Pull an All Nighter

Ah, the desperation of an important test the next day, or a large amount of missing homework due 4th period. Whatever it is, the sleepless night before is always annoying. Here's how to pull it off and live safely.

Steps

 * 1) Do your work. Plenty of times, you get sidetracked. Avoid this by setting a constant pace for yourself: 50 minutes of work, and a 10 minute break. Besides, keeping your mind occupied will make it easier to stay awake.
 * 2) Avoid caffeine, if possible. See warnings for reasons why. Drink two brimming glasses of ice cold water every 30 minutes. Not only will the cold keep you awake, but you'll need to urinate very often. It's difficult to sleep on the toilet.
 * 3) Play (softly, if you have a roommate) hardcore metal music. You may enjoy it, but it must be, at all costs, harsh and a bit arrhythmic. Try to stick to instrumental music, which is less distracting. This will keep you from being lulled to sleep.
 * 4) Work with windows open: cold air will keep you awake. Warm air knocks you out. If you find the cold air is effective in keeping you awake, you can even go to the bathroom and wash your face with cold water. Only wash your face if you are getting tired, you don't want to waste studying time.
 * 5) Set your computer screen to a lower setting, (duller and darker) so as not to strain your eyes. See warnings for why not to.
 * 6) Turn off instant messengers, your cellphone, the TV, and do not surf the internet, edit wikiHow, read, draw, etc. In fact, pinch yourself if you do. This can distract you very easily.
 * 7) Do not work in bed, on a couch, or on the floor. If you work in any other place than a cold, hard table and chair, you will feel very tempted to sleep. If possible, work somewhere far away from your room/bed, so it's a pain to go back and sleep. Try to be around some other people, too, so you do not feel comfortable sleeping in your chair.
 * 8) Set a timer, if you're going to nap. Don't nap for more than 20 minutes, and stay half-awake. Avoid napping at all costs, though. "Just 20 minutes of relaxation" will more likely involve you waking up past your class the next day.
 * 9) Rotate subjects every hour, if applicable. You'll quickly mentally wear out on one topic.
 * 10) Work through it all. If you have time at the end, pack up your stuff, lay out your clothes, then set your alarm as late as possible, to achieve the most possible sleep.
 * 11) Try sitting in different places around the room.
 * 12) Remember: if you are tired and are completely slumping over your work, sit up straight. It could immediately make you feel more awake. Yes, it sounds stupid, but try it.
 * 13)  Eat protein-rich foods like sandwiches, cheese, and other dairy products. Sugary foods may make you feel awake for a little while, but can eventually make you feel drowsy. Apples or apple juice also help, especially if you eat cheese with it. Apples keep your blood sugar stable so you're able to stay awake longer, some say they're better than caffeine!
 * 14)  Think positively. Thoughts such as: "I am almost done," "This is actually not too bad," "I will get to see the sunrise," "I will get a good grade" can definitely help.
 * 15)  Get scared. Sure, it sounds silly, but do it. Watch a horror movie or read something frightening. You'll be too scared to fall asleep. Do not do this if there is work to be finished, though!
 * 16)  Note: if you are tired and bored of studying the same thing over and over again, remain positive.  You can even try to make a game out of it so studying won't be so strenuous and dull. (It sometimes helps to time how fast you get math problems done, and try to beat that time.)
 * 17)  Tap your feet! It may seem weird, but it helps for some people to consistently tap their feet. If it becomes a habit, it might just save you from falling asleep at those final dire moments.
 * 18)  Chew gum. Like tapping your feet, it keeps you awake without being distracting!
 * 19) Squeeze and Massage your Ears There are acupoints on your ears, and when stimulated, send electrical signals into your brain. You'll feel buzzed immediately.
 * 20)  Don't eat granola, milk or lemons. These are all foods that will make you tired and sleepy.
 * 21)  Always have the light on. It's hard to stay awake when you're in a nice, dark room.
 * 22) Don't think about anything luxurious, such as being in a mansion or in a hot tub, you will feel relaxed.
 * 23)  Don't write poetry or quietly sing songs, draw, or even play with your hair while day dreaming. This will calm you.
 * 24)  Don't yawn. You're yawning because you are taking in less oxygen, and that means your breathing is steady, light, and slow. You don't want that.

Tips

 * Realize if you are "hitting the wall" and you can't even remember what you just read or you are nodding off involuntarily. Sometimes it's better to get four hours of sleep and cram what you can in the morning rather than be in a complete dreamworld for the test.
 * If you wear contacts, take them out before you start so you're not distracted by rubbing them all the time.
 * Avoid coffee or soda until just before the test. If you drink a lot of it while studying, you will completely crash a few hours later. But if you really must, your best bet is to take a small gulp then sip an energy drink through out the night. It will wake you up then keep you up. Side note, energy drinks have ingredients in them that actually aid memory retention. Also, think about what time you want to go to sleep. Stop drinking about a hour before this time. This will make sure you die down a little so you can actually go to sleep. It's a really good idea to have two cans on hand. One can for the night and another if you need a kick before the test or throughout the day.
 * Spicy food is a great way to keep yourself awake. If you're pretty resistant to spicy food, try some extra spicy Asian Noodle Dishes or Burrito with Habenyaro Hot Sauce. I doubt you'll be able to fall asleep while you're panting and glugging down all that ice water.
 * Before you leave for the test, jump around, do push-ups, and get pumped up and awake. Be ready to do well on the test. You worked hard for it, and you probably know a lot more than you think.
 * If you feel your eyelids drooping: pinch yourself, rub your face with a piece of ice, stand up, run in place, and do a few jumping jacks to get an adrenaline rush, or, if at worst, take a ten minute nap. Be careful with naps! (See below for how to nap in an all-nighter.)
 * Napping: Take them for about ten minutes. Set a loud timer to wake you up, and stay half-awake. Short naps refresh you. Anything longer and you'll fall into a deep stage of sleep, which will leave you groggy when you are forced awake.
 * Taking a cold shower can be very refreshing. Also, cold air keeps you awake and so does cold water or ice.
 * Work with good lighting. You don't want anything too bright, but too dim and you'll doze.
 * Don't nap! Eat high-protein foods on an infrequent basis through the night: smoothies, cheese, a sandwich, a plate of stew will all keep your energy levels as high as they are during the daytime.
 * If you are using Microsoft Word, you can set the screen to blue with white text in the Tools > Options > General menu. This helps reduce eye strain.
 * If you are using Emacs you can change the background color with M-x set-background-color. This helps reduce eye strain.
 * If it can be helped, never pull an all nighter. Avoid this by keeping up with your study schedule ahead of time.
 * Never do one alone. Staying up and doing the work with "responsible" friends makes it easier. (These are friends who are responsible now that the paper and/or project is due.) They will help you stay on track so not only can you stay awake but you can all get your assignments done.
 * Watch your time. It will not do to work on the project all night only to miss your class. Don't rush. You have all night, but also don't procrastinate any further. Neither will have a good grade outcome.
 * Have a good time! As hard as this sounds, you need to not want to go to bed! Instead of napping, take those ten minutes to put on your favorite music and dance around. You'll be exhausted bodily, but your mind will be completely refreshed. If you're doing this with friends, keep each other motivated and laughing. If you're all by yourself, and have comedy tapes, put those on. Avoid movies, however, or things with plot. You won't be able to concentrate on your work if you are trying to follow the intricacies of "The Usual Suspects".
 * Music channels and news channels work very well because they don't demand your attention all of the time, and yet are interesting enough to keep your attention and keep you awake. They may be somewhat of a distraction, but if it's just books you're poring over for hours and hours, it'd be a lot harder to keep going.
 * This sounds like a joke, but it actually works. Buy some Mentholatum (it comes in a small green pot) from your pharmacist. Apply a small layer right below your eyes like a football player. The vapors may sting a bit, but will give you a burst of alertness. Burt's beeswax works well also, but be careful not to put it on too close to your eyes or they'll hurt and start watering.
 * Go for a mid-study run, it will wake you up.
 * This is gonna sound really weird, listen to music from musicals every once in a while sing and dance a long. Yes, even guys... seriously if you're even a guy (as long as you're alone) just listen on your breaks or when you feel sleepy just sing and dance a long for a whole song.
 * Organize your work, your more likely to do it if your book is already on the right page and the worksheet you need done is already out.
 * If you have to go into an exam, try eating bananas, they kill off part of the zombie effect that too much caffeine can give you and they help to keep you focused with a sustained amount of carbs and potassium. One every half hour/question works if you're really in bits.
 * If you are in the position where you are going to be unable to sleep for several days due to work load, it is important to look at the situation realistically. For example, if you have to learn  5 chapters of chemistry, it may be better to learn 3 chapters really well and just skim over the rest and get a few hours of sleep before the exam.
 * Also, do not use too much stimulants. Having too much in your system can lead to test taking anxiety.
 * On second and third sequential all nighters you may find 45 minutes of moderate exercise helps you think (endorphins).
 * If you are prone to feeling depressed when working alone at night, you may find that "harsh instrumental music" will only get you so far. If you need lyrics in your music to keep you going, make sure that they are upbeat and fairly simple or nonsensical so that your mind isn't sent wandering. A few good examples: Owl City, Basshunter, and Mika.
 * Make sure that you make a sandwich to keep you occupied. Go on the internet and surf the web for things to do. Draw, play games, and watch romantic films if you cry easily. When you cry it is easier to stay awake because you can't cry when you are sleeping. Paint your nails or do a buff maincure and pedicure and you will have some more things to do. Good Luck!!

Warnings

 * Caffeine and Sugar: Both, while giving you a temporary high, will induce a "crash" which will only make you more tired. These are both to be avoided, as they'll screw up any chance of performing life-like in class or work the next day. If you are used to coffee, know what it does to you and feel you can get it all done by the time you "crash", it may be worth it. Never drink energy drinks.*
 * Drinking too much water will cause you to urinate often. This can be very dangerous as you lose minerals and salts in some cases it can be fatal.
 * Eye-strain: This is caused by excessive tiredness, reading in bad light, or staring at computer screens for long times. Take a break at reading or computers every ten minutes, simply by turning your head and looking around the room for a few seconds.
 * Pulling multiple all nighters within a week can really take its toll on anyone.
 * Pills - While there are a range available, the more innocuous might appear to be caffeine pills. These can make you so alert, you'll be thinking you spotted little green men running by your window - no one needs to be that alert.
 * Be careful about driving and operating machinery after an all-nighter.
 * Take a shower and freshen up every so often.
 * If you are going to be pulling sequential all nighters, It is not recommended you use of stimulants. It is easy to get addicted if they are being used on a regular basis.
 * Try to avoid pulling all-nighters if you can, for your body needs sleep, and staying up all night can be quite unhealthy.
 * Don't drive when pulling an all-nighter. Being severely drowsy behind the wheel or unsettled from all the caffeine is a recipe for disaster.
 * Make sure if you are going to pull an all-nighter, you know what your doing. Make sure you leave all bedroom doors open because if you get too tried you could walk straight into them. Also, try your hardest not to pull an all-nighter because your body and cells and systems need you to sleep unless you could get sick. We wouldnt want this to happen. Please be careful.
 * Please be safe! We don't want any injures or horrible things happening while pulling an all-nighter. Thank you. 

Related Tips and Steps

 * How to Create Good Study Habits for Exams
 * How to Study Better
 * How to Know How Much Sleep You Need
 * How to Cope With Repeating a Grade
 * How to Avoid Repeating the Old Same Mistakes All over Again
 * How to Stay Awake All Night at a Sleepover
 * How to Pull an All Nighter With a Friend