How to Pull an All-Nighter
The older you get, the less fun pulling an all-nighter becomes. Of course, no matter how much you try to manage your time and plan ahead, all-nighters are sometimes just unavoidable. Luckily, there are some ways to help keep your brain going until the project's finished or the sun rises, whichever comes first.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
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1
Sit upright at a table. Never work on a bed, a couch, or on the floor -- you will get too comfortable and sleep will take over.
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2
Take some time to rest before you jump into your studying/work. When you come home from work or class, take at least an hour or so to eat and relax before you jump into the all-nighter.
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3
Ask any friends that also have to stay up to join you. Taking little breaks and chatting about anything other than what you're working will help break up the monotony.
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4
Yummy snacks always help. Avoid stuffing yourself with too many fatty and heavy foods. Instead, snack on something light and healthy such as trail mix, fruit, etc.
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5
Avoid too much caffeine. Caffeine only works for a short period of time. As an alternative, drink ice cold water -- it will wake you up and will cause you to make more trips to the restroom, which will keep you up and moving.
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6
Work/study according to a set schedule. Plan to focus and work/study for at least 50 to 80 minutes, then take a 10- to 15-minute break. Repeat this cycle for the rest of the night.
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7
Alternate subjects/tasks every 60 to 80 minutes. This helps prevent your brain from getting tired of a single subject/task.
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8
Keep the temperature cool so you can stay up. Warm temperatures will make you sleepy.
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9
Entertain yourself. Surf the Internet and/or chat online during your breaks. This will help you relax, but will also keep your mind going. While you're studying/working, play energizing music if it won't distract you.
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References
- Photo Credit Thinkstock Images/Comstock/Getty Images
Comments
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DSev101
Sep 30, 2007
For me, listening to upbeat music that I really like helps alot because the temptation to sing as I work keeps me up. Helps on long drives, too. Good advice in this article even if much of it is common sense. Sometimes we forget to do some things that will help. As my mom always said "Common Sense is not always so darn "common"! -
gramkracker59
Sep 28, 2007
sorry not impressed, no real hints besides using common sense.
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Katherine Huether
Sep 28, 2007
I was an English major and all my papers seemed to be due on the same day. After one or two miserable all nighters, I decided instead to become good at asking the profs for extensions on the due dates!
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Mary Ann Iman
Sep 28, 2007
Did you mean for the first letters of each step to spell STAT AWAKE? or did it just turn out that way? Either way that's too cool. Great article. Thank you.
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rudytrevino
Sep 28, 2007
I did my first AND last all-nighter in a Comunications course in college. I hated it! I passed the course with C because I did stay up that night, though.
