I Am in Need of Ideas to Stay Awake a Little Longer at Night

I take a B-complex vitamin. I take one at work and get a shot of energy, but it doesn't last long. So, I take another around 4 or 5. That gives me enough of a boost to keep moving till 11, but I have not trouble sleeping when I'm ready. If I do - I take melatonin and im out like a light.
Also, working out really helps. When I get home from work every day, if I sit, that's it, it's over. I just get sleepy and lazy. But if I keep moving, dont sit, and go workout, I come home energized and task focused. I start cleaning, doing laundry, organizing kids toys. It's a great boost in mood and energy.

How late do you want to stay up? My husband works the evening shift and is not home till 12:30. During the day I have daycare children here so our quality time during the week is much reduced. Sometimes I'll crash at 9 and sleep 2-3 then get up refreshed and do some chores, have some me time before he gets home and we can spend some alone time together.

Try working out (quick walk, short exercise video, etc) to get your blood moving at night. I know that I run every night around 7:30 and on the nights that I don't run, I'm tired much earler.

Do you work out? I find that if I work out in the evenings, it is hard for me to fall asleep. That or a good cup of coffee!

Hello,

I didn't read everyones answer so sorry if I am repeating. You mentioned when you hit the bed. Is your room big enough to fit a chair in it, if so sit in the chair for a few its not as comfortable as the bed and it may buy you a little time. Come up with a set amount of time to spend talking with your husband and when thats over HOP in the bed. :)

This works for me when I need to stay awake for anything because I am the same way. As soon as I sit on the bed for any amount of time I get the overwhelming urge to lay down and go to sleep.

Hope this helps!

I need 8 to 9 hours asleep daily. I had such a hard time getting up without. This can not be normal for a girl that is 34 years old! I started taking vitamins and my energy has increased. The vitamins have a morning and night pack, which encorporate all the minerals and vitamins you need. I love them. I am more alert during the day and don't go to sleep until later. Go to my website for an article about vitamin absorption. I think you wil find it interesting. www.aturningpoint.net

If you are working and have an hour lunch, take a cat-nap. I sometimes break my lunch in half and take a 20 minute nap and set my phone, even if I'm just putting my head down on a table. I also have done that in my car in the parking lot (doors locked). I am always exhausted but usually can't get in to bed until 12:30 or 1:30 on a good morning and am up by 7:15 for work, but I used to go to bed much later. (I'm 9 months pregnant with my 3rd, so I've been heading to bed earlier and leaving my husband up--I totally understand you wanting to spend more time with your husband because I fall asleep sitting on the couch with mine and it has always been a struggle for me to stay awake. He works evenings and has had insomnia most of his life, so he is almost always up much later than I am.)

Another idea would be to work out right after work--it might give you a second wind to keep you awake. Drink lots of water, but not right before bed--water wakes me up more than coffee in the evening sometimes. Play a game with your husband instead of sitting around, which makes it easier to fall asleep. Board games or thinking games might work or something more fast-paced. If he is home, though, make sure you are still getting enough sleep. You mentioned when you get to bed, but not how many hours you sleep. I can sort-of function if I get at least five, but really do better with six, so when I'm only getting 4 or 5 I shut down completely.

The only thing that works to help me stay up past 10 is to either take a brief 20 minute nap around 8pm or drink a mountain dew or cup of coffee around that time, or both!

Good luck!

ummm instead of talking have some "fun", or do some "favors" to make him feel better...that would help him sleep too=) Suprise him and do it spontaneously.......thats what i would do atleast

While you may love your husband and desire to support him by staying up late with him every night, what's in it for you if you are waking up exhausted the next day only to find yourself trying to find yet another way to stay up late another night? Your husband doesn't want to take pain medication, that is his choice, not yours and therefore he is the one not sleeping well. You need to take care of yourself so that you can be there to care for the house, the children, and your husband. I can almost guarantee you that if you get a good nights sleep, you won't feel so exhausted the next day and perhaps staying up a little later won't be so problematic for you. Tell your husband you love him but that you need to sleep. He should be understanding. Many nights my husband stays up late (I'm a full time SAHM, my husband works M-F) and I'm pregnant with our 4th child and I suffer from insomnia when I'm pregnant so my husband tries to stay up later with me. He falls asleep on the couch next to me or dozes while I'm talking to him. Do you think I think he is helping me by falling asleep? No, I tell him to go to bed. He's the one who has to wake up early to be at a job by a specific time. My "job" is our children and the house and whenever I get a chance, I take a nap during the day.

Well you could try having just a tad bit of caffeine right around 6 or 7, like a cup of green tea...It is kind of hard because your body probably needs that sleep which is why you are tired. Staying up later may make you groggy in the AM.