How do I *not* fall asleep?

Hi, hope you're having a lovely day,

after a couple of weeks returning to practice after a pretty long break, I find it difficult to maintain the focus while relaxing prior to a AP and I end up falling asleep. I use to practice just before sleep (10-11pm) and using the wake back to bed method (at 4:30 am), or prior to taking a nap. I’ve tried reversed counting from 100 and focusing in my respiration.

Does anyone have any tips, techniques, or exercises to stay awake and aware during the process? Maybe something physical or mental to keep focus without disrupting the meditative state?

Thanks in advance! Looking forward to your suggestions.

(Sorry if there’s any typo, i’m not a native english speaker)