take a nap.

Drink a cold glass of water.
Go for a five-minute walk around your block.
Turn on all the lights in the room you are in..

http://www.wikihow.com/Stay-Awake-When-Tired

Yes – I may have to crash at some point but I need to function for a while. Sometimes just a half hour nap can help.

@cinnamonk Will try it.

I’ll just get up and do my usual routine and get through the day if I’m at work. If I’m off, I’ll try to take it easy and probably will nap in the afternoon. If I’m working and have to get through the day, I’ll fall asleep around 9 which is a few hours earlier than my usual.

I use a 5 Hour Energy. It’s mostly B Vitamins, really no more caffeine than a cup of coffee, and it makes me more alert without making me jittery. I just feel normal. I don’t do it often (don’t much like the taste) but it has helped, especially if I have to function.

Well, A headache pill and some diet Coke seem to be helping me some. For some reason, the caffeine in my one can of diet soda works better for me than caffeine in coffee as a pick-me-up.

Somebody once told me that’s because of the carbonation, seems to work better as a caffeine delivery system than regular coffee.

One word: ALEXA.

Sorry to be OT, but is anyone else unable to ask a question right now?

@cinnamonk Some people can’t; see Meta for a discussion.

@janbb thanks.

@Pachy I don’t mean wake yourself up; I mean get yourself functional.

Lots of coffee, cold washcloth on face, just keep moving. haha

LSD

Maybe you shouldn’t have stayed up all night at a rock concert with Bruce.~

@chyna, I’m jealous, too. ;-)

I take an ensure and have a shower.

Chewing gum always helps me. Also, exercise. Try a bike ride if you can.

You don’t. You just suck it up until you can go to sleep. But I’m answering about insomnia. Seems like you might have a good time. ;)

^^Insomnia it is.

The Penguin always has more fun. :-)

^^ Well, it was after a movie premiere and benefit concert where I was 20 feet away from the stage Bruce Springsteen was on!

Yup. More fun. Way more fun. <sigh> I was watching Star Trek reruns. I am pathetic.

I was watching reruns of House Hunters. I think I get the more pathetic award.

I never get fully awake. If I have things I have to do I do them slowly and sluggishly.

I don’t drink caffeine, but I cheat if it’s important I be alert and I feel tired or am sleep deprived. The caffeine usually helps. I don’t get jittery from caffeine though, I love it. I do pay afterwards when I withdraw again. Less than 12 ounces of soda I don’t have much negative affect, but more than that I’ll feel it the next day. Nothing torturous, just feel slightly under the weather. The caffeine comes with other risks for me too.

Eating can help wake me up a little too. I’m not saying overeat, only saying don’t skip a meal or go hungry.

I absolutely nap, or sleep extra hours to catch my sleep up when I get the chance.

First alarm is one hour ahead of the actual hour I need to be up. This sort of serves as the reminder that I still have a full hour left to still dream. That relaxes me and prevents a rushed awakening.

Second alarm is ten minutes from the actual hour I need to be up. And when this rings, I mentally prepare myself by thinking of the general to-do list for the day.

Final alarm is set five minutes from the actual hour I need to be up. I sit up, put my pillow on my back, stretch my arms and legs, and get up from the bed.

This often works whether I slept well or not. When it fails, it’s because I opted to do so. No excuses.

Listen to some upbeat music, take a cold shower, go for a walk