Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Add Upworthy to your Google News feed.
Google News Button

For those serving in the military, time is of the essence. Small things, like an effectively timed nap or an efficient, minutes-saving body temperature technique can mean the difference between life or death when you’re out in the field.

And while many civilians will, fortunately, never find themselves in such extreme circumstances, there is so much we can learn from the military and its ruthless efficiency. Because whether it’s taking a power nap or falling asleep in exactly two minutes, not only are the military’s tactics the most productive way to do things, they’re also usually the most safe.


For example, take the all-nighter, which involves a person intentionally skipping a night of sleep and continuing to go about the next as they usually would. A practice that, in clinical terms, is usually classified as “sleep deprivation.” A staple of frazzled college students and working professionals on a deadline, when done incorrectly (or too often), the all-nighter can lead to some extensive and potentially serious consequences, according to the Sleep Foundation and Sleep Medicine Physician, Dr. Abhinav Singh. “Acute sleep deprivation leads to impaired judgement, worse than being drunk,” writes Dr. Abhinav Singh. In addition, the more sleep a person skips, the more they become susceptible to a host of health issues, including ferocious mood swings, higher levels of fatigue, and a weakened immune system.


Cute GIF of a baby falling alseepIf only falling asleep was this easy...Giphy


That’s too much for soldiers to risk. However, for a mix of reasons (stressful sleeping conditions, post-traumatic stress disorder, jet lag, etc.) military personnel rarely get enough sleep. According to the Sleep Foundation, while 37% of people in the United States get fewer than 7 hours of sleep per night (the recommended amount), that number shoots to a whopping 76% for service members. Which means, a majority of military personnel are sleep deprived.

But alas, duty calls. In an interview with ABC News, Stew Smith said that he and his team had to stay awake for a “punishing five days” as a part of their Navy SEAL training. “When you’re losing sleep, after a while you turn to this fight-or-flight response,” he said. “You just go into survival mode.”

So, how did he do it? To get a unique perspective on the ins and outs of pulling a successful all-nighter, The Art of Manliness asked a group of former Soldiers, Marines, and Special Forces veterans to share the methods that got them through combat and a host of night-ops, writing “For these vets, staying awake through the night was a matter of life and death, but their tips apply equally well to the civilian who needs to plow through a work or school project.” Here are their tips.


man in brown and green camouflage jacket standing near tree during daytimeWe can all learn something from our military personnel Photo by Brady Rogers on Unsplash


(1) Bank a few extra hours of sleep in advance

If you’re planning an all-nighter, try to score a few extra hours of sleep leading up to it. “When you know your all-nighter is coming, see if you can bank a few extra hours in advance,” says a former Navy SEAL. “That makes the well deeper when you have to dip into sleep reserves.”

You can also fill up your “sleep tank” with something called a “prophylactic nap,” which can help reduce the drop in alertness experienced during a night shift or all-nighter. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , this type of nap is long, usually lasting for a few hours. “During a long nap, the brain can progress into the deeper stages of sleep, and, as a result, can reduce the buildup of pressure for sleep,” it says on the CDC website.


(2) Drink caffeine, of course. But be strategic

No all-nighter is complete without a few cups of coffee or wildly sugary energy drinks, but there’s a method to the madness. The Art of Manliness recommends staying away from caffeine the day before and after your all-nighter, to ensure you don’t build up too much of a tolerance.

To make your caffeine even more effective, try adding fat to your cup of coffee, using ingredients like grass-fed butter, ghee, MCT oil, coconut oil, coconut cream, or full-fat cream. Not only are these organic and natural saturated fats an excellent source of protein, by adding fats to your coffee, you are slowing down the digestion and absorption of caffeine into your system, and thus, prolonging its effects.

Oh, and avoid huge amounts of caffeine in one dose, which can lead to an energy crash. Take smaller doses more frequently, and aim for 100-150 milligrams every 2-3 hours.


jerry seinfeld coffee GIFJerry gets itGiphy


(3) Keep active, both physically and mentally

“If I was on some type of outdoor guard duty—gate guard, fire guard, or motor pool guard—I would walk around,” says a former Army Infantry member. “If I couldn’t walk around I did push-ups, sit-ups, squats, or some other quick exercise. The ability to keep the blood flowing was one of the easiest ways to stay awake for long periods of time.”

Constant motion is key to a successful all-nighter, as physical activity stimulates the nervous system, leading to a spike in alertness and focus. Or, if you have to remain stationary, integrate short movement breaks, like walking or stretching, to avoid fatigue build-up.

Keep your mind sharp, too. On a r/army thread on Reddit, user @outofmyelement1445 says “you just need to keep moving and keep your mind on some type of task. I always did some type of simple math or would try to divide in my head without using my fingers. Little things like that would keep me awake.”


(4) Eat tactically

Much like caffeine, there’s a right way to fuel your body before an all-nighter and a wrong way. To stay awake as long as possible, make sure to stock up on protein and fiber, found best in nuts and seeds. So, grab a fistful of trail mix packs and energy bars, and plan to snack consistently throughout the night—and avoid large, heavy meals so you don’t crash.

Teen Vogue also recommends opting out of almonds, which contain tryptophan (found in turkey) and magnesium, which naturally reduce muscle function and steady the heart rate, thus, causing some people to feel sleepy.


Overall, while most sleep experts agree that all-nighters should be avoided, sometimes, you can’t help it. Make sure you’re taking care of yourself and your body—and do what the military does.

More For You

Man cancels wedding after fiancée refuses to include his daughter
Representative Cover Image Source: Pexels | TranStudios Photography & Video; Reddit | u/whoevenisthat5

Man cancels wedding after fiancée refuses to include his daughter

A wedding is supposed to be a celebration of love and family, but for one man, it became the breaking point in his relationship. Reddit user u/whoevenisthat5 shared how he was forced to call off his engagement after his fiancée refused to include his 11-year-old daughter in their wedding.

At first, he thought it was just a disagreement over wedding roles—but when he found out her real reason for wanting to leave his daughter out, he realized there was no future for them.

Keep ReadingShow less
9-year-old with autism stuns the world with an IQ higher than Einstein
Cover Image Source: Instagram/Adhara Maite Pérez Sánchez

9-year-old with autism stuns the world with an IQ higher than Einstein

At just 9 years old, Adhara Pérez Sánchez has achieved what most people can’t even imagine. The Mexico City native has an IQ of 162—higher than Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking, who were both estimated to have IQs of 160, according to PEOPLE.

Despite facing relentless bullying due to her autism diagnosis, Pérez has not only graduated high school but is also pursuing two college degrees in systems engineering and mathematics.

Keep ReadingShow less
kimberly dowdell, reunion, down syndrome

Brothers Blake and Jack have an emotional reunion.

thekimberlydowdell/Instagram

Teen with Down syndrome travels hundreds of miles for incredible reunion with brother

Going off to college is the break-free moment that most young adults long for. While the newfound freedom is an amazing change, it is also a time of transition--which can bring a lot of uncomfortable feelings with the adjustment. It can be overwhelming, scary, and unfamiliar. So when mom Kimberly DowDell (@thekimberlydowdell) received a message from her son Blake that he was feeling anxious and overwhelmed during his second semester at college, she knew exactly what to do. She loaded up the family, including her husband and Blake's brother Jack (who has Down syndrome), and got on the road to go see him. And the brothers had an emotional reunion that was shared on social media.

"Blake is in his second semester of college, and being away from home can be hard. When he told us he was feeling anxious and overwhelmed, we didn’t even think twice—we jumped in the car and drove 286 miles just to be there for him," she wrote in the post's Instagram caption. "To remind him he’s not alone. To give him words of encouragement. To wrap him in a hug that says, we see you, we love you, and we’re always here for you."

Keep ReadingShow less
Teacher unleashes glorious payback against school after forced to pay for class trip himself
Representative image by Canva

Teacher unleashes glorious payback against school after forced to pay for class trip himself

School excursions often provide unforgettable experiences and bonding opportunities for students, but for teachers, they can be loaded with logistical headaches. So when a teacher was asked to single-handedly finance a field trip—with zero compensation—Reddit user u/Unfunded_Teacher took to the platform to vent about this bizarre demand.

Representative photo by Pexels | Anny Patterson

Keep ReadingShow less
A child's hand in an adults hand.

Representative Image: A mother and son found their way back together.

She gave her baby up for adoption. Years later, he named his son after her.

Choosing adoption is never easy. It’s a decision filled with love, sacrifice, and hope for a better future. When Schauna Austin gave birth to her son at 20 years old, she made the difficult choice to place him for adoption. But thanks to the openness of his adoptive parents, she remained an important part of his life, proving that family isn't just about biology—it’s about love.

A mother’s love, even from afar

After giving birth, Austin named her son Riley and treasured every moment she had with him before saying goodbye. She held him close for 72 hours straight, making sure to soak up every precious second.

Keep ReadingShow less