Protecting Your Sleep During Deadlines: Options Other Than All-Nighters

Before you start

This article is general information about lifestyle habits and is not a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment. If insomnia continues for a long time or you are very sleepy during the day, talk to a medical professional.

As a deadline nears, cutting sleep to secure work time seems like the easiest choice. But even an hour of work when you are short on sleep means lower concentration and more mistakes, so in the end you spend more time revising. The time you earn by cutting sleep is often much less than it seems.

How lack of sleep affects your work

• Your focus scatters easily and you reread the same sentence several times
• Your sentences become monotonous and choosing expressions takes longer
• You get worse at spotting typos and setting errors
• Emotional control gets harder and you become overly sensitive to the work or readers' reactions
• Recovery takes time the next day and your working rhythm collapses

Schedule sleep first

When you make a timetable, change the order. Instead of writing work first and sleeping in the leftover time, write sleep, meals and travel time first and fit work into the remaining time. That way you see the work time you actually have, and the plan becomes realistic.

Minimum rules when an all-nighter is unavoidable

Situations can arise where you really have to stay up all night. In that case, set rules to reduce the damage. An all-nighter is an exception, and the premise is that you don't repeat it.

1. If possible, take a short nap (20–30 minutes) during the day before the all-nighter.
2. During the all-nighter, work 50 minutes and rest 10, and get up and move during breaks.
3. In the sleepiest hours before dawn, put simple tasks rather than judgment-heavy work like revision.
4. Read through and check text you produced right after an all-nighter once more after sleeping before you submit it.
5. Go to bed as early as you can the next day and lighten your schedule to recover. Avoid two all-nighters in a row.

Handling caffeine and drowsiness

• Caffeine late in the afternoon can affect your night's sleep. Set a last-intake time that fits your sensitivity
• When sleepy, washing your face with cold water, standing up to walk and airing out the room work right away
• Resting your eyes for 15–20 minutes is often better for later efficiency than sitting and fighting sleepiness
• If you keep relying heavily on energy drinks and caffeine, check your sleep and schedule first

Habits that improve sleep quality

• Prioritize waking at the same time every day. Even if bedtime varies a little, a steady wake time sets your rhythm
• For an hour before bed, lower screen brightness and keep distance from your work. If thoughts of work continue, write tomorrow's tasks on paper and close it
• Keep your bedroom dark and quiet, and avoid working in bed if you can
• When you can't sleep, rather than forcing yourself to lie there, get up, do something quiet and go back to bed when sleepy
• Make time to walk in daylight

Recovering after the deadline

Right after finishing a deadline, don't go straight into the next task. Leave at least one day free for rest. Getting plenty of sleep and bringing your rhythm back with a light walk or a meal is preparation for the next deadline. If you build rest into your schedule from the start, the letdown and guilt after a deadline also decrease.