While ideally you want to avoid a traditional schedule and keep working until you get too tired, there are plenty of times when you need to stay up longer than your body would like — or even times when you need to forego sleep altogether.
Even with my current 8-4, I try to keep my edge by pulling at least one all-nighter a week. As I’ve learned from Twitter, I’m not alone: Justin likes Sundays; I like Sundays or Wednesdays.
Here’s how to stay up tonight and stay alert tomorrow:
Caffeine — But Not Too Much Caffeine. Stave off your caffeine consumption until you really feel like you need it. Try to space your caffeination out to avoid getting too strung out. I usually sip a venti iced coffee over the course of a couple hours and supplement with a weak cup of coffee or a few cups of tea in the wee morning hours. When the “real” day begins, I have another venti iced coffee.
Eat Light. A big dinner will lead to a serious energy slump that can easily stop a productive night before it even begins. Snack every three hours instead. If you need a short break, cook something instead of resting — it will keep you alert.
It’s All In Your Head. The less you think about the fact that you’re supposed to be asleep, the harder it will be to stay awake. Pretend 8pm is 8am and act accordingly.
Don’t Get Too Comfortable. If you’re in your favorite t-shirt and bunny slippers, you’re not going to work as hard. Remember, it’s mostly mindset!
Don’t Nap! If you’re an experienced napper and you know that you can wake up after 20 minutes with no tempation to lie back down “for five more minutes,” go ahead and risk it. For the rest of us: No Napping!!
Blast Some Music. If your energy really starts to wane, put in your headphones and play an upbeat song or two — loudly. This always gives me an energy surge. (I’ll come clean — awful as it is, “Gimme More” by Britney Spears is one of my favorites for getting a jolt. I also like “Some People” by Linda Eder, “Stand” by Rascal Flatts, and “Fighter” by Christina Aguilera.)
Stay Positive the Next Day. The worst thing to do is to dwell on the fact that you didn’t sleep the night before. Pretend like you did. (Did I mention it’s all about mindset yet?) Don’t complain. Instead, be pleased and excited about the extra work you got in.
and my secret foolproof strategy:
Omega-3s Are Your Friends. Early on in the evening, I’ll eat a small bowl of pasta with a heaping tablespoon of flaxseed oil as the sauce. (Other good sources include walnuts and cold-water fish, but flaxseed oil really packs a punch.) I’ve tried all-nighters with and without flaxseed oil, and my energy simply soars on pasta nights. Flaxseed oil isn’t the tastiest food on the planet, but it’s not that bad, and it’s easy to hide in other foods if you don’t like it.
What keeps you up?
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Blasting music is useful if you live alone. I don’t, so I need to watch my audio output during all-nighters.
However, I have noticed another energy-conserving tip: proper lighting. My office features the deadening hum of fluorescent lighting directly above my (ergonomically horrendous) desk. I’ve noticed that switching to halogen lamps creates a much more inviting atmosphere, which DOESN’T sap my energy nearly as fast.
Also: don’t eat big meals, but do snack at intervals. The act of getting up to nibble on something might be just the change of atmosphere you need to recharge for a moment.
Oh..my..god.. Britney?
I really don’t think all-nighters are good. I’d rather use my time management skills and let nature take its course. At night is when your body heals itself after walking around, running, jumping, or whatever all day. It just goes to prove how insane our society has become that people can’t even sleep anymore. That is out of control.