. It’s like me just staring at the board getting drowsy every minute. I’m an all nighter person. Please reply ASAP so I can get my sleeping routine back on track and I can pay more attention in class.
Start going to bed a half hour earlier. Stay at that time for a few days, then back up your bedtime another half hour. Keep doing this until you are going to bed somewhere between 9-10pm. An 11 year old needs 9-11 hours of sleep each night.
eat something really spicy
Nice trick. It’s tough to dose off when there’s a volcano in your stomach.
i ate dried chilli mee before.. it was a dangerous experience.. serious! hahaha..because all i was thinking was omg my tummy!! & then later i had the constant urge to poop… guess it was bad digestion. but a little chilli is ok i guess, unless u hv a weak stomach lik me
I learned the hard way that I like hot but hot doesn’t like me. Worse I had was spicy alligator pepperoni. Whoa.
nice o knw dat ppl everywer hv d same problem…hope all these work
Find a few that work so you can change things up if you have to.
I find some of this faulty, the cold water. Your body has to cool down to fall asleep, and cold water will give you temperary relief, but after is wears off you would be even more drowsy than before. DO NOT splash yourself with cold water or ingest it. It works much better with warm water as it warms your body and has the same affect as cold water. If you had trouble sleeping at night, you could run a cold bath or splash your face with cold water, but I dont think you want that in class. So it is much better to use warm water.
You comment makes no sense and is completely wrong.
Thanx a lot 4 giving this tips…
Thank u
Glad I could help. What have you found that works best for you?
I always get my friend to scare me, ( get really close and whisper something REALLY LOUD like WAKE UP GIRL!!! ) kick me subtly,
tickle me or anything like that. I dont recommend doodling because the action may keep you awake but what youre doing doesnt really have a purpose other than keeping you awake so youre mindlessly drawing whatever, drift off and start letting yourself scribble your way down the page. also you are not learning anything from the lesson. I find what works ( my highschool teachers dont let me get drinks ) is I stretch (while sitting) , fix myself up, ( tuck hair back, align shirt, pull up pants or whatever ) and i agree with one of the above comments on heat, a stuffy room is tiring but the cold is what lets you fall asleep because its a proven fact that your body prefers less heat when its dormant. Also, eat some baby carrots, celery stalks, apples or any other cruchy fruit or vegetable, the crisper and cooler the better because it helps refresh you. Thanks for all the tips by the way !
GREAT IDEAS! Never tried crunchy veggies – good and good for you.
radio alarm clocks,
refreshing showers,
using da stairs,
&
PLAY TETRIS IN DA MORNING YO
:3
& also sms in class..(only wen da teacher is not saying important stuff lik asking u to turn to another page, or in my case, telling her nostalgia uni life wen she was our age..blah blah blah…)
I had a teacher that used to talk in monotone or monodrone. The bell going off at the end of the class was a sign we were at least still alive.
thanks man , this stuff does somewhat help me.
Glad the suggestions can help keep you awake in class.