TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Staying up late, the healthy way

Not getting enough sleep is not good for your health. The human body is programmed to sleep during the night and be awake during the day.

Hello Sehat (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Tue, July 19, 2016

Share This Article

Change Size

Staying up late, the healthy way People who tend to stay up late are more likely to have diabetes, high blood sugar levels, obesity and other health problems. (Shutterstock/-)

F

inal exams, deadlines, maybe a late-night soccer match on TV may turn you into a night owl. But not getting enough sleep is not good for your health. The human body is programmed to sleep during the night and be awake during the day.

People who tend to stay up late are more likely to be exposed to risks of having diabetes, obesity and other health problems. So, while staying up late is bad at times, it is unavoidable. 

If you find yourself needing to stay up late, here are the healthy ways to pull it off.

Bank some sleep

Taking a 15- to 20-minute nap during the day can recharge your energy and help you stay awake at night. “Prior to your all-nighter, get nine hours of sleep a night for a week and bank some sleep,” said Christopher Drake, PhD, a sleep researcher and professor at the School of Medicine at Wayne State University in Detroit, US. Remember, if you take a nap during your all-nighter, you probably won’t wake up until morning. 

Brighten the lights

Research has proven that lights keep you awake. It is similar to when your body produces vitamin D under the sunshine in the morning. The body produces melatonin or sleep hormone when the room is in low-light and this is what makes you feel sleepy at night. 

You can temporarily fake your body into thinking it’s not yet time for bed by brightening the lights. Light has a powerful effect on your internal body clock. The medical director of the Florida Sleep Institute, William Kohler, MD, said, “The Circadian clock has connections to the eye, and bright light can reset our internal clock.” The clock gives signs to the body when it is on the alert and when it's tired.

Increasing the intensity of your light source such as from cellphones or laptops while working to finish your urgent task can also help your body to increase alertness.

(Read also: People who lack sleep are more likely to catch colds)

Drink coffee, the right way

It is very tempting to drink a few cups of coffee to keep you awake during the night. But it is not recommended to drink more than two cups of caffeine throughout the night because it will make you anxious and uncomfortable.

Drink coffee the right way: Stop drinking coffee a week before you plan to stay up late. You can drink a cup of coffee before napping during the day, an effective way of decreasing sleep inertia afterwards. 

Make sure to balance your coffee with plenty of water to keep you alert, and bear in mind that drinking caffeine will help maintain alertness throughout the night's work, but your body will reject the advantages if you drink it too often. 

Munch on high-protein midnight snacks

Midnight snacks are the best elements to help you stay awake. When you are staying up late for final exams or working late at the office, you are going to need a lot more food because your brain is working harder than on normal nights. Stick to the foods that are high in protein and healthy fats. Avoid sweets, chocolate and junk food that give you a quick energy boost followed by sugar ‘lows’ that may produce mental lethargy.

Pick the snacks that provide better energy in the long run, such as yoghurt, protein shakes, fruits and vegetables, wheat crackers with low-fat cream cheese dip or apples with peanut butter. 

(Read also: US teens start school too early, need more sleep: study)

Keep your body moving

Keep your body moving by walking around the room and/or do some exercises such as push-ups, sit-ups, jumps or skipping. Stretching for 10-15 minutes every 45 minutes will help your body pump the oxygen through your veins, brains and muscles. More oxygen in your brain will keep you focused and alert, and will foster creativity.

If you work at a desk, get up frequently for short walks. People who take a simple 10-minute walk will be more energized for the next two hours than people who eat a candy bar that stimulates quick energy boost but make them have less energy an hour later. 

Adjust the temperature

The ideal room temperature for sleeping is 18-20 Celsius. If you want to stay up late all night, set the room temperature that is not too cold but not make you sweat either. Adjust the room temperature to 23-25 Celsius to keep you alert and delay tiredness. (asw)



{

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.