As Legion looms in, and we have less than a week before finally getting our favorite drug back in full swing, I thought I'd post a thread about how best to prepare to the all-nighter some people will take, either to get realm or class unofficial firsts, get a head start on gearing up, or just enthusiasts in general.

- Sleep and rest

Obviously, the best way to be able to stay up all night is to have slept a whole night's worth before hand, and ideally waking up 30 minutes before launch after a good 9 hours sleep. But that is not always an option, and even if you have the spare time, sleeping in the day can be difficult.

• At the very least, try and power nap half an hour to an hour before launch. To be sure you're sufficiently tired to do so, either wake up earlier than usual or do some kind of sport for an hour or two beforehand.

• Don't hesitate to grab a 1-2 hour nap 8-10 hours in (If you're not competing for firsts, that is). Grinding for 24 hours is much easier and healthier if you take just a short nap in the middle than if you just stay up the 24 hours straight.

• Get up every hour and just do a small walk around your house for a couple minutes, as well as light stretching. That will help you stay awake and focused.

- Drinks

• The really bad common ideas : DON'T use Redbull/Other energy drinks, including Gatorade. Energy drinks are good for a very quick energy boost, for instance in sporting events. For long awake crawls, these drinks will leave you dehydrated and worn out. Additionally, avoid all sodas, and even fruit juice (except for 100% orange juice), sugar is not good at all in long grinds.

• DO : Drink a lot of water. Fruit flavored water with no sugar is also good. Carbonated water like Perrier is the best, with a slightly higher sodium content you'll feel hydrated longer. 100% Orange juice once in a while will wake you up better than an Energy drink as well (In fact, if you're willing to, you could even just grind some lemons and just drink Vitamin C directly like that).

• Coffee : Coffee is the drink of choice when you want to stay awake. But don't drink only coffee or you'll crash after 10-12 hours very hard, and it wont be kind with you. Alternate coffee with water in equal quantities, and consume the coffee preferably black, but especially without sugar.

- Food

• Bad common ideas : DON'T eat fatty/sugary foods. They make your liver work hard, and a hard working liver makes you feel sluggish and tired. Common junk food like chips, sweets, biscuits, hot pockets, burgers etc ... will tire your body and brain.

• As always, the best options are common knowledge foods for a healthy lifestyle, but especially applicable if you want to be alert and awake. Meat : Anything lean, like chicken, WITHOUT it being fried. Only grilled / baked if you want some meat , and don't use oil. Fish especially is the best option, something like mackerel will make you go a while. Anything with seeds is a good substitute if you want to nibble, I recommend roasted pumpkin seeds. Brown bread / Brown rice in small quantities will fill you up very easily and will act a slow sugars to help you in the long term. Any non-oily vegetables (like Avocado) is a free for all as long as you're light on the sauces. Finally, fruit will make you go a long way for the sugar cravings as well as the necessary energy to power through. I recommend Bananas over other fruits, though dried dates/figs are great for a quick sweet nibble.

• As for actual meals, meat and vegs stews as well as light (Ie : NOT subway) sandwiches will also help you, but they provide the double inconvenience of having to prepare them beforehand and having to heat them in the middle of the session.

- Music

I recommend using music, even if you're grinding up with other people. Music helps you stay awake and focused, as we all probably know. What kind though is important.

• AVOID high BPM songs. EDM, Hardstyle, Dubstep etc will accelerate your hearth-rate and you will come crushing down after 5+ hours of 150+ BPM music.

• DO listen to anything you like that is chill, to your personal taste. I recommend : Synthwave (The Midnight - Endless Summer); Ambient (Like Space ambient (Astropilot), Psychill (Solar Fields, HIGHLY recommended), Atmospheric Ambient (Ambeam); Atmospheric meditation music (Cobalt Rabbit / Chrypton); or even Kundalini Shakti meditation music (Beware, very low beatwave, can have the adverse affect of putting you to sleep) (I recommend anything Kipp Mazui on the Meditation Music for Spiritual Awakening youtube channel does).

- Final words

• Enjoy yourself, seriously. The game isn't going to go anywhere if you spend 30 hours leveling instead of 25. Don't set yourself stupid goals like "I have to get a level every two hours", do the content at your pace, you'll get to 110 before 80% of the wow population already, if you spend an extra 15 minutes exploring that cave it isn't going to set you back irreparably.

Does not apply to "first" racers, obviously

• Don't take drugs. Seriously, it's a game. Caffeine pills, Adderal, Speed, Amphetamines and subsequently Meth will for sure help you stay awake, but will not help in the long run.

Do not hesitate to share other tips if you have them !

And most of all, have fun people !