First "all-nighter"

[Saleg]

Hi. I'm new to this whole sleep-deprivation thing. I'm currently two
days in with no sleep. I originally started this as an attempt to
perform an experiment (with me the guinea pig) as to how sleep
deprivation effects ADHD symptoms. I've pulled a few "all-nighters"
myself, but for the first time, I'm doing this by my own choice and
doing it for an extended period. I'm really wanting to go for three
days minimum. That being said, I've hit a snag. Everything I eat winds
up just making me want to lay down and snooze, and that's WITH
caffeine (my first time needs help, and it's a crucial aspect of a
hypothesis I have). Can anyone recommend any food that can cut out a
small bit of the exhaustion without the inevitable crash of a sugary
food?

[Ben]

Definitely - try nuts, cereals and anything with lots of protein and minimum sugar/minimum fat. Carbohydrates will only slow you down. Also I find that a brisk period of exercise (i.e. fast walking) and staying cool really makes a difference-although for extended periods of sleeplessness this is only a temporary fix. If you get deserate an icy cold shower does the trick nicely for 20 minutes or so. Good luck!