How to Pull an All Nighter or Stay up Late (for Preteens)

Last Updated: October 23, 2022 References

Sometimes staying up late or pulling an all-nighter can be fun or even necessary. Whether you’re trying to watch a movie marathon, trying to finish a game late at night, or just make the most out of a sleepover, make sure you let everyone in the house know that you want to stay up late so that nobody gets surprised. Try a combination of things to get you through each hour like playing games on a tablet then splashing yourself with hot/cold (Either will work, but don't burn yourself with hot water) water and watching TV with your friend. Most important is to make sure you prepare your body before and after your all-nighter with extra sleep and a healthy diet.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Electronic Devices to Stay Awake

1
Have fun with a mobile phone. If you don't have a phone, borrow one from someone who has one. They are great for keeping you entertained with games, apps, music, and videos. Make sure you have the permission of the person you are borrowing the phone from before downloading anything.
- If you need to connect to the Internet to play a game, watch a video, or listen to music, make sure that you are wearing headphones or have turned down the volume.
2
Use a tablet or computer. Ask your parents or older family members for permission before using a tablet or computer, if you do not have your own. You may already have games or apps that you enjoy, but you may also get help from your parents or older family members to help you find more that can help you pass the time.
- While some apps are free others require a payment. Do not purchase anything without permission from your parents or older family members.
- If you have the permission to download something on someone else's tablet/computer, you may need to know what type of computer or tablet you have. Some apps may only work with a certain type of tablet, like an iPad for example. Read the description of your game or app to be sure it works with your computer or tablet. Ask an adult for help if you are still unsure.
- Use earphones so that you can make the volume as loud as you want without waking up the rest of the house.
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3
Watch TV or a movie. Whether you watch a movie on a tablet or binge watch an entire TV series, choose something you enjoy. Watch a funny movie or a scary movie to keep your mind engaged. If you watch a movie that you have seen many times or a very slow movie, you may fall asleep.
- Plan ahead of time and ask your parents or older family members to help you download movies or TV shows for your tablet, phone, or computer. You may also ask them for help to PVR some TV shows if your TV is able to record them.
- Use headphones to make sure that you do not wake up anyone else in the house.
4
Play video games. Whether you have a gaming console or are able to borrow one, video games can keep you occupied all night. If you are having trouble passing a level, then switch to another game. The more you get frustrated, the more likely you are to get tired and go to sleep.
- Borrow games from friends or family to make sure you are entertained throughout the night. You may have already completed all the games in your collection and a new challenge can help your mind stay alert.
5
Listen to loud music. Make sure to use headphones when trying to stay awake with music. You do not want to keep the rest of your house awake. Listen to music with a faster beat as slow and quiet music may make you tired.
- Create a playlist of your favourite songs that you know will get you energized the days leading up to your all-nighter. You may want to find music that will get you up and dancing.
- Use an MP3 player, mobile phone, or tablet that’s portable so that you can move around while you listen to your music.
6
Set an alarm clock. Use an alarm clock as a safety net when you try to stay up all night. If you feel yourself drifting, set the alarm for 30 minutes or one-hour intervals so you can jolt yourself awake. If you don’t have an alarm clock, ask to borrow one from your family or friends.
- A digital alarm clock may be set by going into the settings menu for personal preferences on volume, the type of alarm, and how long your alarm will ring.
- Alarms work because they trigger your body’s natural stress response. Some alarms come with a snooze button that stops the alarm from ringing but restarts in a few minutes. While you immediately become alert once you hear an alarm, if you press the snooze button too much you will get your body to ignore its natural response which will leave you feeling groggy.^{[1]
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  Mayo Clinic
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- Test your alarm clock. Make sure that the batteries are good or plug it in if it doesn’t run on batteries. If you are borrowing it, ask the person you are borrowing it from how to set it and to test it with you to make sure it works properly.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Staying Awake Naturally

1
Move around and be active. Stand up and walk around the house as a study has shown that a 10-minute walk can increase your energy for two hours. Being active brings oxygen to your brain and muscles.^{[2]
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Research source} Be careful not to overdo it because if you waste too much energy doing something active you may become tired as your body tries to recover.
- Be active when you feel tired. Get some oxygen into your body and your heart rate up to give you the jolt of energy when you feel yourself starting to fade.
2
Take a nap. If you have had a long day or simply feel too tired to stay up, take a nap to recharge. It’s best to nap for five or 25 minutes. If you take it close to your usual bedtime, then you won’t feel tired like you normally would. Ride this energy to stay up late.^{[3]
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3
Give your eyes a break. If you have been watching your tv, mobile device, or computer for many hours, your eyes will need a break. The glare from the screen could be causing your eyes to strain making you fatigued or sleepy. Take breaks to look away from the screen and let your eyes relax.^{[4]
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- Look out the window, take a walk around the house, and adjust the brightness of your screen to make sure you don’t strain your eyes trying to stay awake.
4
Eat a healthy snack. Avoid sugary foods because, while sugar may give you an immediate boost of energy, it may also make you tired immediately afterward. Try snacks like celery sticks with peanut butter, fresh fruit, nuts, or baby carrots.^{[5]
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5
Talk to someone. Let your friends or cousins know that you are trying to stay up late and perhaps they may be willing to text or chat over the phone to help you. If you feel yourself fading, ask for their help and talk to them. Talk to them about anything. As long as you have a conversation your mind will be engaged and forced to keep you awake.^{[6]
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- It may be easy to come up with conversation topics beforehand to make sure that you will always have something to talk about. For example, you can ask your friends to talk about a TV show, your parents about vacation ideas, or family members about what’s happening in school.
6
Brighten the room. Bright light can wake you up and keep you alert.^{[7]
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Research source} Only have bright lights on in whatever room you’re in because having all the lights on in your house may make your family angry.
7
Use a lot of water. You may get sleepy if you’re dehydrated. Water can not only hydrate you, but it will keep you awake as you need to pee. You may eat fruits and vegetables that contain water like watermelon.^{[8]
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Research source} You can also have a cold shower or splash cold water on your face. The cold will send a jolt through your body and get you awake.
- Wake up with cold water. A glass of cold water in the morning will jolt your metabolism.^{[9]
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- Fill a large water bottle and drink it over the course of the night. Refill it if you drink the whole bottle and still feel thirsty.
8
Have a drink with some caffeine. If your parents allow you, drink something with caffeine in it like soda. Some brands have more caffeine than others. Energy drinks have a lot of caffeine and may not be healthy if you are young.
- Caffeine can be extremely addictive so make sure you only consume a little bit if you are allowed.
- Do not drink a lot of caffeine or you will crash.
9
Get a buddy system. Ask a friend or family member to give you a wake-up-call or, better yet, stay up with you. Having someone else there to push you through your fatigue will make the night go by faster. You can play board games, cards, watch movies, or simply have a conversation. Keep each other accountable.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Preparing Before and After

1
Let everyone in the house know. Your family may be startled if they see you up late and it could result in punishment or, worse, they may think you’re a burglar and call the police. Letting people know that you want to stay up late can benefit you as they may wake you up if you’ve fallen asleep past your alarm or in front of the television.
2
Take a nap the day after. You will be tired after an all-nighter so be sure to schedule a nap in to get back some of the lost sleep. Take about a 20-minute nap to help you recover and be sure not to take it too close to bedtime or you’ll repeat the cycle. You don’t want to nap too long so set an alarm clock as you still want to be able to fall asleep at your regular time.
3
Eat a healthy dinner and breakfast. Staying up all night uses up a lot of energy. Eat a healthy meal with fruit, vegetables, and protein like fish and chicken. This is especially needed if you have been up all night eating junk food or a lot of carbs.
- You should have a substantial breakfast that has a combination of protein, fats, and carbohydrates such as a cheese and egg sandwich. A great dinner to help your immune system recover after going without any sleep is a rice bowl consisting of colourful vegetables, protein-rich quinoa, tofu, and a creamy dressing.^{[10]
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4
Get extra sleep. You have created a sleep deficit from missing an entire night of sleep, so you’ll need more hours than you normally get to make up for it. Make sure that your schedule allows you to get an extra hour or two to get your body back into its normal sleep routine.
- Make sure you get enough sleep the night before an all-nighter too. Your chances of staying up all night after not getting enough sleep the night before greatly decrease. You will need a lot of energy to keep you up all night so get at least your normal amount of sleep the night before.

Community Q&A

Question

Would it still be considered pulling off an all nighter if I were to stay up until 6 a.m. when my parents get up for work, and then go to sleep?

Community Answer

I would say yes, since usually the sun is rising around that time.
Question

Would it be healthy to do that? It might mess with your sleep pattern, and that's not good!

Community Answer

If you do it once and then take nap and go to bed early the next day, you should be fine.
Question

What could I do quietly?

Community Answer

You can always read, go on social media, or watch YouTube using head phones.

Warnings

If you ask a family member for their phone, they may get suspicious.

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Helpful 52 Not Helpful 9
Only do this on a weekend or during a holiday. Staying up late on a school night can hurt your school life.

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Helpful 168 Not Helpful 42
Do not use someone else’s mobile device or computer without their permission.

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Helpful 115 Not Helpful 89
Don't download anything without permission from your parents or older family members.

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