An essay on a text you haven’t read yet. A group presentation that you’ve been forced to handle the brunt of. A Stute article due tomorrow that you just couldn’t bring yourself to start. We’ve all been there — struggling to finish whatever you set out to complete by nightfall and asking yourself the age-old question: should I skip sleeping tonight and pull an all-nighter? To help you answer this question, I’ve taken up the task of compiling scientific evidence and student testimonies on the topic — written all while I pull an all-nighter myself.
12:58 AM – Contemplation
It’s the end of the day and your assignments have piled up. In my case, that Stute article is really not writing itself. If you’re in my situation, you’re probably asking yourself: should I really do this tonight?
Firstly, consider the physical and mental effects. While your body may experience a weakened immune system and decreased muscle growth/recovery, your mind may become susceptible to feelings of irritability, anxiety, and depression, as well as decreased reaction times and attention spans. First-year Stevens student An Le noted that her migraines had returned after pulling two back-to-back all-nighters, not uncommon for those skipping multiple days of sleep.
Unfortunately for students, staying awake beyond 17 hours can lead to poor academic performance. A 2013 Berkeley study found that sleep helps memories become long-term, unlucky for those skipping sleep to study. After this threshold, humans perform worse than those intoxicated at the drunk driving limit, meaning you might not want to take a test immediately after pulling an all-nighter.
1:47 AM – Getting in the Groove
If you’ve made up your mind about pulling an all-nighter, there are ways to do so somewhat effectively.
Stay well-fed and hydrated to avoid exhaustion. Against your impulses, beware of junk food — lack of sleep can lead to poor metabolization, leading to a temporary pre-diabetic state, as well as susceptibility to illness.
“You definitely should at least sustain yourself, but maybe think about what you might potentially vomit,” said Le on the unexpected feelings of nausea that accompany long hours awake.
3:24 AM – The First Wave
At this hour, many tend to feel the first wave of sleep tugging at their thoughts. As I write, my eyes are burning with the urge to doze off and I desperately need a remedy.
Maybe I’ll blast the AC or play loud background noise to shock myself awake. Unfortunately, however, these common tricks for avoiding sleep aren’t backed by any scientific evidence. Instead, don’t doubt the simple solution of exposure to bright lights; working in well-lit areas spurs awakeness due to light’s role in regulating circadian rhythms, and increasing the brightness on electronic devices will allow you to take advantage of blue light’s proven ability to hinder sleep. Caffeine is another widely-proven method, as it blocks adenosine, which promotes feelings of sleepiness in humans. Coffee is your friend at this hour, so maybe turn to one of Hoboken’s many late-night coffee shops for a fix.
If you’re more of a break-taker than a forceful worker, do just that; research shows taking breaks to do something physically engaging like splashing water on your face or taking walks effectively maintains alertness. Science also backs taking 15-20 minute “power naps,” optionally supplemented with caffeine for an easy wakeup. Be careful with these, however — when done incorrectly, power naps can lead the body into deep sleep.
I think I’ll close my eyes for a few seconds and finish this thought later.
4:52 AM – Home Stretch
Bad idea.
By now, you’ve hopefully woken up from any power nap mishaps and are maybe even alert enough to push through your assignment. This isn’t uncommon. Third-year student Jonathan Ramesh, who boasts at least fifty all-nighters from his time at Stevens so far, described the final stage of an all-nighter as being an energized “home stretch” of task completion.
Unfortunately, this sudden feeling of awakeness indicates a shift in your body’s natural circadian sleep rhythms, which help you feel tired at normal hours. Messing with these may lead to worse sleep for weeks to come.
6:35 AM – The Morning After
If you’ve made it along with me to watch the sun rise, it’s time to recover. Doctors recommend ditching the caffeine, eating healthy, and taking naps to get through the day while trying to return to your normal sleep pattern as soon as possible.
Maybe after all of that, you’re somehow still on the fence about all-nighters. When asked if they would recommend that more people pull all-nighters, our student sources were in accordance.
“Absolutely not,” said Le, “do your work ahead of time and only do them [all-nighters] one at a time. Don’t do them back-to-back like I did.”
“All-nighters will mess up your body for a good amount of time,” said Ramesh. “It’s basically sleep deprivation. If you’re in desperate need to study or do work, an all-nighter is always an option, but I think more people should protect their sleep.”
While that sinks in, let me slink away into my bed to recover from this whole ordeal. Good night — or, good morning, rather.
