How to Stay Up All Night on a School Night

Co-authored by Kelli Miller, LCSW, MSW

Last Updated: November 26, 2024 Approved

You'll need to plan ahead if you want to stay up all night on a school night. If you're staying up to finish a project or assignment, make sure that you start immediately and do your best to maintain focus. If you're staying up for fun, try to keep awake by talking with people, moving around, or using a device with a bright screen. Remember that if you stay up all night, you'll be tired all through the next day!

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Staying Awake

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1
Drink caffeine. Bring a coffee maker into your room if you have one. The coffee will help you stay awake and bringing it in your room will decrease the noise level. You may also drink tea, soda, energy drinks, or any other caffeinated beverage.
- Bear in mind that coffee won't keep you awake forever.
- Don't overload on coffee, or you will become shaky and frazzled. Drink as much as you need to stay awake. Do not be afraid to add sugar.
- If your family is likely to hear the popping sound when you open a drink or the sound of the coffee machine, you may want to buy some instant coffee to mix with cold water- it's not exactly delicious, but it's quiet and effective. If you don't pull many all-nighters, a box of individually packaged instant coffees, like the ones from Starbucks, will likely do. These are also good to keep in backpacks, purses, wallets, cars, etc. for if you are dozing off when you're out. If you pull frequent all nighters, you may want to buy a large container of inexpensive instant coffee and keep it in your room. Before you use it in an all-nighter, be sure you have something to scoop and stir with. If it's possible that your parents will come into your room, don't leave the coffee in plain view, as that may get you into trouble.
The shock of the cold water may help wake you up. Also consider using a cold, wet washcloth, or taking a cold shower.

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Anything you can do to elevate your heart-rate can keep you energized for a little while. Do jumping jacks, jump on your bed, or even jog in place for a few minutes. Small bursts of physical activity when you get tired can help you stay awake.
Your mind associates your bed with sleep. If you lay in your bed, you will trigger the process of falling asleep, and you may find it more difficult to keep your eyes open.
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Consider taking a power nap. Shut your eyes and set your alarm for about twenty minutes. When you wake up, you'll likely feel rested and re-energized. Be careful not to sleep much longer than 20 minutes, however, or you may wake up groggy!
- When you awake from your power nap, get up immediately. Don't lie in bed, and don't hit the snooze button. The longer you stretch the nap, the more likely you are to slip into sleep.
Keep the lights on and don't keep staring at only one spot. Look at bright colors, or stare at your computer screen. If the light is visible from outside of your room, your parents may see that you are awake and make you go to bed- consider using the light of an electronic device as it is not designed to light a room, or a decorative light such as fairy lights or a nightlight.
Try to eat protein-rich foods such as sandwiches, nuts, and dairy products. Sugary foods may make you feel awake for a little while, but they can eventually make you feel drowsy as you crash off the sugar high.

Part 2

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Keeping Busy

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Though you do have all night, you'll get more done if you start as soon as possible. Start right away, and don't cheat by telling yourself you're going to begin at a certain time. Procrastination is procrastination.
If you have a lot of work to get done, try to separate your mind from your life so that you can deal with the lack of sleep and work you need to do. All you should think about is the work you need to complete. Do not get upset, and don't let your emotions take over. Focus, be determined and do not give up on yourself.
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Take breaks! It's hard to concentrate for a long time without short mental breaks, so don't feel bad for taking them. Take longer breaks as well: read something that hasn't anything to do with what you're studying, eat something, paint your nails, or watch one (just one!) episode of your favorite show.
- When you have trouble with a task, don't keep torturing yourself! Do something else, drink something, eat something, do something different for a while and come back to the task later.
- Don't stay in the same position all the time! It isn't healthy to sit still for too long, and you may find that you tire out over time. Stand up, walk a bit, stretch – and you may be able to return to study with renewed energy and enthusiasm.
The social engagement will keep your mind active and give you a reason to stay up. You can talk to another night owl on the phone, in person, or over instant messaging. If you're staying up to finish a project or assignment, try not to slip into a deep conversation, or you may become distracted.

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Keeping Quiet

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Be discreet. If you aren't supposed to be awake—say, if your parents won't let you stay up all night—you'll need to keep your activities quiet, keep the lights low, and be prepared to pretend like you're sleeping. Always have a plan for what to do if an adult comes to check on you.
- If you hear a sound, turn the lights off. Stop moving, and don't make a sound.
- Be careful not to rustle your packets of sweets/candy. It will sound suspicious, and your parents (or your friend's parents) may come in to check on you.
- Once your parents go back to bed, keep quiet for around 30-60 minutes as they can hear you once they have just gotten back to bed.
If your parents/guardians are home, it's best to wait till they're asleep. Until then, stay away from whichever room they're sleeping in. When they're finally asleep, you may move about more freely, but still be wary of making noise near your parents' room.
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Have a good excuse in case you get caught. If you do happen to be caught sneaking about past your bedtime, you need to have a good excuse on hand. Try to keep it simple. Consider these excuses:
- "I was just going to the bathroom. I'm on my way back to my room right now."
- "I couldn't sleep, so I was getting a snack to help me sleep."
- "I thought I heard something moving around outside my window."

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Tips

If you watch a movie, you might fall asleep. Be careful when you settle down!

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Try to not fall asleep during class the next day.

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If you must open something that crinkles, do it under covers to muffle the sound.

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

If you are staying up to finish school work, go back to sleep the minute you finish it. This will help to give you an energy boost and squeeze in some resting.
If you're working on assignments, reward yourself with treats every so often, like every time you answer a tough question.
Block the space under the door with a towel or blanket to stop the light from coming through.
If you get caught, tell your parents you had a nightmare and can't get back to sleep.
Keep setting alarms for each hour or half hour to keep you awake.
Open any cans before bed so other people don't hear the hiss.

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Warnings

Don't do this every day as it will be bad for your body making the chance of a sickness and possibly death even higher.

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Whether you are staying up to do homework, chores, or party with friends, know that there are some sacrifices to be made. You won't get any sleep, therefore making it hard for you to concentrate the next day.

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Bear in mind that high amounts of sugar or caffeine will make you crash within a few hours.

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