How to Fake Sleep

Co-authored by Marc Kayem, MD

Last Updated: August 25, 2025 References

Uh-oh; is someone headed in your direction? Pretending to be asleep can give you a way out of interacting with someone and it even lets you eavesdrop on everything they’re up to. We’ve put together plenty of simple tips and tricks together to help you pull off your best sleepy poker face without letting anyone else in on the ruse. What if you’re trying to trick yourself into thinking that you got a good night’s sleep? We’ve got you covered! Scroll to the bottom half of the article for some easy hacks to help you feel energized and awake.

1

Pick a Natural Sleeping Position

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Don't hold anything, put your legs on the bed, and don't pick your head up. If you normally sleep on your stomach, do so when fake sleeping. What many people find is to pretend like you are eating cereal. Not everyone knows if it is real or not. People you know won't find it suspicious.

2

Stay Motionless

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To give the impression that you are truly asleep it is best not to move. Unless someone is watching you sleep for an extended time period, you won’t be expected to move.^{[1]
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3

Close Your Eyes Gently

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Avoid tightly pinching your eyelids together. To give the best impression of sleep, your muscles, including your eyelids, should be relaxed.
- Look down as you close your eyes to keep your eyelids from fluttering.
- Your eyes aren’t always fully closed when sleeping. Let your eyelids droop and close gently; you may still be able to see out of the slit of your eyelids.
- To fake REM sleep (the deep stage sleep when your eyes move rapidly) look from side to side quickly with your eyelids closed.
- You can even twitch the muscles in your face. Try twitching your forehead and jaw muscles for a convincing effect.^{[2]
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4

Breathe Rhythmically

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You should relax your breathing and try to keep it as even as possible. Count in your head as you breathe in, and then try to breathe out for the same amount of time. Repeat this for each breath you take.

5

React to Noises or Touch

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If you hear a loud noise or are touched, take a short, sudden breath and twitch your body slightly. Even during sleep, our bodies are aware of what is happening around them. Sell your fake sleeping by incorporating what appear to be unconscious reactions to sounds and movements in the room.^{[3]
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- After you have reacted to the disturbance, let your body relax and your breathing return to a slow even state.
- Be sure not to smile or open your eyes, or you will give away that you are actually awake.

6

Keep Cool

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Take off some of the blankets on your bed and turn on a fan. When you have a fan on, it will also drown out some distracting noise, helping you focus on "sleeping".The temperature your body likes best for sleep is between 60–67 °F (16–19 °C).^{[4]
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Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals

Go to source} Cooling down your body and your room can make it less tempting for you to fall asleep, even when you have your eyes closed as you fake sleep.
- Open a window if you can to get cool, fresh air.
- Use an ice pack to keep yourself cool under the covers if you live in a hot place.

7

Use Headphones

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Put in earbuds secretly and listen to loud, fast music. Use your hair or blankets to cover the headphones. Exciting music can boost your adrenaline levels, which can in turn keep you awake while you’re pretending to sleep.^{[5]
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- Pick upbeat rock, hip hop, or EDM songs and stay away from soothing classical music, which can make you sleepier.^{[6]
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8

Do Mental Math

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Do complicated calculations as fast as you can in your head. Boring tasks are proven to make you sleepier, but fast paced tasks can keep you more alert.^{[7]
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Research source} Try subtracting random numbers or multiplying two- and three-digit numbers as a way to keep your brain engaged.
- Pick a random number and subtract by 7 for as long as you can until you get to negative numbers.

9

Move Around

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If there’s no one around, sit up straight to signal to your body that it’s not actually time to sleep.^{[8]
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University of Rochester Medical Center
Leading academic medical center in the U.S. focused on clinical care and research

Go to source} If someone walks in while you're sitting up, just pretend like you got startled awake from a dream. Then, lie back down and close your eyes again.

10

Have Caffeine

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Hide something caffeinated nearby to secretly stay up for hours. Grab some caffeinated soda (like Mountain Dew), coffee, tea, or a few pieces of chocolate. You don't need to drink a whole soda or an entire cup of coffee–especially if you don't normally drink caffeine. Just go for a few sips to keep you up while you fake sleep.
- One can of caffeinated soda has about 1/4th of the caffeine in a cup of coffee.^{[9]
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- A chocolate bar has about 1/8th the amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee.
- Put your caffeinated drink into a solid-colored reusable water bottle so it doesn’t look suspicious.
- Leave the bottle on your nightstand or on the floor by your bed.
- You’ll feel the effects of caffeine about 45 minutes after you eat or drink something caffeinated.^{[10]
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  PubMed Central
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- Keep in mind caffeine takes more than 6 hours to fully get out of your system, so you might not be able to fall asleep easily after you do this!^{[11]
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11

Take a Cold Shower

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Jump in the shower for a quick rinse in cold water. The cool water will increase your heart rate and speed up your metabolism as your body tries to warm itself. You do not have to take a long shower, just a minute will do.^{[12]
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12

Complete Your Morning Routine

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Getting out of your pajamas and into nice clothes for the day is the first step to appearing awake. Complete your morning routine such as washing your face and putting on makeup to keep up appearances.
- Apply a face cream that contains caffeine to reduce puffiness under the eyes.
- Go through the actions as if you had a full night’s rest to keep your routine from being sabotaged by a lack sleep.
- Sit down and apply a cool washcloth to get rid of bags under your eyes. Hold the washcloth in place for a few minutes.^{[13]
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  Mayo Clinic
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13

Have Breakfast

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Eat foods that contain complex carbohydrates and protein such as oatmeal and eggs for prolonged energy.^{[14]
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Research source} Avoid sugary foods that will lead to an energy crash soon after eating.^{[15]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health

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14

Drink Coffee or Tea

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If you don’t normally drink coffee or tea, a half a cup can perk you right up. If you need coffee to function after a full night’s rest, consider having two cups if you didn’t sleep well.^{[16]
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15

Keep Moving

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If you sit down to rest, your body will feel tired because you missed out on sleep the night before. Try exercising for 15-30 minutes to stave off the sleepiness and boost your alertness.^{[17]
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PubMed Central
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16

Have Snacks

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Keep your energy level from sagging by eating nutritious snacks throughout the day. Avoid high sugar foods and large meals so that you don’t experience a sugar crash or feel sleepy from a large meal.^{[18]
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- Include healthy fats from nuts, olive oil, and avocados.
- Get plenty of protein from sources like eggs, yogurt, beans, and meat.

Expert Q&A

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Question

How can you tell if someone is fake snoring?

Alex Dimitriu, MD
Sleep Medicine & Psychiatry Professional
Alex Dimitriu, MD is the Owner of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, a clinic based in the San Francisco Bay Area with expertise in psychiatry, sleep, and transformational therapy. Alex earned his Doctor of Medicine from Stony Brook University in 2005 and graduated from the Stanford University School of Medicine's Sleep Medicine Residency Program in 2010. Professionally, Alex has dual board certification in psychiatry and sleep medicine.

Alex Dimitriu, MD

Sleep Medicine & Psychiatry Professional

Expert Answer

This is tricky, since real snoring can sound like a lot of different things. Depending on whether it’s regular snoring or sleep apnea, it might be quiet or loud, even or irregular. In fact, irregular breathing can happen when a person is awake or dreaming.

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Question

What happens when you fall asleep?

Marc Kayem, MD
Sleep Specialist
Dr. Marc Kayem is a board certified Otolaryngologist and Facial Plastic Surgeon based in Beverly Hills, California. He practices and specializes in cosmetic services and sleep-related disorders. He received his Doctorate in Medicine from the University of Ottawa, is board certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology, and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada.

Marc Kayem, MD

Sleep Specialist

Expert Answer

Sleeping causes most of the body's processes to slow down just a bit as the body rests, so breathing becomes much slower and regular. If you're trying to fake being asleep, maintain a steady rhythm of breaths in and out and make them very big.

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Tips

Practice faking sleep alone by lying still and breathing deeply.

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Be prepared to “wake up” if you are disturbed while you are faking being asleep.

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You need to mentally stay alert while you fake sleep so you don’t end up falling asleep for real.

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