If you have ever been up against a huge deadline, then you have probably felt the pressure to stay up all night to complete it. At the time, you may feel like the all-nighter was the best decision, especially if it gave you a few hours to study for an exam or finalizing a huge presentation. 

However, this extra time may not be as beneficial as it seems because of the detrimental effects that all-nighters have on your functioning the next day, and days after that. Continue reading to find out the true harm in all-nighters, and why it's more beneficial to better plan your time than put yourself in that position. 

What is an all-nighter? 

All-nighters are when you forgo sleep to stay up the entire night. There may be a variety of reasons why you do this. Perhaps you are at a sleepover, and no one wants to be the first one asleep. Or, maybe you are trying to study for a test or finish a project. Maybe you are trying to prepare to travel, and want to stay up for the entire night so you can sleep in all day. Regardless of your reasoning, all-nighters normally end up being about 24 straight hours without sleep. 

All-nighters are different from insomnia because they are intentional. Insomnia is the inability to fall asleep while all-nighters are purposeful acts taken to stay up all night. 

What an all-nighter does to you

All-nighters have extensive and dangerous effects on sleep and daytime functioning. Sleep is vital for the body and brain. Skipping it completely can lead to detrimental effects and harm on your thinking and cognition, mood and emotions, as well as physical health. 

All-nighters are associated with poor cognitive functioning, with performance on cognitive tasks equal to those of inebriated individuals. Sleep deprivation reduces the ability to follow instructions, store memories, and focus on completing a task. 

Not only can sleep impact cognitive functions, but can also be dangerous. If you are driving or operating heavy machinery, you have a high risk of dozing off, which can increase your risk for motor vehicle accidents or workplace mishaps. 

All-nighters can also negatively affect your mood because they lead to increases in the hormone cortisol. Cortisol is a stress hormone that peaks in the morning when you awake. At night time, cortisol levels drop significantly in the body. If you never go to sleep, then you never give your body the chance to experience that drop. Increased levels of cortisol can raise your blood pressure, induce feelings of anxiety, and stress, raise your resting heart and respiratory rate. 

Sleep deprivation also increases your pain sensitivity and can impair your physical abilities. Energy levels are depleted, and your daytime fatigue is exacerbated, making it hard to do much of anything. If you're an athlete or someone who participates in high levels of activity, sleep deprivation can also increase your risk for injury, and delay recovery. 

How all-nighters affect sleep patterns 

All-nighters are detrimental for days after them. This is why it's not wise to do them, because the consequences last for much longer. When you don't get the minimum number of hours of recommended sleep, you essentially are in "debt" for every hour you are missing. After an all-nighter, you essentially owe eight hours which can be nearly impossible to make up over just a couple of days. They require days of increased sleep duration to make up. 

After just one all-nighter, your sleep patterns are not likely to be permanently affected. However, subsequent nights of reduced sleep quantity can eventually disturb your sleep pattern to a significant degree. 

Making it through an all-nighter 

All-nighters are not normally recommended because of the aforementioned effects. However, sometimes they are just unavoidable. Therefore, if you ever do have to pull an all-nighter, it's important to maintain your safety and try to stay as alert as possible. 

If you must pull an all-nighter, take advantage of caffeine. It is a hormone that is key to stimulating your brain. Drinking moderate amounts in the beginning of your all-nighter can help you stay awake, without severely affecting your sleep the next day. Steady caffeine intake throughout the night can reduce thinking problems, improving cognitive function (although not to the level of well-rested individuals). 

Another important thing you can do is stay hydrated and keep the lights on. Drinking plenty of water will help you avoid dehydration and also cause multiple trips to the bathroom which can prevent you from dozing off. Light is also important for stimulating your brain to stay awake and keeping your body alert. 

Chew gum and stay active. Both of those actions keep different parts of your body moving, which keeps certain aspects of your brain activated. Chewing gum has also been associated with enhanced attention and productivity. Sugar free gum is the best to avoid unwanted calories and sugar intake. Throughout your time, find ways to get active. Take laps or do short exercises to get the blood pumping throughout your body. 

After you've survived the all-nighter, then it's important to plan how to get back on your regular sleep schedule. Have a plan to get back in bed and how you're going to reestablish your sleep schedule. Make healthy decisions, avoiding high fat and sugar foods and still finding time to exercise. 

Finally, it's important to not make all-nighters a habit. If you are having trouble sleeping, then please click the orange button below to take a free online sleep test and talk with one of our sleep health professionals.  

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene/why-are-all-nighters-harmful