I will take short naps.. I also use my headphones for cell to listen to the radio..

i train my sleep patterns for about a month before gun season (I usually hunt the evenings for bow) by getting up a 4 am and either working out, or preparing my hunting gear/watching hunting shows. I also chew coffee beans while on stand to stay alert. I also find that glassing through binoculars frequently keeps me more alert. Finally, if absolutely necessary, I'll lay down in a dried out ravine behind my stand and nap. Its very well protected visually and on private land, so I'm not worried about hunters or deer seeing me or shooting me.

Get a decent night's sleep the night before

Being a 3rd shifter this has to be the toughest thing for me to do. If I am in a tree bow hunting forget it I get down. Gun hunting I am mostly on the ground so I sneak a few naps in plus it helps me stay still. Bonus is if I snore a bit might even call one in.

I fall asleep in a box stand quiet often. Usually dont worry about seeing anything after I wake up, cause my wife says she can hear me snoring 24 miles away. And to be honest, with 2 young kids at home, the stand is one of the most peaceful places for me to get a nap in.

Don't worry kid. I usually wake up just in time to see you go by in the big yellow twinkie. While I'm hunt'n and napp'n yer sing'n "the wheels on the bus go roun and round..."

IM not a morning person at all but there is something about being in the stand when the son comes up. I tend to doze but its a light sleep and every little squirrel, chipmunk and bird bring me right out of it. I just have to remember where I am sometimess!!!! I wanted to get in early next week on a Buck area but its hard to get into without making alot of noise. I plan on getting in the tree around 330 am, strapping myself to the tree and sleeping till about 530 when my vibrating phone SHOULD wake me up!!

My uncle told me once to eat chocolate covered espresso beans.
they have them at star bucks but you can find them cheaper elsewhere.

I usually fall asleep as well...but I sometimes hunt in a buddy stand and I usually get woken up by my buddy blowing the grunt call in my ear....jerk!

A trick that I learned in the service while on perimeter: spread your knees about about shoulder width apart, while sitting, place your left hand palm over your mouth, and punch yourself in the groin as hard as you can stand.

Repeat as necessary every couple of hours. May seem extreme, but it works!