How to stay awake

iblackerj · Jan 20, 2026

In a 10-hour poker block. Is there a way to stay awake?

tuitui · Jan 20, 2026

Good sleep the last night and you will be fine! And choose food with slow carbs to keep energy levels balanced. If you are playing online, treadmill (the sort of you can use with office standing desk) is great. I can walk hours and play poker, best purchase ever!

antonis32123 · Jan 30, 2026

If I don't schedule it , if I don't prepare my self and sleep enough before the tourney begins , then I cannot stay awake , not 10 hours , but maybe not even 3-4 hours at night . When I used to play many tourneys or sats at night that was a problem cause very rarely I would have slept before the game . That was very bad for the experience of the gameplay .

Happy Bobi · Jan 30, 2026

iblackerj said:
In a 10-hour poker block. Is there a way to stay awake?

Why play so long and so much?
If poker is your source of income and you play 10 hours a day, then you are clearly a workaholic, and over time this will affect your health. In my opinion, 5-7 hours of play per day is more than enough.

Ketoupitou · Jan 30, 2026

I eat to stay awake. I know it’s not the best.

bremp555 · Jan 30, 2026

Playing a 10 hour poker block is much more about managing energy than just forcing yourself to stay awake. The biggest mistake I see is people trying to solve this only with caffeine. That might work for a couple of hours, but it usually leads to crashes, jitters, or bad decisions later in the session.

What helps me the most is preparation before the grind even starts. Sleeping well the night before and eating a proper meal makes a massive difference. During the session, I try to take short breaks whenever possible, even if it’s just standing up, stretching, or washing my face with cold water. Small physical resets keep your brain engaged longer than staring at the screen nonstop.

I also like to split the session mentally into smaller blocks. Instead of thinking “I still have 8 hours left”, I focus on playing the next 60 or 90 minutes as well as I can. That makes it much easier to stay sharp. If I notice my focus dropping and decisions becoming automatic, I take that as a warning sign, because tired poker is usually losing poker.

In the end, staying awake is less important than staying mentally present. If your concentration is gone, forcing extra hours often costs more than it makes. Consistency and decision quality matter way more than just grinding for the sake of volume.

BillyR23 · Jan 30, 2026

iblackerj said:
In a 10-hour poker block. Is there a way to stay awake?

There are ways to play close to your A game for longer sessions/periods of time and from my experience it depends on the individual... I have friends that can play for 10+ hours with just coffee, coffee and more coffee lol... Usually though, having a good lifestyle helps - for example doing physical activities often(I play different sports recreationally a few times per week and I also try to run daily for like 30 minutes+), having a good sleep schedule, having some other hobbies that can help you relax/get your mind off poker helps a lot too...

Jyco · Feb 15, 2026

When I go deep in a tournament, I honestly don’t feel tired at all, no matter how long the session is. The adrenaline and focus keep me fully awake. That said, having a coffee or something with caffeine definitely helps, but I try not to overdo it. Short breaks, stretching a bit, and staying hydrated also make a big difference during long sessions.

PHX · Feb 15, 2026

successlaw · Feb 15, 2026

Good pre session routine like a good sleep , a gym training and a good meal.
Also during session some coffee , energy drinks or so..

hardongear · Feb 15, 2026

A good night sleep outta and decent breakfast outta do it......10 hours is only 2 more hours the a days work and a lot of people work 10 hours days.

Cheers!!!

sibkaz · Feb 15, 2026

Don't play at night)

TheniT · Feb 16, 2026

To stay awake during a poker session, it's important to maintain concentration on the game; I also like to listen to something while I play.

schtiuky · Feb 16, 2026

never experience something like this congrats

austral · Feb 16, 2026

Sleep 7–9 hours the night before (non-negotiable).
Protein + healthy fats, nuts, greek yogurt, banana, stay hydrated.
Walk during every break, stretch your neck and back, get fresh air if possible.
Mindful breathing, Mental reset after bad beats.

monkeytilter · Feb 16, 2026

BLACK coffee every 2 hours, plenty of water in between and get up and walk about during the 5 minute breaks (you'll probably have to pee

)

machinm19 · Feb 16, 2026

Lots of caffeine for me does the trick. As soon as I eat late at night I feel sleepy so I avoid food until I am finished playing. Everyone has their own balance.

Fallenglory · Feb 16, 2026

Take breaks every 1-2 hours, exercise (just eating outside works too), eat healthy foods.

BrunoFabri01 · Feb 16, 2026

I generally don't start tournaments tired, because if I'm already like this at the beginning, imagine how I'll be at the end. But for very long tournaments, I recommend listening to music, drinking something energizing...

GrannySmit77 · Feb 16, 2026

I don't play 10 hr sessions anymore, when sessions are that long I end up losing money or making bad decisions and loosing chips. I try to play 5-6 hours cash games sessions, max. Obviously for tournaments, take breaks, have snacks try to rest if there are breaks. Even Daniel Negreanu rents a room in the same hotel room to rest as close to the action as possible.

KeyPatience · Feb 16, 2026

iblackerj said:
In a 10-hour poker block. Is there a way to stay awake?

Since I’m sure you’re playing a tournament which is starting somewhere around 7-9 pm at night and so on!
I personally feel having a long pre-planned afternoon sleep will help you to stay awake at night if you run deep!
Also some coffee might help you during the hourly breaks!
Hence, it doesn’t matter how much you’ve slept the previous night but particularly that day’s afternoon nap is the game changer!

Poker Orifice · Feb 17, 2026

iblackerj said:
In a 10-hour poker block. Is there a way to stay awake?

'Winning' helps. Pretty hard to fall asleep when you're winning.

Honestly though, I'm not sure how much poker you've played before but you might find it very easy to stay awake for 10hrs.

As was mentioned above by another poster, I don't get tired when playing poker (online anyways, & not live either unless it's days in succession). For me it's just the opposite, I find time flies by while playing and when I'm done for the day, it's difficult to wind down and fall asleep. When playing online I know I'm always surprised to see it has already reached the next break.

Zorba · Feb 17, 2026

Poker Orifice said:
'Winning' helps.

So does a walk in the park before a poker session.

Poker Orifice · Feb 17, 2026

Zorba said:
So does a walk in the park before a poker session.

Do ya know what works even better for me? Reading a couple posts by that AtiFCOD. Yah... that wakes me right up, lol.

dreamer13 · Feb 17, 2026

To stay awake while playing poker and maintain concentration throughout a long session, it's important to combine proper preparation, physical activity, and environmental control.The best way to stay awake is to arrive at your desk rested. Get 7-8 hours of sleep before an important session.A contrast or cold shower helps to quickly tone the body.

How to stay awake

iblackerj

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tuitui

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antonis32123

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Happy Bobi

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Ketoupitou

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bremp555

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BillyR23

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Jyco

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PHX

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successlaw

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hardongear

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sibkaz

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TheniT

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schtiuky

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austral

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