MetaChat - Askmecha: Please help me stay awake.

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25 October 2005

Askmecha: Please help me stay awake. I've had about 2hrs of sleep in the past 24 hrs. I'm sitting here at work practically in tears coz i'm so tired. I can't go home coz i was sick a while back and took a bunch of sick time so it will look bad if i just up and leave. I'm on my 4th cup of 4 extra shots (yah, 4) of coffee, i now have the jitters and generally feel like crap. I also have about 6 hours to go before i can leave the office. Any suggestions?

post by: ramix at: 14:37 | 40 comments

listen to the YSI links i posted?
read this site?

posted by ethylene 25 October | 14:40

Drink lots of water. It'll dilute the caffeine, but keep you up by making you pee and pee and pee.

posted by orthogonality 25 October | 14:41

Short answer:

Stop the caffeine, it's going to make you feel worse. Drink lots of room temp (not cold!) water instead. Eat something that doesn't have sugar in it. Take a five minute stroll outside; get some daylight in your eyes.

Good luck!

If you want explanations of why all this will work, let me know. Otherwise, take my word for it...

posted by Specklet 25 October | 14:42

Leave coat and bag near desk/cube/what have ye. Leave computer on, turning off screesaver so it looks like you just stepped away from your desk. Find hiding place elsewhere in building (a stall in a mostly disused bathroom, for instance, if you have a large workplace). Failing that, out to the car, maybe driving away and parking somewhere where co-workers are unlikely to see you (any parks nearby?). Nap away!

Caveat: never tried any of this myself, but oh how I've been tempted.

Also: if anything in this thread sounds like really good advice, double and triple check your assumptions, because at this level of slep dep your judgment is severely impaired.

posted by PinkStainlessTail 25 October | 14:43

I feel for you - it's horrible to be that tired. It's just all-consuming.

Get up and move around - get your blood pumping. It really works.

And no more all-nighters!

posted by iconomy 25 October | 14:44

try to put your feet up -- it helps me a lot whenever I pull all-nighters

posted by matteo 25 October | 14:45

*Make* yourself throw up. Even with the sick time, if you start a barfin', they'll feel obligated to send you home. I especially recommend throwing in front of.... no, ON.... Dean Wormer.

posted by Doohickie 25 October | 14:50

A fifteen minute snooze can do wonders. Really. And can easily be masked by a trip to the bathroom.

posted by omiewise 25 October | 14:54

i know dears
i know

posted by ethylene 25 October | 15:04

i haven't been up 12 hours yet!

posted by ethylene 25 October | 15:04

ok, i mean 16

posted by ethylene 25 October | 15:05

ops. wrongthread
sorry!

posted by ethylene 25 October | 15:05

Can you go outside for even a short walk? The fresh air might help. Slap on some headphones and listen to loud music?

I'll second (triple?) drinking lots of water instead of staying with the coffee. Hydration will help your energy levels, and you'll feel better tomorrow (and will sleep more soundly tonight).

posted by tr33hggr 25 October | 15:07

slightly tipsy narcissist, sorry!
heh

posted by ethylene 25 October | 15:07

*sings "They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haa!!" loudly in ramix's ear*

posted by jonmc 25 October | 15:07

see how tabbed browsing can be bad?
ok back on topic--

posted by ethylene 25 October | 15:08

yes, eat something and walk around.
singing helps oxygenate the blood. do stretches.
i will nap for you.
but a quick eye rest is a good idea, no more than twenty minutes

posted by ethylene 25 October | 15:12

water water water and wash your face.
maybe something cool on your eyes.

posted by ethylene 25 October | 15:14

energy drinks with b12 or b complex help too

posted by ethylene 25 October | 15:15

in other words, what every one else said

posted by ethylene 25 October | 15:17

*sniff...
i can't hold on much longer...i just want to curl up and die...(ok maybe not die, but sleep!)
Cursed insomnia!!!

posted by ramix 25 October | 15:18

go wash your face and cool your wrists in the water and listen to music that is breath giving, if not breath taking

empower yourself, woman!
you can do it.
just take a moment
and breathe.

posted by ethylene 25 October | 15:21

*sniff...
i can't hold on much longer...i just want to curl up and die...(ok maybe not die, but sleep!)
Cursed insomnia!!!

posted by ramix 25 October | 15:22

walk
away
from
the
screen

and breathe

posted by ethylene 25 October | 15:23

see, i'm so tired i posted the same thing twice!!

posted by ramix 25 October | 15:23

Don't make me post the David Hasselhoff recursion, ramix.

posted by iconomy 25 October | 15:24

look around
be amused
and breathe
deep breaths
of life giving air
and music

posted by ethylene 25 October | 15:24

the bugman left
with me in synthetic air
so go breathe
for me

don't make me emoticon

posted by ethylene 25 October | 15:25

don't make me audioblog
don't
do
it

posted by ethylene 25 October | 15:26

ramix, i made a special inclusionary post on taz's recipe for you
don't make do it
or i will
with your request
don't make me sing
don't

posted by ethylene 25 October | 15:27

crap, now i'm going to wash my face and eat something
you know i'd do it if you ask me to
i will be back

posted by ethylene 25 October | 15:33

NO MORE COFFEE! You are probably close to a toxic dose already. Other than that, maybe some raucous music?

posted by mzurer 25 October | 15:46

i went back to metafilter for this dammit!

posted by ethylene 25 October | 15:46

here, take this
and someone grab mcgraw and his flashy shiny stuff!

posted by ethylene 25 October | 15:51

i'm eating rogan josh on rice with beans
you better be walking around the block
listening to birds tweet
or funny little deer things lick leaves

posted by ethylene 25 October | 16:16

Cain't say it here at work, but Jackson Browne and Eric Clapton both sing about it, and a few equatorial armies march on it. Helps with tiredness.

Bad idea, though.

posted by Hugh Janus 25 October | 17:07

she don't lie she don't lie she don't lie.

posted by Capn 25 October | 18:52

update:
I took most of your advice - went for a walk, ate hot spicy food and drank lots of water, tried to catch a quick nap in the bathroom but someone was stinking the place up so bad i had to leave. I have about 3 hours to go before i'm done. I wonder if i'll make it through?!!

posted by ramix 25 October | 19:40

i hope so.
i just mediated/napped my way out of both the great pumpkin AND the gilmore girls.
and it DOES suck for me.

posted by ethylene 25 October | 23:48

amphetamines. the down side is, they make you want to 'accidentally' shoot a lot of canadians.

wait, you are a usaf pilot, right?

posted by sam 26 October | 01:21

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