10 Other Ways to Ask “Are You Still Awake?”

Are you trying to send a late-night text message, but you’re worried your friends might be sleeping?

After all, the last thing you’ll want to do is wake them.

This article will explore some helpful alternatives, showing you how to ask “are you still awake?”

• Are you up?
• Still up?
• You’re not sleeping, are you?
• Don’t suppose you’re still awake
• Are you burning the midnight oil?
• Is sleep eluding you?
• Too wired to sleep?
• Have you decided to stay up?
• Have I caught you while you’re still awake?
• I need a late-night chat

Keep reading to learn how to ask if someone is awake or not. It’s best to use a few other terms to keep your text message polite and friendly.

1. Are You Up?

One of the best places to start is “are you up?” It’s a very common conversational text message phrase. It works well as an alternative here.

We recommend using it when asking a friend for help. It shows you’re reaching out in the middle of the night and would like to find out whether they’re awake an able to help you.

It’s quite polite and shows you don’t want to disturb the recipient. You should start most text messages like this when you think your friend might be asleep.

You should also review these text message samples:

• Are you up? I suppose I can wait until morning if I need to, but I’d very much like to hear your opinion on this.
• Are you up? Because I’m having a tough time understanding what I’m supposed to do here.

2. Still Up?

For a more conversational alternative, try “still up?” It’s a simple question that works well when messaging friends.

As you can tell, it removes “are you” from the sentence. In long form, it would look like this:

• Are you still up?

However, you can just use “still up?” as a question in text messages. After all, text messages do not require perfect English.

It’s a great way to ask quickly whether someone is awake and ready to talk to you. If they are, they can let you know immediately. And if not, they can leave it until the next morning.

Here are some great text message examples to help you as well:

• Still up? Good. I have to talk to you about something, and I’m going to need your full attention right now.
• Are you still up? I don’t know who else to talk to, and I could really use your help.

3. You’re Not Sleeping, Are You?

It’s worth using “you’re not sleeping, are you?” in slightly more professional contexts. Don’t get us wrong; it won’t work in emails, but it’s better suited to more formal communication.

For instance, you can use it when messaging a colleague. It’s a great way to show that you’d like to hear from them but that you appreciate the late hour of your message might complicate things.

The following examples should also help you with it:

• Wait, you’re not sleeping, are you? I’m sorry if I woke you, but it’s important for us to discuss these matters.
• You’re not sleeping, are you? Please forgive me if I’ve interrupted anything, but I need to talk.

4. Don’t Suppose You’re Still Awake

“Don’t suppose you’re still awake” is another way to say “are you still awake?” It works quite well in casual text messages because it shows you’d like someone to be up to talk to you.

Generally, starting a text with “don’t suppose” keeps things friendly and conversational. It’s not wise to use something like this when messaging employers or colleagues.

With that said, it’s a great one to use when messaging family. Try it the next time you need to hear from someone late at night.

Perhaps these examples will help you clear a few things up:

• I don’t suppose you’re still awake, are you? There are some things I’d love to talk you through.
• I don’t suppose you’re still awake. I spoke to Sophie earlier, and I’d very much like to get your verdict on something.

5. Are You Burning the Midnight Oil?

You can include “are you burning the midnight oil?” in a text message to friends. It’s a great phrase to use that keeps things interesting for the reader.

“Burning the midnight oil” is a classic idiom that implies someone is still awake long into the night. Therefore, it’s a fun and unique way to ask whether someone is sleeping.

We recommend using it if you’re keen to get a response from the recipient. It’s engaging and will let them know that you’re up and ready to discuss something with them.

You may also refer to these message samples:

• Are you burning the midnight oil? I’ve heard you’re the best person to talk to when it comes to these issues.
• Are you burning the midnight oil, too? It’s been a while, but I think we should have a conversation.

6. Is Sleep Eluding You?

For a more interesting alternative to include in texts, try “is sleep eluding you?” Of course, it’s a little more sophisticated than some of the other options.

We recommend trying this when emailing colleagues you get along well with. It’s a fairly good option in slightly more professional contexts, so feel free to include it when you’d like to hear from coworkers.

Check out these examples to see how it works:

• Hey, is sleep eluding you too? I’m having a rough night, so I’d love to talk to you if you’re free.
• Is sleep eluding you? I know how that feels. I’m here if there’s anything you’d like to talk about, though.

7. Too Wired to Sleep?

Going back to a slightly more conversational phrase, try “too wired to sleep?” It’s a great synonym for “are you still awake?”

Generally, “too wired” is a slang phrase meaning you have too much energy. Therefore, it means someone has far too much energy and can’t shut their mind off to sleep.

It’s a great way to talk to friends. It shows you’re also struggling to go to sleep, so you’d appreciate it if someone could speak to you about whatever you’re thinking about.

Also, these examples will help you to understand it:

• Are you too wired to sleep? That’s okay because I am too! I’m here to chat if you need to get anything off your chest.
• Too wired to sleep, Amy? Let me know if there’s anything you want to talk about before you go.

8. Have You Decided to Stay Up?

Sometimes, people decide to stay up late. It’s not just because they can’t sleep. They actively choose to stay up to get a late night.

If you know someone like this, it’s worth using “have you decided to stay up?”

It shows you recognize someone usually stays awake until late. It’s a great way to sound more friendly and understanding of the recipient.

Here are some great text message examples to help you:

• Have you decided to stay up? I’m not sure why I’m reaching out, but I think we need to discuss this further.
• Have you decided to stay up? It’d be great to have someone to talk to right now, to be honest.

9. Have I Caught You While You’re Still Awake?

You should use “have I caught you while you’re still awake?” in more professional messages. It’s a good alternative to “are you still awake?” that shows you’d like someone to talk to you.

Generally, this works well when texting late into the night. It shows you don’t know if someone will still be up or willing to talk to you.

This phrase gives the recipient the opportunity to decide whether they’d like to reply. It’s a great way to show them that you respect their boundaries and don’t want to force them to reply.

Refer to the following text examples as well:

• Have I caught you while you’re still awake? I hope so because I’d very much like to get your opinion on something.
• Have I caught you while you’re still awake? There are a few things I’d love to discuss with you if you’re up.

10. I Need a Late-Night Chat

Finally, you can use “I need a late-night chat.” Unlike the other alternatives, this isn’t a question at all. Instead, it’s a statement showing you’d like someone to be awake for you.

You can use it when messaging loved ones. It shows something is on your mind, and you’d like someone to listen to your problems.

If the recipient is awake, they will usually be happy to talk. Of course, you won’t know if this is the case until you use a phrase like this.

If you’re still unsure, you can review these examples:

• Hey, Mark! I need a late-night chat, so I was wondering if you would be available to talk me through this.
• I need a late-night chat. If it’s not too much trouble, do you mind discussing some of these things with me?