Noncoffee Drinkers’ Guide On How To Stay Awake For An All-Nighter

There are a few things you can’t avoid in college, see your professor, take the exam, and of course having an all-nighter. It is a common thing for college students to have an all-nighter. With all the things you have to accomplish, it seems like 24 hours is not enough. 

Trying to stay up all night is tough, especially when your bed is just beside your study desk. It is also challenging because you are trying to fight your body’s natural process, which makes it unhealthy. According to a study, sleep deprivation can significantly affect your ability to learn and focus. 

One common thing people do to stay awake is to get a caffeinated drink. But what if drinking coffee is not your thing? Can you still keep yourself up? If you are a noncoffee drinker, then here is a guide on how you can stay awake for an all-nighter.

Changing Your Body Clock

The first thing you need to do if you want to stay up late is to change your internal body clock. Practice reversing the time of your sleep. Instead of sleeping at around 8 pm, try doing it at a much later time. This would allow your body clock to reset and adjust to the new time. It takes practice to accomplish this, which usually takes a few days to a week. 

Avoid Energy Drinks

You often see people take energy drinks to help keep them awake. Unfortunately, these drinks contain an excessive amount of caffeine, equivalent to more than five cups of coffee. 

High doses of caffeine can be dangerous, and when it comes to energy drinks, the amount of caffeine in them is hard to measure. So as much as possible, try not to rely on energy drinks to keep you awake as they may cause you more harm than good.

Try Taking A Nap

By getting frequent small naps throughout the day, you can energize yourself, helping you stay up later than usual. It helps reduce sleepiness during nighttime, and since you can recharge yourself, it improves your overall performance during that time. Try to get at least 15 minutes of nap time and not more than 20 minutes.

Keep Your Blood Pumping

According to research, exercising affects your sleeping habit. If you try to exercise late, you will have a hard time getting some sleep. Since your goal is to stay up late, then it is what you need to do. You don’t have to do any heavy exercise; keep moving around and do any physical activity like walking or doing a few jumping jacks if you like. This will allow your body to produce more energy which would help you keep awake at night.

Keep Things Bright

Your body has a natural clock that is sensitive to lights. When it is dark, it cues your body to produce melatonin, a hormone in your body that causes you to feel sleepy. That is why your body tends to automatically feel sleepy every time it’s nighttime. As soon as the sun is up, you feel awake. 

To counteract this, try to use bright lights at night to reset your circadian rhythm. It would trick your body into thinking that it is time to be awake, helping you stay up longer.

Keep Your Gadgets Beside You

Whether it is a cellphone, tablet, or laptop, all gadgets emit “blue light.” Blue light hinders your body from producing melatonin which, as you already know, is the hormone responsible for sleepiness. 

So if you want to stay awake at night, try using your device. The more exposure you have to the “blue light,” the longer it will take you to feel sleepy.

Unless necessary, trying to stay up all night is a habit you should never get used to. The cons of staying up late and having less sleep always outweigh the benefits. So the best thing to do is try to do as much you can in the morning and avoid procrastinating. Learn how to manage your time correctly. In that way, you could avoid having to stay up all night and have a nice quiet rest in the evening.