How to Survive Pulling an All-Nighter

Know that you’ll have to miss a night's worth of sleep soon? Here are ways to survive pulling an all-nighter & how to recover the day after.

1. Get Plenty of Sleep Before-Hand

This is a pretty simple tip, but if you know that you're going to miss a night of sleep soon, the best idea is to stock up on sleep beforehand. In the days leading up to your all-nighter get a good amount of sleep and make sure you are well rested. You wouldn't want to start your all-nighter already sleep derived. If you are really tired before your all-nighter you will probably crash and not be able to stay awake. If you skip sleep on the nights leading up to it, you will probably feel the effects of an all-nighter much stronger.

2. Turn up the Lights to Stay Awake

If you need to stay awake to get important work done, then keeping alert and avoiding drowsiness is obviously your priority. Turning all the lights surrounding you on/up will help you stay awake. Bright light will help your body adjust itself especially after a night of no sleep. Better yet, step outside and get some sunlight to help you stay alert. Opening a window and sitting by it will also help you stay awake during or after an all-nighter. You've gotta do what you've gotta do to show your body that it is no time to sleep.

3. Have a Power Nap During the Day

As well as sleeping early on nights leading up to the all-nighter, try and nap during the day where you can. Taking a nap during the day after an all-nighter will help you deal with the sleep deprivation. 20 minutes will do - it does not have to be a long nap. In fact if you nap for over 45 minutes you will probably wake up feeling groggy. So keep it short and sweet!

Within about 10 minutes, you brain will enter a slow-wave sleep cycle which is all you need to recharge. Napping will keep you from showing the signs of physiological sleepiness. This is related to the first tip on this page, but, to survive an all-nighter, go to sleep early during the days after. Give your body a chance to restore itself.

4. Get some Caffeine

Having coffee or another caffeine-based drink will help you stay awake through the night. Caffeine pills will also have a similar effect. The day after an all-nighter you may want to take a power nap, then have a strong coffee as soon as you wake up. However make sure to keep it in moderation since excessive caffeine consumption can lead to symptoms such as irritability and headaches. Have a small amounts of caffeine throughout the day after, but take it easy so you don't end up feeling worse.

5. Hydrate Yourself!

Being dehydrated will sap the energy out of you and make you feel really tired. Drinking plenty of water will help you survive pulling an all-nighter. Keep a bottle beside you the day after and continually drink from it. Having water during an all-nighter will be especially useful if you have been drinking a lot of coffee to help you stay alert, (coffee will dehydrate you). Splashing cold water on your face during an all-nighter is another good tactic to stay awake when you feel tired.

6. Avoid Driving

This is more of a safety tip, but avoid driving after you've just pulled an all-nighter. Driving is one of the most dangerous things you can do after pulling an all-nighter. There are some things you can do on autopilot when sleep deprived, but driving isn't one of them. Driving when you are sleep deprived is about as hazardous as it is to drink and drive.

7. Choose your Food Wisely

Snacking on protein-rich foods will help you keep awake better than carbohydrates which may make you feel sleepier. Avoid reaching for sugary treats or starchy foods. Simple carbohydrates break down quickly and give you a short-lived energy burst, then your blood sugar levels go back down. Instead of simple carbohydrates, eat whole foods that are designed to energise you. Eat foods like fish, chicken, brown rice , nuts as well as fruit and vegetables. These foods will give you a longer lasting supply of energy to help you survive pulling an all-nighter.

8. Don't Do All-Nighters Often

Final thought: avoid all-nighters if you can. There's no point pulling an all-nighter if you can help it. It is better to try and get your work done during the day instead of losing a valuable night of sleep. Prolonged sleep deprivation can lead to physical and emotional issues such as a weak immune system, stress and anxiety. Of course, there may be times where you really need to pull an all-nighter, but if you can avoid it, do!

Thanks for reading these tips on how to survive and recover from pulling an all-nighter. How do you survive pulling an all-nighter? Feel free to comment below.

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