by Olha Romaniuk

Created on: March 19, 2009

Once in a blue moon, we find ourselves not having enough hours in a day to complete all the tasks we have set for ourselves to finish. Whether it is a result of procrastination, or simply the byproduct of having too much too do in a short amount of time, we find ourselves prolonging our days and going to bed later and later in the night. With sleeping schedules becoming more and more haphazard, it is easy to become more and more overwhelmed with work, and neglect some of the tasks altogether. And then it hits us. The, sometimes, inevitable solution becomes apparent as we become pressed against a looming deadline - an all-nighter can provide us with that precious extra time we want and need. An all-nighter is the only viable outcome.

When the long night's sky finally begins to clear up with a rosy sunrise, our tasks will have already moved much closer to completion. However, we may now find ourselves not having enough time to relax and get some sleep. If we have a fully loaded schedule ahead of us, sleep may not be in the cards at all and we have to find a way of keeping ourselves from falling asleep amidst the hustle of the daily activities. Even before we reach the finish line, often signified by the sunrise at the end of a sleepless night, we need to find effective ways to keep ourselves from dozing off during those rough late hours.

Various illegal stimulants, like speed or meth, can keep people up for hours, but who wants to go to jail for drug possession in the name of work? More realistically, there are several ways to stay awake, some more effective than others, as the effectiveness varies from person to person. There are several factors that go into play as well, like location, company, determination and even chemical assistance, all within legal limits, of course. There are also a few obvious no-no's, or things not to do, when trying to pull an all-nighter. For example, if trying to stay up and study for a next day's final exam, there are better locations to do it than a bed. A body associates that specific piece of furniture with a specific task, that is sleeping. Attempting to spend a night awake in bed is a tough challenge and can hardly be accomplished.

Everyone has their comfort zone when it comes to studying or working at night. While some people are more motivated when they are studying at the library, others prefer all-night coffee shops or student study centers. Other times, necessity and convenience puts some places above the rest. For example,

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