What All-Nighters Do To Your Cognition

What Is an All-Nighter?

Pulling an all-nighter involves intentionally staying awake all night and then going about the next day as you normally would. In clinical terms, going 24 hours without sleep is called total sleep deprivation. 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  

Studying for an exam, preparing for an important presentation at work, or cleaning your house for company are common societal pressures that lead people to pulling an all-nighter. In other cases, you might stay up all night simply to binge your favorite show, read a page-turning novel, or party with friends. 

However, sleep is vital to the proper functioning of the body and mind, and completely skipping a night of sleep can have some extensive and potentially serious consequences.

What Happens If You Don’t Sleep for 24 Hours?

Experts recommend adults sleep for seven or more hours per night. 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 Pulling an all-nighter clearly interferes with meeting this goal. Skipping a night of sleep has even been found to impair a person’s speed and reaction times as much as alcohol intoxication does.

Cognitive Thinking (or Lack Thereof)

Sleep deprivation has an immediate, negative impact on a person’s ability to think – in multiple ways. You may struggle to remember things and have trouble forming new memories. Not sleeping enough can also make you less alert and impair your ability to judge situations and make decisions. 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 these reasons, pulling an all-nighter in order to study may not help much. Students may have trouble learning new things while they are depriving themselves of sleep, which can even continue for days after the all-nighter. 

“Acute sleep deprivation leads to impaired judgment, worse than being drunk.”

Abhinav Singh, MD, MPH, FAASM

Sleep Medicine Physician, MD

Increased Mood Swings 

In healthy adolescents and adults, sleep deprivation can lead to increased feelings of anxiety, depression, anger, and confusion. 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  

The more sleep a person skips, the higher risk of mood changes they face. Compared to other forms of sleep deprivation, going an entire 24 hours without sleep has been found to produce the worst moods. Skipping sleep may also impact a person’s ability to evaluate other people’s emotions, as well as express their own.

More Pain, Less Immunity

Sleep is when the body repairs muscles, and research shows sleep deprivation might alter chemicals involved in this process. Fatigue and low energy levels are more frequent when the body’s muscles and organs don’t have time to recover during sleep. Additionally, studies show that after 24 hours of sleep deprivation, a person becomes more sensitive to pain, pressure, and cold temperatures. 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  

Sleep deprivation can also impact the immune system, which protects the body from infection. Being sleep deprived can make the body less able to fight off illness. Because of how sleep deprivation interacts with the immune system, skipping sleep can also lead to inflammation. When chronic, inflammation can increase a person’s risk for chronic illnesses.

Will an All-Nighter Hurt You in the Long Run?

The negative effects of one all-nighter can continue for over a week. Trusted Source PLOS ONE PLOS ONE is an inclusive journal community working together to advance science for the benefit of society, now and in the future. Founded with the aim of accelerating the pace of scientific advancement and demonstrating its value, we believe all rigorous science needs to be published and discoverable, widely disseminated and freely accessible to all. View Source Being continually sleep-deprived, whether from occasional all-nighters or from falling a little short on sleep most nights, can lead to serious negative consequences, including:

• Difficulties at work, school, or in social situations 
• Trouble focusing and learning 
• Poor mood
• Increased risk of anxiety and depression
• Higher risk of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke 
• Greater risk of car crashes and other accidents

“Sleep deprivation is a high interest loan with steep payments in the form of health consequences.”

Abhinav Singh, MD, MPH, FAASM

Sleep Medicine Physician, MD

Is an All-Nighter Ever a Good Idea?

Pulling an all-nighter should not be something anyone does on a regular basis. If you need to pull an all-nighter to keep your job or pass a class, it might be worth it to you in the short-run.  However, because it can take a week or even longer to recover from the negative effects of an all-nighter, it’s important to only pull one when it feels absolutely necessary.

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 reaction time, and slow thinking that can result from pulling an all-nighter.

Our Tips for Staying Up All Night – Only If You Have To

Sometimes life obligations get in the way of meeting sleep guidelines. If you do have to pull an all-nighter, here’s what we recommend trying to minimize the impact of sleep deprivation.

1. Use caffeine wisely: Consuming caffeine is not a substitute for sleep, but in the short-term, it can help you feel more alert as you struggle to pull an all-nighter. That said, be careful not to have too much. The recommended amount is no more than 400 milligrams per day, which is about four cups of coffee.
2. Try light exposure: Since light exposure promotes alertness, keep bright lights on when you’re pulling an all-nighter. Then, try to get some sunlight to help yourself stay awake the next day.
3. Stay safe: Avoid driving, operating machinery, or putting yourself in any situation in which your sleep deprivation could result in an injury or accident.
4. Take a nap: Taking a nap the day after experiencing sleep deprivation may help you feel more alert. Aim for a 10 to 20-minute nap. Taking a 30-minute nap may make you wake up feeling groggy.
5. Fuel your body with healthy foods: You might be tempted to reach for snack foods or candy when sleep deprived, which can make you even more sleepy and throw off your metabolism. Instead, try to eat balanced, healthy meals that provide quality, long-lasting nutrition. 
6. Don’t make all-nighters a habit: Sleep is too important to routinely go without. Think of all-nighters as an absolute last resort.

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