So I'm genetically nocturnal. I'm just biologically programmed to sleep during the day. Sleeping pills have never worked for me, melatonin is completely ineffective and just causes these freaky surreal dreams that wear me out. I'm sick and tired of all the cheesy blogs and articles that just prattle on about inane crap like eating 3 hours before bed time or making sure you work out or whatever. I could do a full day of work at the office, including a 2 hour commute, spend 2 hours at the gym and top it off with doing my laundry/dishes etc, and at the end of all that I can get into bed and my eyes will STILL be wide open, completely alert. All lights out, no laptop/phone screens, still I'll be staring at the ceiling just trying to fall asleep until it's about an hour before I'm supposed to get up. And at around 6:00 AM I finally start to feel drowsy, the way normal people do at around 10-11.

Anyway, the falling asleep isn't the hard part. What I need help with ASAP is staying awake. I work in healthcare technology (hospital management software and telemedicine) and work is pretty demanding. My old job allowed me the luxury of being a night owl - because as long as I managed to get shit done, nobody cared when I actually did it. It's different now. Multiple meetings with neurosurgeons and ambulance companies every day, I can't really expect anyone else to adapt to my preferred timings. I need to be the one that compromises and adapts to the way 99% of humans operate.

Here's my issue of urgency now. I'm flying out for a conference this Thursday morning. Accounting for an hour's drive to the airport, an hour long flight, and another hour's drive to the conference, I'm going to be completely zonked by the time I get there. Coffee and redbull seem to last barely 20 minutes tops for me. I need to figure out a sustainable way to stay awake, alert and energetic for at least this one day because it could mean a big promotion with a massive raise. I mean I can't chug 12 redbulls.

Are any of you aware of OTC medications that are PROVEN to be effective for this sort of thing? None of that hippie bullshit like caffeine pills that do nothing more than make you pee a lot. I need hardcore, scientifically backed solutions to reverse my biological clock for at least one full day so I can be sure that I'm not disrespectfully nodding off during meetings or getting that glazed over look in my eyes. What can I do to FORCE myself to get a decent nights sleep, and if that fails, FORCE myself to be as alert and awake as possible the following day?