NationStates Jolt Archive

We've all been there: Thing X needs to be done overnight and you have no choice but to pull an all-nighter.
So, how do you do it? How do you remain alert and resist slumber's fell grasp?
These methods seem to work:

Chew gum; lots and lots of gum
Listening to Metal turned up at high volumes
Talking to myself
Taking a 30 minute cat-nap or drinking a bottle of Dr Pepper every couple hours

But I'm looking to expand the list, because method 4 is starting to fail, method 1 is getting expensive (I estimate I've spent about $200 on chewing gum thus far this year), and 2 and 3 are difficult to manage simultaneously.

And (before you say it) I know that I could avoid all my problems by scheduling things in advance and not leaving stuff off to the last minute. I also know that the high I get off of writing papers under impending deadlines is well-worth it.

We've all been there: Thing X needs to be done overnight and you have no choice but to pull an all-nighter.
So, how do you do it? How do you remain alert and resist slumber's fell grasp?
These methods seem to work:

Chew gum; lots and lots of gum
Listening to Metal turned up at high volumes
Talking to myself
Taking a 30 minute cat-nap or drinking a bottle of Dr Pepper every couple hours

But I'm looking to expand the list, because method 4 is starting to fail, method 1 is getting expensive (I estimate I've spent about $200 on chewing gum thus far this year), and 2 and 3 are difficult to manage simultaneously.

And (before you say it) I know that I could avoid all my problems by scheduling things in advance and not leaving stuff off to the last minute. I also know that the high I get off of writing papers under impending deadlines is well-worth it.
I do number 3. Not just when I'm trying to pull an all-nighter, but regularly.

5. Grow some balls.

All you have to do is make it through the 4am mark and it is a piece of cake. I stay up all night quite often.

I was considering that tonight, but then I remembered I only got 3 hours last night. And I need my sleep or I end up like the demon bitch from hell. So sleep sometime soon is probably a good idea.

5. Grow some balls.

All you have to do is make it through the 4am mark and it is a piece of cake. I stay up all night quite often.

Yep. And remember to eat a lot and take a shower every two hours or so.

5. Grow some balls.

All you have to do is make it through the 4am mark and it is a piece of cake. I stay up all night quite often.
The problem is: I doze very easily. I can fall asleep sitting up, and remain sitting up while asleep, and lose 2-3 hours easily.

We've all been there: Thing X needs to be done overnight and you have no choice but to pull an all-nighter.
So, how do you do it? How do you remain alert and resist slumber's fell grasp?
These methods seem to work:

Chew gum; lots and lots of gum
Listening to Metal turned up at high volumes
Talking to myself
Taking a 30 minute cat-nap or drinking a bottle of Dr Pepper every couple hours

But I'm looking to expand the list, because method 4 is starting to fail, method 1 is getting expensive (I estimate I've spent about $200 on chewing gum thus far this year), and 2 and 3 are difficult to manage simultaneously.

And (before you say it) I know that I could avoid all my problems by scheduling things in advance and not leaving stuff off to the last minute. I also know that the high I get off of writing papers under impending deadlines is well-worth it.
I find posting on NS General works ok. It depends on having something interesting going on. Also, it would completely prevent that paper frm getting done.

I have also heard good things about acid on this subject.

Pain: Try assaulting your door. This will also throw out some adrenalin.

tea always seems to work for me. Especially green tea filled with caffine. Also, sugar works. i can't sleep while being sugar high.

I have also heard good things about acid on this subject.

It's speed you want if you want to be up all night.

Screw all nighters. If I don't get whatever it is I'm doing done by 11 I'm just not going to do it. I need my sleep. Plus, you shouldn't screw yourself over and wait till the last minute to put yourself in this situation.

Blow off a few push-ups every couple of hours and you’ll feel energized. I used to do sets of push-ups half way through a work shift, when I worked in retail hell, to stop from looking dazed by the end of the day.

Above all do not go near the couch or bed or it’s the end of you staying up.

I have also heard good things about acid on this subject.
I want to actually write a paper that makes logical sense, though, and not turn in an essay on how Napoleon built a space shuttle and flew to the moon where he molested some space cows and then was eaten by his own fingernails.

When I have to pull an all nighter, which has happened to be a lot over these last 7 years of school. I tend to try one of the following:

1. Drinking tea
2. Listening to music (upbeat music)
3. Leaving the TV on (I can't sleep with it on)
4. Working out for a bit
5. Eating a small snack
6. Sitting outside on the porch and studying (if the weather is nice)

You could always not use the bathroom all day. It's pretty difficult to sleep when you're "full".

Screw all nighters. If I don't get whatever it is I'm doing done by 11 I'm just not going to do it. I need my sleep. Plus, you shouldn't screw yourself over and wait till the last minute to put yourself in this situation.
But all of us on NS procrastinate. I do it. Obviously Fiddlebottoms does it. Procrastination is FUN!

This may not apply to you, but one thing I do is try to keep the room I'm in cold since I have a hard time sleeping in cool temperatures, while heat tends to make me drowsy.

It's speed you want if you want to be up all night.
I've heard acid works too. Can ensure awakeness for about 3 hours per hit. Speed would be better because you would type like crazy, and possibly be coherant.

I agree with Forfania Gottesleugner.

However, mine was more of a case of drinking Red Bull / V and gaming that'd get me through the night.
And because I did that so often during high school, now I have no problems with an all-nighter, on the rare occasions, back-to-back all-nighters.
I think I permanently screwed my body-clock :(

Oh, and you can just perform self-mutilation/abuse. That usually works for me. Use a rubber band. It's not permanent.

5. panic
6. calm down

I do these regularly when I got to do important school-work. Last exam I did I forgot to do number 6. I had to skip it after I was half-way and get a shrink to write a note as proof of a panic attack.. :D

Man.. I hate panic attacks..

I want to actually write a paper that makes logical sense, though, and not turn in an essay on how Napoleon built a space shuttle and flew to the moon where he molested some space cows and then was eaten by his own fingernails.

If one of my students gave me that story, That would be an automatic A for creativity. Kids nowadays have no imagination, albeit drug induced or not. I, however, tend to stick to Dr. Pepper and Pixie Sticks...Mix em together in a bottle and chuck it and the bottle explodes...now put that in your body and there's no way you'll be able to sleep. :D

Dissolve a chocolate bar in a huge mug of very hot folgers instant coffee. Slam it.

We've all been there: Thing X needs to be done overnight and you have no choice but to pull an all-nighter.
So, how do you do it? How do you remain alert and resist slumber's fell grasp?
These methods seem to work:

Chew gum; lots and lots of gum
Listening to Metal turned up at high volumes
Talking to myself
Taking a 30 minute cat-nap or drinking a bottle of Dr Pepper every couple hours

But I'm looking to expand the list, because method 4 is starting to fail, method 1 is getting expensive (I estimate I've spent about $200 on chewing gum thus far this year), and 2 and 3 are difficult to manage simultaneously.

And (before you say it) I know that I could avoid all my problems by scheduling things in advance and not leaving stuff off to the last minute. I also know that the high I get off of writing papers under impending deadlines is well-worth it.
caffine pills. take carefully tho.

The problem is: I doze very easily. I can fall asleep sitting up, and remain sitting up while asleep, and lose 2-3 hours easily.

Get up and suddenly exert yourself and then have a drink of cold water. Probably will give you a few more minutes in the least where you feel almost normal.

Couple cans of coke and music is what I usually do. But it's been letting me down as of late. I might try Red Bull next time.

Oh, I sometimes get up and dance to a song. *shrugs*

How long do you have to stay awake to pull an all nighter? For me, it's just 3 or 4 extra hours. One cup of coffee will do it. That's extra hours of night, I mean. Not including the hours I sleep after the sun has risen. Breakfast is served at 10 AM in my house, and god help anyone who calls before 10:30.

Heh, this is timely I'm starting one of those right now to write a policy paper for my Poli Sci class, I sould probably get back to work now.

I want to actually write a paper that makes logical sense, though, and not turn in an essay on how Napoleon built a space shuttle and flew to the moon where he molested some space cows and then was eaten by his own fingernails.
if you want it to make sense, go to sleep and write it real fast in the morning. Or make up an excuse.

But if excuses won't work and you have to meet a deadline, I recommend lots and lots of very hot coffee, crunchy snacks, and very loud, very tacky disco music. I'm listening to it right now. *dances in chair, singing: "Finally, it has happened to me, right in front of my face, and I just cannot hide it..." Mmm...peppy...

Methods I've used to keep myself awake when pulling an all-nighter, in no particular order:

1. caffeine pills (be very careful)
2. situps/crunches
3. cold soda
4. taking a shower
5. drinking very cold water
6. splashing ice water on my face
7. getting up and walking around for five minutes

To pull an all nighter, I need two things.

1. Coffee

2. Push-ups

Coincidentally, those are the two necessities of life :D

Remember, as a Sergeant I had once told me, "Sleep is for the weak, food is for the enemy, and water is a crutch!" :p

Methods I've used to keep myself awake when pulling an all-nighter, in no particular order:

1. caffeine pills (be very careful)
2. situps/crunches
3. cold soda
4. taking a shower
5. drinking very cold water
6. splashing ice water on my face
7. getting up and walking around for five minutes

Number 7 works well. Do that every hour or so.

Let's see...I haven't done an all-nighter since college, and I did two in one week then. One on the way to New York and one on the way back, since we drove in the middle of the night and I can't sleep in a car.

Some words of advice:

1. Keep busy. Boredom is your worst enemy. Do ANYTHING. Physical activity is a plus, but if you're doing anything stimulating at all, it's good for you.

2. Being tired goes in cycles. One minute you could be struggling to keep your eyes open; 20 minutes later you could be full of energy. Get a good adrenaline rush and, no matter how tired you are, you're going to feel like you could run a marathon. Then you slow down and you feel like you could fall asleep even if you're standing against a burning radiator.

3. Don't drive alone. For the love of God, don't drive alone. If you have another licensed driver in the car and you're going farther than about five miles, you're OK. If you're driving from New York to Athens, Ohio on no sleep and no one in the car with you, you're out of luck. Fortunately, I didn't have to learn that one the hard way, since there were other people there to stop me after four hours.

4. In my limited experience, Monster brand energy drink works the best. Vault is garbage. I drank a can of Monster in Chattanooga, TN when my eyes were wanting to go shut, and all the way to Macon, GA, I was wired. I was lucky I could sleep that night.

5. If you're trying to sleep, a ham sandwich and a glass of lemonade is a pretty good call. If you're trying to stay awake, atomic buffalo wings, an entire pineapple, and Monster energy drink seems like a solid choice. If you're like me, caffeine doesn't cut it; I am all but immune to most doses of caffeine.

6. Get angry. Stay angry. You can't go to bed angry. Do something that really gets you worked up. For my old college friend and I, that was Soul Calibur on Dreamcast. He got so mad playing that game.

7. If you have a lingering injury or something bugging the hell out of you, don't treat the pain. For example, I broke my ankle a month and a half ago. If I were trying to pull an all-nighter, I would walk as much on my ankle as I could and try to make it hurt, but I would hope not to cause any long-term pain. This method works mainly if you have little sanity to spare.

Hope this works for you.

Ice cold showers are great too. They also double as a test to see if you have a heart condition! :)

Hacker's Breakfast.

in a bowl, combine a bag of Skittles and a can of Mountain Dew. Eat it like cereal. Piss for hours.

All I can recommend is stripping naked and getting cold someplace. In the snow, shower, pool or whatever.*
Streaking in public most likely gives a big adrenaline rush and good excercise as well.


*Is actually enjoyable while taking sauna.

Personally, I recommend putting on extremely cheesy dance music (I find something like the Numa Numa song to be ideal) and forcing yourself to dance like a moron to it every half hour to an hour or so. If you can sing along, that's actually also likely to be helpful. It's very hard to fall asleep while thrashing about wailing "Numa numa ie! Numa numa ie! NUMA NUMA NUMA IE!" :)

We've all been there: Thing X needs to be done overnight and you have no choice but to pull an all-nighter.
So, how do you do it? How do you remain alert and resist slumber's fell grasp?
These methods seem to work:

Chew gum; lots and lots of gum
Listening to Metal turned up at high volumes
Talking to myself
Taking a 30 minute cat-nap or drinking a bottle of Dr Pepper every couple hours

But I'm looking to expand the list, because method 4 is starting to fail, method 1 is getting expensive (I estimate I've spent about $200 on chewing gum thus far this year), and 2 and 3 are difficult to manage simultaneously.

And (before you say it) I know that I could avoid all my problems by scheduling things in advance and not leaving stuff off to the last minute. I also know that the high I get off of writing papers under impending deadlines is well-worth it.

i prefer to drink alot...has the reverse affect on me...it makes me stupid but happy and gung ho.

just kidding...

I'm pulling an all-nighter right now myself, but this is merely because I need to be up at a certain time to take my sister so she can be picked up at 4:45 AM for a trip. The instant I get home, I'm going to bed. ~_~

Keep telling myself that I shouldn't give up because it needs to get done. That's probably the only thing that works besides taking occasional breaks and listening to music.

I have more trouble going to sleep than I do staying awake, so eh.

kanabia! your legendary wake-up-goo recipe is needed! :D

The thing that always works for me:

-lot's of 'red bull' (10+)
-lot's of cocktails (10+)

DO NOT eat hamburgers after this ...

Treekicker']The thing that always works for me:

-lot's of 'red bull' (10+)
-lot's of cocktails (10+)

DO NOT eat hamburgers after this...

LMAO!

Sit in a really uncomfortable position. You won't like it, but you'll be much less likely to fall asleep. Also get a friend/s who doesn't mind staying up all night to keep you awak my randomly roaring profanities at you and occasionly throwing things at you and punching you in the genitals. Sleep through that.

What usually works for me is sleeping during the afternoon. <giggle>