All Nighters/Wakefulness Tips

Gamble · Post by **Gamble** » Mon May 07, 2007 2:08 am

This week happens to be that of my finals for this semester. I am hoping that I can go through requiring only ~10-15 hours of sleep in the next four days. Anyone have any tips or advice to keep my body awake for all that time in between? I mean it shouldn't be too hard the first couple days but I will be in bad shape by about Wednesday, and most likely already sick. Anything useful would be great. I know the basic Ritalin/Adderall solution, but that is illegal, and I would NEVER take drugs illegally.....(can't you taste the sarcasm in that statement?) But I was just pondering new ways to not sleep, and found I was coming up empty.

bubba · Post by **bubba** » Mon May 07, 2007 5:33 am

I used to do the school/full time job + over time thing way back when, I just drank a lot of Mountain Dew.

Its amazing what the body can get used to, after a couple months with the soda I weened off of it and I could pull a 80 hour work week on 4 hours sleep a night. Down side is after about 4 years of that I looked like ****, people thought I was 10 years older than I really was.

kappage · Post by **kappage** » Mon May 07, 2007 6:19 am

damn, well i find at lanpartys caffeine tablets are good took for at one go before didnt sleep for a few days but i felt like ****

Sporg · Post by **Sporg** » Mon May 07, 2007 7:33 am

I find caffeine pills every 4 hours works, and as you start losing energy decrease the time between doses... Once you go below the 45 minute mark put toothpicks in your armpits - that will let you squeeze out another day or so. The key is not to hit the caffeine too soon and to moderate it - small, frequent doses.

Yah, you take the toothpick and adjust the length if you need to. Stick it between your arm and body, up by the armpit. It will puncture your skin and be annoying. Every few hours clean it out with alcohol, this will help keep it disinfected and also give you a good burn.
*Stupidity disclaimer - if someone tries the toothpick method and gets an infection and has to go to the hospital, then you are complete moron*

Post by **DMB2000uk** » Mon May 07, 2007 8:02 am

It is be too late for this to kick in and work, but become a polyphasic sleeper.

Dan

Sporg · Post by **Sporg** » Mon May 07, 2007 8:33 am

Oh yah, I've read about that. It seems kinda cool, don't know how that would work at work though. Imagine being in the middle of a meeting, "oh, so sorry, sleepy time."

stopthekilling77 · Post by **stopthekilling77** » Mon May 07, 2007 10:28 am

hmmm

if i weren't so tired, i'd read up more on it. talk about a snag in research

Alathald · Post by **Alathald** » Mon May 07, 2007 11:37 am

get a nice big bag of coffee beans and eat em like candy...not only does the bitterness of the beans help but of course, there's alot of caffene in the beans
Problem is after a day or two you look like

Post by **dicecca112** » Mon May 07, 2007 11:50 am

the key is to avoid all nighters etc. Only had one all nighter and I'll never do it again

stopthekilling77 · Post by **stopthekilling77** » Mon May 07, 2007 12:38 pm

agreed!

but good luck with the all nighter thing man! remember that if you DO go an energy drink/coffee bean popping/no sleep route... drink lots of water and gatorade. gotta make sure you're not gonna get dehydrated.

vicaphit · Post by **vicaphit** » Mon May 07, 2007 1:27 pm

it is best to study in small spurts instead of long stints.

Study one subject for 50 minutes, take a 10 minute break, then switch to another subject. Make sure you get sleep though, because if you dont sleep, you will fail all of your tests.

atleast sleep a full night right before any tests, or your brain wont be ready for it.

Gamble · Post by **Gamble** » Mon May 07, 2007 11:54 pm

Two down, three to go, I got about 2 hours of sleep 5 or 6 hours apart yesterday/today, and my next final isn't until 7 PM tonight, so it looks like I can actually go for more than a nap. First final was overstudied and overprepared, second final I studied enough but the test was hard enough it could have taken 3 hours, but of course we only got two. Had to skip 17 points out of 140, but I finished the rest of the problems (hopefully correctly). About the not sleeping thing, I have found that 3-6 hours of studying followed by a 1 hour nap is enough to keep me going for three days, problem is I need to crank out a fourth.

Yesterday I drank a "Spike" energy drink, today three Sugar Free Rockstars and a lot of water, been eating well of course (mess hall on campus, food = **** but whatever, it's vitamins, minerals, and calories, just minus the taste part). So far that makes 2 hours of sleep in the last 48 or so, not due to trying to stay up as much as sitting there in angst and worrying and WANTING to fall asleep. Have spent 5 hours in bed thinking though.

Another weird occurrence, I solved a dilemma I've been wondering about for years (literally) ever since I was a kid and noticed that sometimes when finished showering, the pull-up stopper that is held in place when water is running would not fall right down like it does 85% of the time, instead it would trickle for a while, then fall. I realized it was the pressure holding it in place. After longer showers more water simply built up, and the pressure would keep the stopper in place even after the water pressure had ceased. Yes. It seriously took me 12 years to figure that one out. Oh the wonders of insomnia. Bed time, long day tomorrow...

Post by **DMB2000uk** » Tue May 08, 2007 5:00 am

Wow, i know i couldnt handle that amount of non sleeping. Hope you're able to get some proper sleep now and will be in good form for your next (last?) exam.

Dan

Alathald · Post by **Alathald** » Tue May 08, 2007 12:26 pm

Gamble wrote:Another weird occurrence, I solved a dilemma I've been wondering about for years (literally) ever since I was a kid and noticed that sometimes when finished showering, the pull-up stopper that is held in place when water is running would not fall right down like it does 85% of the time, instead it would trickle for a while, then fall. I realized it was the pressure holding it in place. After longer showers more water simply built up, and the pressure would keep the stopper in place even after the water pressure had ceased. Yes. It seriously took me 12 years to figure that one out. Oh the wonders of insomnia. Bed time, long day tomorrow...

Wow, somebody has gone way to long without sleep...

oh well, good luck on the rest of your exams

Post by **Apoptosis** » Tue May 08, 2007 12:30 pm

Gamble are you around the STL area? I got some Berry X Bomb drinks that you can try out... If not check it out here... http://www.popsoda.com/xtzberrybomb.html

Brian Wallace on the forums tried some of mine and he said it kept him up all night... I drink few of them in a few minutes once and holy crap it gave me hot flashes or something for the next couple hours...

Xperience the Difference. X Drinx are an Xplosive Microbrewed Blend of the finest and most Potent Energy Enhancing Herbs and Extracts - Guarana, Mate', Gota Kola, Ginseng, Betel Nut, Ginko Biloba, Kola Nut, Botanical Extracts, Green Tea and Caffeine for Xtreme Energy.

vicaphit · Post by **vicaphit** » Tue May 08, 2007 3:40 pm

After I have gone a long time without sleep, I start to get epiphanies also...but none of them are logical, or worth entertaining.

I get really goofy without sleep.

Gamble · Post by **Gamble** » Tue May 08, 2007 10:28 pm

Well, the three finals I was worried about are over, and I believe that I can get some good sleep tonight as well. Didn't turn out as badly as I had expected. I only have one a day for the next two days, so studying will be easy. I am interested in those X-Bomb drinks Apop...but unfortunately don't live within a few hundred miles....oh well. This summer I'll have nothing but time on my hands and sunshine in my face, and only two days stand between myself and that bliss. Thankfully. Thanks for all the tips guys. I thought about the toothpick thing, then decided that I don't like pain, and that it would be distracting when I study. I'll announce the grades I got on my finals once I get the scores back.