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ways to fall asleep

ways to stay awake

    - put on white noise; or, if you prefer, use other soothing sounds. quiet music, audiobooks, podcasts.
    - turn off any blue light (screens) at least half an hour before bed in order to ease your eyes into tiredness and fall asleep faster
    - try to avoid talking (unless it helps). lie on your bed and delve into your thoughts.
    - do active things during the day, it will make your body physically tired and therefore it'll be easier to fall asleep
    - avoid yawning. your brain has you do that in order to give you extra oxygen and stay awake.
    - listen to calmer music in the evening, whether through headphones or in the background. see support for recommendations
    - detach yourself from stress and responsibility for the day once you feel you've reached your limit. give yourself headspace. you don't need to think about or work on anything for a while. it's ok to take breaks.
    - if you're staying up for homework, see support > academic for advice on when to call it a night and when to continue working. remember: if it happens consistently that you stay up late because of assignments, it's time to talk to your teacher(s). Also, remember, staying up late studying hurts more than it helps.
    - if you happen to get random bouts of energy, try working it off by moving around; organizing stuff; sketching; turning it into motivation (use fidgets if it's hard to concentrate); writing down any creative thoughts that come (they will plague you at ungodly hours of the morning).
    - read. shortcuts > reading has a list of books i'd recommend. blue light tricks your brain into being overtired, so instead of staring at a screen, reconnect with that warm lamplight.
    - take deep breaths often
    - put bright lights on near you so your brain sees an illuminated room and thinks it's daytime
    - occupy yourself with a stressful or adrenaline-inducing activity, such as a timed game (see shortcuts > games for suggestions)
    - have other people yammer at you
    - have someone else slap you, etc. periodically
    - on second thought that's probably not a good idea
    - put a rubber band or hair tie of some sort around your wrist and snap it whenever you feel yourself getting drowsy (not recommended for sensitive or already injured skin)
    - remember, if you desperately need to sleep, it can help a surprising amount to take a power nap for a little boost.
    IF YOU DECIDE TO HAVE CAFFIENE PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU KNOW YOUR LIMITS

if you're too tired to do any of this but still can't fall asleep, then you're probably going multiple nights on not enough sleep. it takes four days to catch up on a single all-nighter, did you know? so try and take care of yourself. if you know you have insomnia and have prescribed medication to help you sleep, don't skip out on that. you can manage it. i believe in you.