My tiny baby daughter was born just a little while ago. So I have not been on these forums for a while, and I have been experimenting occasionally with very little sleep (usually she's pretty good, but sometimes...). But now I am back for a few minutes!
Though really, it's something I've done way too often anyway.... My body requires a fairly normal amount of sleep, but it hardly ever really *demands* it. I can pull one all-nighter without ever really feeling sleepy as long as I'm occupied... the only thing I notice is that my eyes feel dry. So I go without sleep every once in a while just because I'm wrapped up in something. Two nights without sleep and it gets painful, though....
My main trick is continuous eating -- avoiding large meals, avoiding junk food or anything that'll give me a sugar rush/crash. You're asking more from your body, so it's even more important to treat it well and nourish it properly.
Avoiding alcohol and caffeine. Seriously, I can't have caffeine if I'm going without sleep because it doesn't make me any more awake; it just really fucks with my mental cohesion... my thoughts just go flying every which way, and if I'm up because I'm working on something requiring focus (or driving...) the scattered concentration is bad. What's the point of being up if I can't think straight?
Things to do for dealing with the next day:
* make to-do lists. I'm noticeably a bit stupid with less sleep, and easily get sidetracked from whatever I ought to be getting done.
* take an extra shower when possible, and (gentlemen) shave if you have any stubble at all. It helps to feel clean and "normal"... dunno why, but avoiding feeling greasy and dirty really helps...
* light exercise (like walking the dog), doing some stretching. Spend more time standing if possible, as long as you're comfortable. Don't spend time in an uncomfortable position -- it might help keep you away for a little while, but it's also wearing you out more.
* as mentioned above, eat regularly, and also stay well-hydrated (not with highly-sugared drinks, though...).
* avoid tasks requiring extended concentration -- long-distance driving is the big one; the forced concentration starts to actually hurt after a while when I'm short on sleep. If I have to do this, I sing, loudly and constantly, and keep my body moving (drumming on the wheel, tapping feet, etc.), eat constantly, and stop for breaks whenever I can (maybe to nap, but more often just to walk around thinking nothing but getting the blood moving). I've had to go as far as slapping myself continuously in the face to stay on the road... that feeling truly sucks and driving while *that* tired should probably be illegal.
