Pulling all nighters
Pulling An All Nighter
All Nighter Tips & Supplies
The Day After An All Nighter
Pulling An All-Nighter
If you're on this page, you probably need to pull an all-nighter for something. Whether you're cramming for a test, catching up on tomorrow's homework, or writing your full 20-page term paper in one night these tips and tricks for sucessfully surviving an all night work/study session will help you immensely.
All Nighter Definition: An all nighter is a last-minute study or work session that takes place the night before an important test, presentation, or due date. In order to complete their goals, the student pulling the all nighter begins work the night before the due date and often works right through the night into the morning, missing a complete night's worth of sleep.
| Hours | Physical and Mental Effects of Sleep Deprivation |
|---|---|
| 0-16 Hours | Normal wakeful time; no bad effects |
| 17-19 hours | Increased tiredness and slowed reactions; this level of sleep deprivation is about equal to a Blood Alcohol Content of .05. |
| 20-24 hours | Minor sleep deprivation. Extreme tiredness, headaches, and dizzyness may occur. 21 hours of sleeplessness is equivilent to a BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) of .08, the legal driving limit. |
| 25-30 Hours | As sleep deprivation advances, your reaction time will severely degenerate and you may experience momentary memory lapses. |
| 31+ Hours | Severe sleep deprivation. In addition to temporary memory loss and the inability to concentrate or think straight, you may begin to hallucinate. Physical effects may include shaking and headaches, feelings of cold and clamminess, aches and pains, and momentary "microsleeps" or uncontrollable moments of unconciousness. |
How to Pull an All Nighter
It takes knowledge and planning to pull an all nighter sucessfully pull an all nighter while also achieving your goals.
Without proper discipline, it's easy to wind up falling prey to tiredness and completely fail to get your work, paper,
or studying done. Some basic tips to stay on track:
- Set up your work area in a well-lit area away from your bed and other distractions like the TV. Working away from these areas during your all-night session will help you to stay focused on the task at hand and prevent your mind from wandering.
- Be sure to keep busy at all times - write down a "to-do list" if necessary. If you sit idle for too long, your brain will find it much harder to stay awake.
- Do not rely on caffeine or energy drinks - while they may provide you with a temporary boost, the crash afterwards is almost impossible to avoid. A cup or two of coffee near the end of your session should be as much caffeine as you use. Instead, drink plenty of cold water and decaffinated beverages like herbal tea to help keep yourself awake.
- Know your limits. If you stay awake for 21+ hours before a test or other important activity, you'll probably be doing more harm then good - that level of sleep deprivation from an all nighter is the same thing as showing up drunk.