Stay Awake During Class

Staying awake in class is important. Sleeping during class leads to lower grades and poor performance. Many teachers also punish students who sleep during class. To avoid getting in trouble and letting your grade slip, you should stay awake in all your classes. To stay awake during class, participate, use body positions that keep you alert, eat a good breakfast, and get a good night’s sleep.

Steps

Engaging in Your Classes

  1. Participate in class. If you are participating in class and engaged in your learning, you will not want to sleep. Start by actively listening to what the teacher and classmates are saying. Think about what they are saying, commit information to memory, decide if you agree or not, and think of ways to respond.[1]
    • Ask questions, answer questions, and respond to other people’s remarks. This can help you stay awake.
  2. Take notes. Note taking is a great way to stay awake in class. This gives you something to physically do, which can help you stay awake. Movement is a good way to keep yourself from getting drowsy.[2]
    • Even if it’s a discussion, jot down ideas your classmates are saying. If you goal is to stay awake, write down everything they say. Doing something will help the class go by faster and you won’t fall asleep.
  3. Try doodling. Doodling in the margins of your notes may help you stay awake during class. Moving your hand can keep you from falling asleep while you listen to the lesson. Try illustrating what your teacher is talking about if you can.[3]
    • You should use this with caution because you don’t want to ignore your teacher and the lesson because you are drawing on your paper.
    • This method works well if you are an auditory learner and can remember stuff from hearing it but not writing it down.
    • You may want to save this method for when you have tried everything else but cannot stay awake.
  4. Ask a friend to help you stay awake. If you are unable to stay awake, ask a friend in your class to help keep you awake. They may poke you if they see you nodding off, or nudge your arm if you start to close your eyes.[1]

Encouraging Physical Alertness

  1. Sit close to the front of the classroom. One way to stay engaged in class is to sit near the front of the classroom. This also deters you from wanting to sleep because you are closer to the teacher. Being close helps you focus on the teacher’s lesson instead of daydreaming.[1]
    • Sitting closer to the front of the room can help you focus on the material instead of drifting off and not paying attention. You may see an improvement in your grade.
  2. Move around during class. Staying in the same position for an hour can make you feel drowsy. Move around discreetly so you can get a burst of energy but not disrupt class. For example, you can cross your legs, shift the position in your seat, or bend down to get a new pen from your bookbag.[3]
    • For some people, jiggling their foot or hand can help them stay awake.
    • If you cannot keep your eyes open anymore, you may ask for a bathroom pass just so you can get up and move around.
  3. Avoid body positions that make you drowsy. There are certain ways you hold yourself that may make you want to fall asleep. This includes slumping back into your desk. Sit straighter so your body position is more alert.[2]
    • Don’t place your head in your hands. Leaning against your palm or propping your chin in your hand may make you want to fall asleep.
    • Never put your head down onto the desk. This will more than likely lead to falling asleep.

Fueling Your Body Properly

  1. Eat a balanced breakfast. Breakfast is definitely the most important meal of the day, especially if you are trying to stay awake during class. Eating a healthy breakfast will give you the energy to stay awake and alert so you can do your best in class. Try to aim for a breakfast that has good carbs, fiber, and protein.[4]
    • Try steel cut oatmeal with fruit, nuts, milk, and honey. Stay away from the prepackaged flavored kind. Greek yogurt with fruit and nuts, or an English muffin topped with almond butter and blueberries are also good choices. If you want to eat cereal, look for one with less than five grams of sugar and more than five grams of fiber.
    • Eggs, bananas, strawberries, cantaloupe, grapefruit, oranges, raspberries, and whole wheat bread are other good breakfast foods.
  2. Drink water throughout the day. Dehydration can cause you to be tired and lethargic. If you drink nothing throughout the school day, or if you drink a bunch of sugary sodas, you may end up dehydrated. Instead, drink water throughout the day.[5]
    • Get a reusable bottle to keep in your backpack and refill it at least once during the day.
  3. Eat snacks through the day. One cause of fatigue and sleepiness is low blood sugar. If you are not getting enough food throughout the day, you may start to feel groggy and want to sleep. Eat a snack that will give you energy. Avoid sugary snacks because that will cause you to crash later in the day.[6]
    • Find snacks with complex carbs and proteins, like nut butters with apples or bananas or granola with berries.

Energizing Your Body

  1. Socialize with your friends throughout the day. Your mood can influence how tired you are. If you are down or keeping to yourself, you may feel sleepy. Instead, try to talk and interact with friends or classmates when you can to help keep you happy and excited.[7]
    • Don’t talk to your friends during class because you may get in trouble. Instead, talk to them between classes, during lunch, and during any downtime.
  2. Adopt a regular sleep routine. Going to sleep and waking up at the same time each day can help your body set up a rhythm of sleeping and staying awake. This can help you not want to sleep during class. Instead, your body will know that it is time to be awake and alert.[1]
    • Teenagers should get between eight and ten hours of sleep, while young adults should get seven to nine.[8]
    • You should keep this sleep routine even on the weekends. This helps train your body and discourages you from feeling tired on Mondays during class.
  3. Get more exercise. Regular exercise helps boost your energy levels and fight fatigue. If you are always sedentary and don’t move, that can lead to feeling tired and sleepy. Start exercising at least a few days each week to keep you from crashing in class.[9]
    • Try to get half an hour of exercise four to five days each week. If you’ve never exercised before, start with three days.
    • Any kind of physical activity can help with your energy levels. Walking, cycling, strength training, swimming, dancing, or yoga will help fight fatigue.

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 http://trc.cbwchc.org/2015/how-to-stay-awake-in-class/
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://owlcation.com/academia/How-to-Stay-Awake-in-Class
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 http://degreesearch.org/blog/the-art-of-staying-awake-during-class/
  4. ↑ http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20676415,00.html
  5. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/you-illuminated/201010/why-your-brain-needs-water
  6. ↑ https://sleep.org/articles/snacks-that-keep-you-awake/
  7. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/boost-energy#2
  8. ↑ https://sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need
  9. ↑ https://www.acefitness.org/acefit/fitness-programs-article/2742/ACEFit-workout-advice-and-exercise-tips/

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