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I just want to keep myself awake. Any tips?
Kate_20
Posts: 653 Incredible Poster
I know I am being a bit ridiculous but my deadlines are coming up and I have to do the essays despite being mentally unwell. My department did not think extensions are good for me so I need to force myself to stay awake. I have tried tea and coffee again but they only made me feel more anxious rather than making me feel productive. Hot chocolate has the same impact and I felt even worse after some time of having it. There were days that I was in crisis and was wasting time on helping myself to disappear. Some days I just did not feel up to it and it is worrying. My mind is stopping me from working on my essays and it is scary how I lost myself during the process. I just want to keep myself awake and productive for one month. I don't mind the consequences. Don't tell me it is impossible because I do not want to hear. Any tips?
Tengo el alma en cuarentena y roto el cuerpo
Qué dolor, qué pena y qué tormento
El Kanka - Lo mal que estoy y lo poco que me quejo
Qué dolor, qué pena y qué tormento
El Kanka - Lo mal que estoy y lo poco que me quejo
Post edited by JustV on
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I have unwittingly trained myself to not go to bed. I have to *really* focus on going to bed, otherwise I will just stay up, surviving on microsleeps (very short sleeps which last a few minutes, but which are non-restorative because the human body needs 7-8hrs a night).
This sounds ideal, right? <b>Wrong</b>. You have to pay a price somewhere along the line, and this is that my thinking has become cloudy and my working memory (the memory you use temporarily to work things out and remember things for immediate use - <b>exactly</b> the memory you need to use in an exam) has become shot.
I couldn't <b>possibly</b> sit an exam in this condition. I've been unable to function for the past 5 years because of this. (In fact, I thought I'd developed ADHD because the symptoms are so similar, but this isn't possible unless you've had symptoms from childhood or you've had a brain injury.)
Bottom line; get your 8hrs sleep a night. We sleep for a reason; if we don't, our minds and bodies stop functioning correctly.
I <i><u><b>really</b></u></i> wish I'd just gone to bed each night instead of unknowingly teaching my body to go without sleep. I'm completely shafted now as a direct result and have real issues actually going to bed to sleep.
My mind is a constant haze; I can't hold down a job or memorise the kind of info you need to, to get through even just <b>ONE</b> exam, never mind a bunch of them.
Trust me when i tell you; rather than trying to figure out how to stay awake for indefinite periods of time, just learn to accommodate the fact that you <i><u><b>NEED/b></u></i> to sleep each night.
If you don't <i><b>YOU <u>WILL</u> CAUSE <u>PERMANENT</u> DAMAGE TO YOUR BRAIN.</b></i>.
Trust me on this. There is a reason we're designed to sleep at night...
Ivan.
I notice that you put the emphasis on drinkable or edible things to stay awake, but exercise can massively help!
Honestly, exercise is very underrated! After a decent night's sleep, going for a run or even a walk at the start of the day can do so much to focus you and help clear your head! I've noticed this myself, that going for a run makes me far more productive (and I quite frankly I write better too) after a run rather than when having a coffee! But that being said, having a good night's sleep is very important first!
I hope this helps a little
From personal experience, I know what it's like to feel under pressure to stick to academic deadlines whilst also balancing other parts of my personal life and health! I think it's important to remember that whilst those deadlines are there, and you can't do anything to change that fact, it's also important to be kind to yourself and listen to your body when you feel you need a break. I used to find that it was helpful to give myself rest breaks because it was sometimes better to leave a piece of work, even just for half an hour, and go back to it with a fresher mind than be trying to manage multiple thoughts at once.
One idea, that may potentially be useful, could be to even create yourself a mini timetable for the day and purposely schedule in those comfort breaks so that you can almost reward yourself for getting some work done. For example, you might plan to do an hour of essay writing and then watch TV, go for a walk or listen to your favourite music, etc, for twenty minutes before writing another paragraph.
I hope this was useful. Good luck with your essays. You've got this!
@maryam852 Sadly they told me they cannot extend deadlines anymore whatever happens. I ended up several times in A&E because of hurting myself. They knew about it and I could see how said they were but they told me even the evidence from the crisis team cannot help. I am okay with it because I have an option of disappearing from this world at any time and things can be solved. I know that I don't deserve to live for very long and I am very likely to die young. Don't worry.
Qué dolor, qué pena y qué tormento
El Kanka - Lo mal que estoy y lo poco que me quejo
Having said all this, I'd agree with the others that it's probably better to just sleep earlier and start work the next morning - well-rested and with the whole day ahead of you. x
Qué dolor, qué pena y qué tormento
El Kanka - Lo mal que estoy y lo poco que me quejo