By Dessa Bayrock (The Cascade) – Email
Print Edition: April 9, 2014
Let’s start off with the most obvious fact: all-nighters are not good for you. Alarmist studies warn that in extreme cases, repeated sleep loss can cause brain damage. Best-case scenario, you’ll most likely spend the next day in a fog, unable to concentrate.
But at the end of semester, crunch time can get the better of even the best-intentioned student. Faced with a blank page and a due date less than 24 hours away, staying up all night ‘til the sun comes up starts to look pretty damn attractive if it will mean finishing the assignment.
But if you’re settling in for an all-nighter, there are several important things to keep in mind, and a handful of tricks and tips to help you make the most of your late, late night.
Know your working peak
You most likely have a sense of when you are able to be your most productive self, so use that to your advantage. If you’re a morning person, it might be more to your advantage to make it an early night and wake up earlier to get work done. If you’re a night owl, then an all-nighter might be just up your alley. But there is no sense in staying awake if you know you’re likely to zone out after 11.
Caffeine is the enemy
It may seem counter-intuitive, but put down the coffee. A steady stream of caffeinated beverage may seem like the best guide through the bowels of late-night study sessions, but it will turn on you more quickly than you imagine. Too much coffee, tea, or energy drinks will soon result in tremors and twitches, as well as frequent trips to the loo — the twin enemies of productivity. You don’t need to cut yourself off entirely, but pacing — and hydration — is paramount. Match caffeine intake with water, and drink sparingly.
Eat good food; take good breaks
Plan some hearty snacks in advance; cheese, pickles, crackers, or meat will fill you up without making you feel bloated. Take a dedicated five-minute break every few hours to get up, prepare a snack, eat, and think about the weather. Hold yourself to a time limit; don’t check Facebook, or you will fall down the well of the internet forever.
Construct a working environment
You know what works for you; sit where you know you’ll be able to get work done. Whether that’s at a table, counter, desk, or in bed is up to you. Other small tweaks your working environment can also go a long way. Disable your internet connection (a shortcut probably somewhere in your hotkeys, FN +3 or something similar); open a window to lower the temperature and bring in fresh air to help you feel alert; lower the brightness of your screen to avoid that strained, dry, tired feeling in your eyes.
The catnap is an evil temptress
If you’re an English major or watched Wishbone as a child, you may remember the scene in Homer’s Odyssey where the main character has to tie himself to the mast of his ship to avoid jumping overboard to embrace the sirens singing to him. The same is true for catnaps; although they may call to you, their promises of rest and renewal are false. Once you fall asleep, you’re likely to stay there. If you start feeling drowsy, take a short active break instead — jumping jacks, push-ups, or a walk around the block will have you feeling more alert in no time.
Finally, skip the true all-nighter; plan to sleep before tomorrow
If you plan to stay awake for 24 hours straight, you’re going to have a bad time. Around hour 20, you’ll be useless to yourself and everyone around you — and staring 24 hours of wakefulness in the face is intimidating. Instead, take it one step at a time; plan to work only until you finish your work, and include at least an hour of sleep in that plan. Set a reasonable goal for every hour to make the work seem more manageable.
