I know a lot of you must suffer from this. How do you all counter the effects of lack of sleep?

I've just went an entire night completing a report for Psychology and my brain is dead. School in two hours. Coffee time.

Ah yes, the life of a student... *screen goes wobbly with nostalgia flashback*

I'd say your brain is anything but dead, given the amount of info it has had to process overnight. Neurons are probably firing away randomly like crazy.

I had many bouts of insomnia when I was younger, and I didn't really drink coffee then; though it is a contributing factor. If you can set aside time - go for a walk out in the lovely Perth night air. It'll help process any excess adrenaline.
The best way to counter the effects is really to avoid them in the first place. If you're overtired and been up all night, coffee will just make you feel more zombie-like. Difficult to avoid if you have a lot of work to finish, but if you're up for a late nighter - try and substitute water or tea for coffee. It will help your brain tire more naturally, instead of propping it up like some dazed boxer.

And I know it can be almost impossible to help, but try and re-organise your homework schedule if you can, and prevent the need to be awake for so long. If you can start earlier - then do so.

I've found eating to be helpful, and avoiding the 'im so tired and doing nothing' thing. Walking around is good, or doing something non-stationary.. Water is good, too. Yeahh.. Coma Divine kinda summed it up.

fancy that, i was up last night doing a plan for a psycology experment report

[Blazingmonga]

Incense (possibly lavender) and cammomile tea are great.

I agree with Dave on the exercise. I think often when we require sleep and we arent getting it, we get stressed. That stress must be dealt with otherwise it will prevent you getting to sleep. I suspect that burning off excess adrenaline is part of this situation.

A good one for me is also to play a few games of solitaire (or patience, if you call it that) with a cold beer. That always helps me to relax and is an excellent way to forget the stresses of the day.

Good luck, Pisshead. Hopefully you will be asleep when you read this.

[Blazingmonga]

Doh...I just realised you were really asking how to wake up, more than how to sleep.

In that case...fresh coffee and dark (80+%) chocolate! And a kick in the balls!

Never really thought about kicking myself in the balls when I havn't wanted to get out of bed in the morning...I'll try that one day, just to see if it works

For me, sport helps a lot!!!

Lifting weights makes me sleep at the end of the day.

A combination of body and mind tiredness is required for me to go to sleep.
And no stress at all!!! Stress is the enemy!!!

I wish I could sleep easily!!!!
Some of my friends just have to put their head on the pillow and they sleep 5 minutes after!!! Lucky bastards!!!

Doh...I just realised you were really asking how to wake up, more than how to sleep.

In that case...fresh coffee and dark (80+%) chocolate! And a kick in the balls!

Same here... I didn't get it right at the first time...

Waking up?
Easy!!!
Sun + shower + fresh/hot drink = wake up!

intense physical exercise is my cure for insomnia
if during my day, i went and worked out, i'll sleep like a baby

also making sure to turn off the tv one hour before going to sleep
maybe reading, relaxing, listening to soothing music

Eating well will keep your engines going. Caffeine will add to the drawn out feeling, and give you some huge crashes when it wears off. I find that you tend to get very sleepy every twelve hours, and if you can get through that 'phase' you'll be able to function for another 6-12.

Bare in mind that after about 72 hours of being awake you will begin to hallucinate.

Yep. Excercise. Works like a charm.

i once stayed up for nearly 72 hours... i knew if i stopped i wouldn't start again so i just kept doing what i had to do.... i slept very well after that

I'ev had insomnia over the past 9 months or so (though it appears to be getting better lately, which feels a lot better) and most of the time I haven't really felt it too much, mostly as I've been too busy really.

As for staying awake for Uni stuff, if it has to be done, I don't give a damn what crap I'm eating or anything else, thats the only way to treat myself when I don't have time for anything else.

Though if you can get into aa more steady routine, sleep is a brilliant thing when learning!

Just 29 days and my final exam will be done and Uni will be over haha!

And no stress at all!!! Stress is the enemy!!!

I wish I could sleep easily!!!!

I second that!!!
Too much stress makes you restless, which makes you think too much, which makes you sleepless, which makes you... Well, I could go on!

I fight it by writing something... I usually do my homework from school, right after school, so I can go to work...
But when I get home, I'm usually still too psyched to get tired, and usually by that time, it's 1 A.M. and I have to get up at 6.30 A.M...
So, if I can't fall asleep, I sit on my desk - COMPUTER TURNED OFF - have a a couple of cigarettes while I write (sometimes the Bukowski-way, haha!)... It usually helps - if it don't and it' stoo late for sleep - wait with the sleep 'till night after and go to bed early!

My 2 cents, hehe!

- Minik