The Essential Ingredients for Pulling a Successfull ‘All Nighter’

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We’ve all been there before. Whether you were in college cramming for finals after a semester of attending class on a “part time” basis, or you have a presentation to give at work and you decided that “waiting” until the last minute would be the best plan of attack. Regardless of the scenario, no one can escape the dreaded “all nighter”.

First we’ll discuss the applicable reasons why one would need to pull an “all nighter”. While the most common occurrences take place in an individuals college years, there are a handful of other predicaments that require the sacrifice of sleep - at least for one night that is:

• You have an exam tomorrow and you didn’t study last night because it was happy hour at your campus bar.

• You know you have a full schedule the following day, kicked off with a “baptism” for a guy you don’t really likes kid. But since your girlfriends are close, you really have no choice. What you forgot to calculate was the fact you had a meeting with new investors immediately following the baptism, one which you haven’t even begun preparing a “pitch package” for.

• You have a report or presentation due in the morning, but you spent most of your afternoon impressing clients, and by clients we really mean “friends”, by showing how much money your making by treating them to an all afternoon session at. swankiest hotel lounge in town.

You will find a common denominator in all of these. Not only will they require a full night of preparation, but also an alert sense of mind in the morning.. This often times if the deal breaker in terms of pulling off a successful “all nighter”. The individual will make it all the way to morning only to either conk out or find themselves “cracked out” thanks to the coffee, red bull, and caffeine pills they have consumed over the past 6-7 hours. That is why a precise plan is a must when prepping for your 24 hour marathon, one which includes a specialized diet, amongst other things.

OK, now for the preparation. Here is a list that includes the “must do’s” for one expecting to pull off a successful “all nighter”:

• Preset several alarm clocks to the time you have to get up.

• Lay out tomorrow’s clothes and have your suitcase or backpack preloaded with any necessary writing or presentation tools.

• Grab a large quantity of energy foods. Avoid sugary and high-fat foods. Foods high in protein but low in carbs will give you continuous energy without burning you out. Fruits, particularly berries, trail mix, whole-wheat crackers with peanut butter, salads or cereal with low-fat milk all qualify.

• Find a friend who’s in the same boat as you and have them come over.

• Clear a work area. Do not work on a bed or couch. Have a hard table or desk and chair ready to go.

• Tell all your friends and family to leave you alone. Avoid online chatting programs, turn off your cell phone, pretend that you’re not home — anything to avoid distraction.

• Get mentally psyched and ready to go.

Now that you’re goof to go, prepare to lift off because your day/night/day without a single wink of rest is about to begin:

• Ensure that your work area is not overly warm or dark as this environment would induce sleepiness. Keep a window open or fan running to stay cool, and make sure there are plenty of lights on.

• Throw on a good collection of techno or other fast-paced electronic music. Electronic music will keep you energized and has the advantage of not having distracting lyrics.

• Set a constant pace, making sure to take regular breaks. For example, do 50 minutes of work then take a 10 minute break. Get up, walk around and try to avoid thinking about your work during your break. Getting some fresh air or splashing your face with water can be refreshing.

• Warning: Avoid caffeine if at all possible. Caffeine will only give you a temporary boost and repeated use will leave you exhausted and jittery, particularly if you are taking sugar in your coffee. If you’re pulling an all-nighter to study for an exam, a caffeine-induced crash will only ensure that you’re entirely useless once morning comes. For similar reasons, stay away from pills. Instead, drink a tall glass of cold water every 30 minutes.

• Eat light energy snacks often — every hour and a half or so — to keep energized.

• Warning: Particularly if you’re reading or working at a computer, eye strain can become a problem. When you take a break, try to avoid watching TV or doing other tasks that might strain your eyes. When working, if possible, set your computer screen to a dimmer setting to reduce eye strain. Reduce glare on your monitor by lowering bright light sources directly above or behind you.

Halfway point:

• Do some light cardiovascular exercise to give your mind a rest and reinvigorate your body, but don’t go overboard. Either at the halfway point or at a few points throughout the night (one-thirds and two-thirds in, for example), go for a light jog or bike ride.

• Debatable: Some swear by the power nap while others strongly oppose it. To find some middle ground, if you feel yourself starting to fade, try sitting comfortably and closing your eyes for 5 to 10 minutes just to help put your mind at ease. Have some music playing to keep you awake and distracted. Meditation can be a good stress-reliever, but it might put you to bed.

• Take a longer break. Once you reach the halfway point, take a good 30 minutes off if you can spare it.

• Get psyched. When getting back in the game, pump yourself up. Focus your mind. Yell out loud if you have to. Punch the air. You’re the man!

Nearing the end:

• Nearing the end of the road you may find your mind starting to stray. Stay focused.

• Try to enjoy yourself. Film a little monologue at four in the morning — an inspiring memento for you to look back on and laugh.

• Know when to throw in the towel. Once your brain is fried, there’s no sense in pushing things. Take the rest of the night off to relax.

• Eat a light breakfast and take a quick shower right before go time. If absolutely necessary, have some coffee just prior to your exam/presentation — this is the only safe time to do so.

• Never again. Be smart; don’t let it come to this again.Now folks this will get you through the dreaded all nighter, that is not at question. However it must be said that sleep is - well, neccessary, and for some people alot of sleep is neccessary. So do yourselves a favor and pull all nighters only when a absolute must - if you start making a habit of them, nothing good will come as a result.

This will get you through the dreaded all nighter, that is not at question. However it must be said that sleep is - well, necessary, and for some people a lot of sleep is necessary. So do yourselves a favor and pull all nighters only when a absolute must - if you start making a habit of them, nothing good will come as a result.

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