Welcome Wednesday: How do you stay awake?

[#1]

Happy Wednesday Everyone!

This coming weekend I will be taking part in a 24 hour charity event. Unlike some of the past years where I have run everything by myself at home. This year I’m joining the local group where there will be a number of people, planned activities and even some prizes for endurance and fundraising!

My question for you this week: What would you recommend to help me stay awake for over 24 hours?

In the past I have tried things like:

1. Trying to get some extra sleep just before the event starts

2. Coffee (but usually after I’m more than 12 hours into the event)

3. Water (regular hydration always helps)

If you have any other suggestions I would love to hear them in the comments below.

Have a great rest of the week everyone!

[JL]

Hi,

To stay awake for more than 24 hours, it’s important to mentally prepare yourself a day or even a few days in advance, focusing on the event. This approach has been particularly helpful for me when participating in ultra trail running or long road trips through the night. And with the help of caffeine, you can easily get through those 24 hours.

[Stephen_Lugton]

@Jimmy Seddon The main thing that helps me is to move around, if I stay still too long I can doze off easily.

Change your focus regularly, staring at one thing like a computer screen or book also helps me doze off easily; get yourself a fidget toy

Don't have anything you need within arms reach, make sure you have to get up and move to get things, and when you've finished put them back out of your reach.

Keep the room(s) you're in cooler than normal so you feel a bit uncomfortable, again if I'm warm and comfortable I can doze off easily.

Have other people around to talk to you and talk back to then, if I'm left alone I can doze off easily. 

Avoid situations where other people are talking and you're just expected to listen, I did doze off.

Eat small amounts so you keep feeling hungry, if I eat too much I can easily doze off.

Hold off on going to the toilet as long as possible without causing yourself injury, it's hard to doze off if you're uncomfortable.

[Barbara Szczesniak]

@Jimmy Seddon Bravo to you for your dedication!

Throughout my life, I've generally had trouble falling asleep when I want to and staying awake when I have to. Usually, the staying awake involves driving a long distance by myself. For this, I find that plenty of fresh air, caffeinated soda, and lifesavers candies seem to help.

[John Funk]

If I can grab a nap, that works best. Otherwise, it's coffee!

[Reiner]

Hi @Jimmy Seddon maybe you can take 15-20 minutes for a power nap anyway!

[Susan Waldrip]

Keep moving as much as possible, and team up with someone to help each other stay awake and alert. Also, stay away from quiet people and sharp objects. 😊  Good luck!

[Lisa Murray [_ScriptRunner - The Adaptavist Group_]]

I would say fresh air and standing up as much as possible - good luck!

[Holly Scott]

Get one of these and set it to a periodic timer.

[Sherilyn Tasker]

I've done a number of 24 hr events. Keep moving, keep fueled in a healthy way and stay safe ! There is nothing more horrible than feeling so tired you feel like you're drunk!  Good luck!

[Amanda Barber]

My issue would be staying awake or being functional the next day, haha! I recently stayed awake for 24 hours while traveling to and from Japan. Definitely doable with enough engagement in activities I was excited about - which I'm sure your event will provide!

[Shreeja J]

Happy Wednesday!

That sounds like such an amazing event! Staying awake for over 24 hours is definitely a challenge. Along with what you've already tried, here are a few things that might help:

• Short power naps: If you can, try taking a few 10-15 minute naps to recharge without going into a deep sleep.
• Light snacks: Eating light, healthy snacks like fruits or nuts every few hours can help maintain energy levels.
• Move around: A quick stretch or short walk every couple of hours can do wonders for staying alert.
• Music or podcasts: Something upbeat or engaging might help keep your mind active.

Best of luck with the event, and I hope you reach your fundraising goals!

[Tomislav Tobijas _Koios_]

From my experience, it depends on what you're doing in those 24 hours - whether it's mostly physical or you need to sit for a long period of time.

In any case, I can confirm what everyone else pretty much said:

• Light snacks (with emphasis on 'light')
• Coffee - this depends on how much coffee you usually drink. The best case would be you don't usually drink coffee so this would definitely keep you up.
• Moving around - this one is crucial to me. Again, it depends if you're mostly moving around during those 24 hours, then it would be the opposite > small breaks where the hardest part is to start moving again 😅 Meanwhile, if you have someone to talk to, that also seems to help.
• Power naps - couple of weeks ago, I managed to doze off for 10 minutes on one of those sitting bags in our office. I usually need 10-15 mins in order to recharge for the next 5-6 hours.

[Teodora V _Fun Inc_]

Caffeine and hydration are must-haves when you plan on being active for 24 hours. However, I found that lowering your calorie intake can really help you go through it a bit more alert and not so exhausted. Regular walks (about 5-10 minutes would pick you up when you have a long period of sitting) and only snacking on healthy food can help you feel fresher than you actually are :) 

(Supported by years of no sleep at Atlassian Team events)

[Danno]

Don't forget to change your socks 🧦 somewhere around the mid point. I used to work with sportscar endurance racing teams. One of the veterans suggested this trick.

[Tomas Meneses _ServiceRocket_]

Hi @Jimmy Seddon

Something that really works for me is to be constantly having small snacks to prevent falling asleep. Keep in mind that the idea is not to eat things that are too heavy or have full meals because that will make you more sleepy than you already are.

For me, usually snacking on some cereal or chips helps me stay active for a while. Now, on the more healthy side, maybe some unsalted crackers or rice cakes can also help :)

Additionally, as mentioned by the community previously, try to get some breaks, or try to find a place where your eyes won't get fatigued from watching the same over and over, like for example, when you are under the sun or a place that has a lot of lights. Getting into a calmer spot can help you reduce your visual fatigue as well.

Have fun and good luck at the event!

[Nandhini M]

Hey,

Take short breaks every hour to stretch and move around. Physical activity can help increase alertness and blood circulation and If possible, take short power naps (10-20 minutes) during breaks. This can help recharge your brain without causing grogginess.

Good luck !

[Daria Kulikova_GitProtect_io]

For me, it's coffee and fresh air that keeps me awake for a longer time. @Jimmy Seddon , maybe, it will help you as well. 

[Deepak Anandani]

1. Take 5-10 minutes breaks every hour. Walk around, stretch, or do light physical activity to get you blood circulating.

2. If possible, take short 15-20 mins power naps to help rejuvenate your energy.

[Salih Tuç]

The answer is always coffee (a cup, a galon, doesn't matter) guys.

Also, I have a task type called "Coffee" in my personal Jira environment. I created an automation that opens that task every day. It also adds extra shots to my coffee by looking up free times on my calendar. If it is busy as hell, the coffee is bitter as hell:

[Daria Spizheva_Reliex_]

Hi Jimmy,

How did your event go? Would you mind sharing what worked well for you?

[Ginger Lovvorn]

I've had to do this for migrations and disaster recovery sims more than once!

#1 Eat regularly but nothing that throws anything out of balance- eat small meals often (no big carb or sugar surges because that crash later from those hurt..).  

#2 Stay active as much as you can and stay engaged- talking, writing, singing along with some of your favorite songs - if you have a workout play list don't listen to it the whole time but rather here and there when you feel your energy waning.

#3 I did caffeine throughout the day mainly because I love coffee! and any excuse to drink it all day but I didn't do large doses of it more like half caf and half the sugar because see #1 :)

Once you hit your second wind - don't make any life changing decisions or decide to drive lol. 

Be safe and have fun!

[aritxun]

A good nap before the event!

[Javier Martínez Caballero]

Hey, fellow gamers! 👾🎉

This weekend, I’m leveling up my 24-hour charity event game! In past years, I’ve done it solo from home, but this time I’m joining a local gaming squad! 🎮 We’ve got planned activities, a bunch of awesome people, and even some sweet prizes for endurance and fundraising. 🏆💪

So here’s where I need your pro tips: How do you stay awake for over 24 hours of gaming? 😴🎮

Here’s what I’ve tried before:

• Power naps right before we kick things off 🛌⚡
• Coffee, but I wait until I’m past the 12-hour mark to avoid an early crash ☕
• Hydration is key! Water for the win! 💧

But I know you guys have some next-level strats—drop your suggestions in the comments! Whether it's the perfect snack, the best energy drink, or secret hacks, I’m all ears! 👂🎮

Let’s power through the week like we’re about to hit max level! 💥 Happy gaming, everyone! 🎮👾