Why Are All-Nighters Harmful?

Anyone who’s faced a major deadline, whether for a project, a test in school, or an important business presentation, has probably considered sacrificing sleep in order to spend more time preparing. Pulling an all-nighter — going a whole evening without sleep — is the most extreme form of this sacrifice.

By providing more time to work or study, an all-nighter might seem helpful at first glance. In reality, though, staying up all night is harmful to effective thinking, mood, and physical health. These effects on next-day performance mean that pulling an all-nighter rarely pays off.

What Is an All-Nighter?

An all-nighter is when you skip your normal time for sleep, instead of staying up through the night. In sleep science, this type of extended period with zero sleep is known as total sleep deprivation.

If you wake up at 8 a.m. and then pull an all-nighter, at 8 a.m. the next morning you will have experienced 24 hours of total sleep deprivation. This clock keeps counting up until you get to sleep.

Although not a technical term, an all-nighter is typically thought of differently than sleep deprivation from insomnia, which occurs because a person is unable to sleep even though they have the opportunity to do so.

Instead, all-nighters are associated with voluntarily skipping sleep. They are often tied to deadlines for school or work. People who work night shifts and have daytime obligations may be forced to pull all-nighters. In other cases, a person may stay up all night for leisure, such as being engrossed in a book or TV series, playing video games, or partying with friends.

How Does an All-Nighter Affect You?

All-nighters have extensive and potentially serious negative effects. Sleep is vital to the proper functioning of the body, and completely skipping a night of sleep can harm your thinking and cognition, your mood and emotions, and your physical well-being.

All-Nighters and Cognitive Function

Going without sleep has an immediate impact on multiple types of thinking and brain function Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source . Total lack of sleep reduces attention span and concentration. It slows reaction time and impairs constructive thinking, which is part of emotional intelligence and how we understand and respond to those around us. Sleep deprivation diminishes mental place keeping Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source , which is the ability to follow a series of instructions or tasks. It also restricts creative thinking and innovative problem-solving.

A night without sleep interferes with memory as well. It detracts from working memory Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source , which is a temporary memory bank that we use for short-term needs. At the same time, research has found that people who go without sleep are at a higher risk of creating false memories Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source , harming their longer-term recall of important information even after they’ve gone back to getting regular sleep.

Multiple studies have found that pulling an all-nighter causes impairment that is comparable to being drunk Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source . Researchers found that after 24 hours of sleep deprivation, a person’s mental performance is equivalent to that of someone who has a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.10%, well over even the highest legal limit for driving in the United States (0.08%).

Another major effect of total sleep deprivation is daytime sleepiness. The brain and body are used to having a period of rest, and when forced to miss this time for recovery, it’s natural to have episodes of drowsiness. Sleep deprivation can also cause microsleeps Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source , which involve briefly dozing off for a few seconds.

The ongoing struggle to stay awake creates more inconsistency in mental performance after an all-nighter, and more effort to stay awake may pull already reduced attention away from the tasks at hand.

Not surprisingly, people in these sleep-deprived circumstances are prone to make all types of errors and mistakes. The risk of accidents increases, including potentially life-threatening accidents caused by drowsy driving. Workplace accidents can pose serious risks, especially for doctors, nurses, pilots, and people who work with heavy machinery.

All-Nighters and Mood

Pulling an all-nighter doesn’t just interfere with effective thinking; it also contributes to various mood problems. Sleepless nights are tied to increased levels of the hormone cortisol Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source , which is associated with stress. Relatedly, sleep deprivation is linked with anxiety Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source that can impact both mood and behavior.

Numerous other elements of emotional mood are worsened after one night without sleep Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source . Anger and irritability are more common, and people are more likely to feel depressed and fatigued after an all-nighter as well.

All-Nighters and Physical Well-Being

Staying awake through the night takes a toll on physical health. Fatigue and low energy levels are more frequent when the body’s muscles and organs don’t have time to recover during sleep.
Impaired physical capabilities have been evident in research that found worsened performance among endurance athletes Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source after a night of total sleep deprivation. Lack of sleep also caused them to overestimate their perceived level of exertion, reflecting the impact of an all-nighter on energy and strength.

In addition, a night without sleep raises pain sensitivity Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source , which can lead to acute pain or exacerbate chronic pain.

Variable Effects of Sleep Deprivation

Virtually all people experience negative impacts from sleep deprivation, but not everyone feels the effects in the same way or to the same extent.

Research has generally found that adults are better able to cope with the cognitive effects of an all-nighter than adolescents and young adults. Women appear to handle sleeplessness better than men but may have a slower recovery after returning to normal sleep patterns.

Effects of sleep deprivation can also be individual, and studies have pointed to the possibility that a person’s genetics may influence how seriously they are impacted Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source by a night without sleep.

Normal sleep patterns may play a role in how someone is impacted by an all-nighter. For example, the effects may be stronger in someone who normally doesn’t get enough sleep compared to someone with a healthy sleep routine. However, even people who sleep extra hours in the days before an all-nighter still show signs of cognitive deficits Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source when they stay awake through the night.

How Does an All-Nighter Affect Your Sleep Patterns?

An all-nighter can pose even greater problems if it is a precursor to unhealthy sleep patterns. Experts recommend having a consistent sleep schedule because it normalizes your sleep times and contributes to positive sleep hygiene. An all-nighter is an extreme break from your schedule and runs in contrast to this recommendation.

However, one all-nighter does not necessarily mean a person will have sleep problems afterward. After one night of sleep deprivation, most people feel a strong urge to get back to sleeping normally, which often allows them to recover their prior sleep pattern Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source .

Is It Ever a Good Idea To Pull an All-Nighter?

The immediate effects on your mind and body demonstrate that it’s bad to pull an all-nighter. Staying up all night should never be thought of as positive or beneficial and should be avoided.

Even in circumstances when pulling an all-nighter seems like it could help, such as to give you extra time to study or work, it’s still typically a bad idea. Given the cognitive impacts of sleep deprivation, those extra hours are likely to be less helpful. They may even be counterproductive if they result in errors or false memories. Even worse, people who are sleep deprived are less aware of their cognitive shortcomings, increasing the chances of unwanted mistakes.

The risks of an all-nighter are especially worrisome for anyone who needs to drive, make important decisions, or operate heavy machinery during the day. These situations involve grave potential consequences from daytime sleepiness, microsleeps, impaired attention, decreased response time, and slowed thinking that can result from pulling an all-nighter.

Tips for Surviving an All-Nighter

Even if you know you shouldn’t pull an all-nighter, you might wind up in a situation where there doesn’t seem to be another option. These tips can help you stay awake when pulling an all-nighter.

• Take Advantage of Caffeine: Caffeine is a stimulant that promotes alertness, which is why it’s one of the most popular morning beverages in the world. Steady caffeine intake every few hours when pulling an all-nighter may reduce the thinking problems Trusted Source American Psychological Association (APA) APA is the leading scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States, with more than 121,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students as its members. View Source caused by sleep deprivation; however, even well-caffeinated people who haven’t slept have worse cognitive performance relative to people who are well-rested Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source .
• Stay Hydrated: Drinking plenty of water will avoid dehydration, and getting up to go to the bathroom keeps you moving and may prevent dozing off unexpectedly.
• Keep the Lights On: Light is a powerful driver of whether we feel awake or sleepy. Having bright lights on through the night may cut down on drowsiness and help you stay alert.
• Remember Your Motivation: Your ability to stay awake and cope with a lack of sleep may be boosted if you have a clear goal to motivate you. Find a way to remind yourself why you’re pulling an all-nighter and use it as fuel to get you through it.
• Eat Healthily: You might be tempted to eat a heavy meal or to reach for snack foods or candy when sleep deprived. All of these can either make you sleepy or throw off your digestion and metabolism. Instead, try to eat balanced, healthy meals that provide quality, long-lasting nutrition, and satiety.
• Chew Gum: Chewing gum has been associated with enhanced attention and productivity Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source , which may help counteract the effects of sleep deprivation. Choose sugar-free gum to avoid unwanted calories and sugar intake.
• Stay Active: Even if you’re focused on getting a task done, it’s important to find time for breaks to move your body. Stand up and stretch or do quick exercises to get your blood flowing and keep your energy level up.
• Use Eye-Opening Aromatherapy: Some smells, such as from rosemary Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source and peppermint essential oils, have been associated with alertness and may be helpful in powering through your all-nighter. If you don’t want to guzzle coffee, even just the smell of it may promote alertness and memory Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source .
• Double-Check Your Work: When pulling an all-nighter, don’t fall into the trap of assuming that you’re working as accurately as usual. Instead, remember that you’re susceptible to errors when sleep-deprived and review your work carefully.
• Work With a Team: It may be easier to keep yourself awake if you have social support. Communicating with others can reinforce your motivation and help you stay alert.

Once you’ve made it through, the next challenge is to take the right steps to recover from an all-nighter.

• Be Safe: If you’re running on no sleep, don’t drive or do anything else that could put yourself or others at serious risk.
• Avoid a Long Afternoon Nap: If you’ve stayed up all-night, you may be tempted to take an extra-long nap the following afternoon. While a quick period of shut-eye is fine, try to keep it short. Sleeping for too long may make it hard to get to sleep that night and can more seriously throw off your sleep timing.
• Reestablish a Healthy Sleep Schedule: Recovery sleep is important after an all-nighter, so you want to get back to a consistent sleep schedule as soon as you can. This schedule should ensure that you get the sleep that you need, which is at least seven hours of sleep Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source for adults and even more for teens and adolescents.
• Don’t Extend Your Sleep Deprivation: The negative consequences of sleeplessness build the longer you’re awake, so don’t try to string multiple all-nighters together.

If you’ve survived an all-nighter and effectively recovered, it’s time to look forward and think about how to prevent finding yourself in the same situation.

• Don’t Make All-Nighters a Habit: Sleep is too important to routinely go without it. For this reason, think of all-nighters as an absolute last resort and incorporate various approaches to avoid them.
• Plan Ahead: If you have major projects for school or work, don’t wait until the last minute to complete them. Think in advance about what you need to get done and start working ahead of time. This not only allows you to avoid all-nighters but also gives you more time to correct and improve your work.
• Get Regular Exercise: Daily exercise promotes healthy sleep routines. In addition, regular exercise can help if you need to pull an all-nighter again; researchers found that people who underwent a seven weeks long exercise regimen didn’t feel as sleepy Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source and had fewer physical effect Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source when going without sleep.