Pulling An All-Nighter: The Right Way

For students across the country, January means the first deadlines and exams of the academic year.

Invariably, after a couple of months of nights out and procrastination, the work mounts up and some last minute cramming is required, usually through the dreaded ‘all-nighter’.

While they’re not for everyone and can really mess up your sleep pattern, some people work much better at night and thrive on the all-nighter.

So, if you do choose to cram all your studying into one all night library session this January, here at Sleepy People we’ve put together this guide to make sure you do it the right way. Of course, don’t forget to invest in a great set of bedding to ensure that when you do hit the sack, you get a great sleep and, to help you do that, we’ve got a range of cheap pillows and cheap duvets, all of which are very student-friendly. 

 

Take a nap

Napping mid-way through your study session is a sure fire ticket for failure as it will put your body in that sleepy state of mind for the rest of the night.

But being prepared and getting a couple of hours sleep the day before can help make sure you’re that little bit more refreshed ahead of your mega study session.

 

Set an alarm

Pulling an all-nighter is no easy task, and there’s every chance of falling asleep at your desk mid-sentence.

So just to be on the safe side, its best to set an alarm anyway because while falling asleep isn’t ideal, it’s far better than sleeping right through the exam!

 

Drink water, NOT Red Bull

When most people think of all-nighters they think of mountains of empty cans of Red Bull, Mountain Dew and other energy drinks.

While the caffeine will give you a boost it can also lead to a massive crash, and will also dehydrate your body.

Water will keep you much more hydrated, which is a really important factor in staying awake, and will leave you feeling much better the next day.

 

Stock up on snacks

Your going to need a lot of food to see you through your session, but its important to make sure you’re eating the right stuff.

Fruit is obviously a great option, full of natural sugars and various carbs, so keep a couple of apples and bananas handy.

Protein is also important, so ordering a big pizza you can snack on through the night might not be a bad call.

Whatever you do choose to eat, make sure you snack little and often rather than making a big meal. The last thing you’ll want to do after a midnight fry-up is get back to that essay.

 

Eliminate all distractions

Much easier said than done in the age of social media, but its crucial that you stay away from anything that might take your mind away from the task at hand.

Firstly, hard as it may be, you’re best to turn off your phone. That way you won’t be constantly checking your Facebook and Twitter feeds every five seconds.

Ideally its best to turn off your internet connection altogether, although this might not be possible if you need it for research (remember, Wikipedia is NOT a source!).

The jury is out on listening to music while you work, it can help some people to work, but to others it can just prove a distraction.

 

Get some sleep the next day!

Hopefully you’ve made the deadline, or the exam’s gone fine, so do you go straight to bed or try and power through with your normal routine?

You’ll be glad to hear the answer is to catch up on your sleep as soon as possible. Staying awake any longer can really mess you up and take you into a slightly loopy, almost drunk-like sleep deprived state of mind.