By Steven Holbrook for U.S. News


Let's go back to my first semester at the University of Alabama. It was the night before my first collegiate final exam -– an introductory economics class, I think -– and I was, frankly, not ready for it. So, being a typical arrogant freshman, I thought, "Oh, no problem. I'll just pull an all-nighter, ace the test and be playing NBA 2K11 by lunchtime. Piece of cake."


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Around 10 p.m., I gathered my sleep-warding weaponry (Red Bull, coffee, loud music and a fan on full blast blowing right in my face) and proceeded to study. I did fine until about 12:30, when my eyelids began to droop slightly. But, after a few Red Bulls -– four, to be exact -– I was fine. And by that I mean I felt energized and alert enough to run a quick 5K, fight a bear or three, and still have time to get to class and ace my final.


Energy drinks... that's a post for another day, folks.


Anyway, after my energy drink binge, I continued to study. Around 4 a.m., though, I knew I was reaching my limit. I could feel my mind shutting down, my body becoming increasingly weary. Still amid my empty Red Bull cans and notes, I leaned back, closed my eyes -– just for a minute, of course -– and, slowly, drifted... off... to...


I awoke suddenly to sunlight streaming through my blinds. I blearily looked at the alarm clock on my bedside table.



9:04. Four minutes past the start time for my exam.


Crap.


As I sprinted across campus, still barefoot and wearing the sweatpants and ratty t-shirt I slept in, to my exam, I couldn't help but think about how stupid my all-night cram session now seemed. After all, I couldn't prove how much I knew about Adam Smith's Invisible Hand if I wasn't present to take the test.


If my harrowing experience isn't enough to dissuade you from pulling an all-nighter to finish your 10-page paper that's due tomorrow, here are some facts that might:


Your grades will be lower. Comparatively, at least. According to research from St. Lawrence University, students who never stayed up all night to study had an average GPA of 3.1, while those who regularly relied on the strategy only averaged a 2.9 GPA. This discrepancy is best explained by the effects of sleep deprivation. After all, bleariness, a splitting headache, forgetfulness and a general irritability can be distracting when you're trying to take a test.


Your memory gets worse. I'll say it again. Pulling an all-nighter actually makes your memory less functional. This is because sleep allows your brain time to repair and refresh itself. Your mind's effectiveness, including your attention span, information recall and reasoning skills, is significantly decreased when deprived of sleep.


Your study methods are less effective. Even if you weren't already functioning on almost no sleep, the way that an all-nighter forces you to study -– namely, cramming -– is considerably less effective than other methods. Studies have shown that we tend to remember the first and last things we hear in a given time period, while the information in the middle gets sort of hazy if it's remembered at all. Now, apply that to an eight-hour session of almost constant information intake by a sleep-deprived mind. That's a whole bunch of lost information.


Sleep deprivation can lead to short-term euphoria. This is crazy stuff, folks. When deprived of sleep, your body actually jolts you with a surge of energy to help you get through your objectives, giving you a euphoric sense of intense satisfaction and motivation. That would be fine, except it's not real. Your body is actually trying to make you stop what you're doing and rest.


You're more likely to suffer a stroke as you age. Even if you're otherwise perfectly healthy (i.e. you exercise regularly and eat relatively well), your sleep habits[4] can have adverse effects on your health. According to the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, healthy adults that get fewer than six hours of sleep per night are four times more likely to suffer a stroke than their well-rested counterparts.


The recommended amount of sleep[5] , according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute is seven to eight hours in a 24 hour time period. If you struggle with your sleeping habits, they suggest exercising about two or three hours before you hit the sack, and limiting your caffeine and nicotine intake.




Steven Holbrook is a senior majoring in journalism at The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala. In addition to finishing up his degree, he is currently working on attaining his personal trainer certification. He wants to use his fitness journey to help others attain their own fitness and nutrition goals. He loves a good omelet, aggravating his dog allergies and superhero t-shirts.





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  • ...Increase Stroke Risk


    Even without the typical risk factors, like being overweight or having a family history, short sleep can up your risk for stroke, according to 2012 research. Adults who regularly slept fewer than six hours a night had <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/11/sleep-stroke-risk_n_1586837.html">four times the risk of stroke symptoms</a>, HuffPost reported.




  • ...Lead To Obesity


    Too little sleep can spur some less-than-ideal food choices, including <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/25/sleep-portion-sizes-deprivation-food-calories_n_2735497.html">serving yourself larger portions</a>, and a hankering for junk food, thanks to some complicated hormonal changes that occur when you don't get sufficient shuteye. It seems that six hours of sleep or less <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/26/sleep-deprivation-obesity-leptin-ghrelin-insulin_n_2007043.html">bumps up production of the hunger hormone ghrelin</a> and limits leptin, which helps you balance your food intake, according to a 2012 review of 18 studies of sleep and appetite.




  • ...Up Diabetes Risk


    A pair of small studies from 2012 examined the link between poor sleep and insulin resistance, a telltale risk factor for diabetes. One found that among healthy teenagers, the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/03/sleep-insulin-resistance-teens_n_1929374.html">shortest sleepers had the highest insulin resistance</a>, meaning the body is <a href="http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/insulinresistance/#resistance">not using insulin effectively</a>, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. The second study examined fat cells, in particular, and found that cutting back on sleep <a href="http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=1379773">increased insulin resistance in these cells</a>, even when <a href="http://news.health.com/2012/10/15/sleep-deprivation-insulin-resistance/">diet and calorie intake were restricted</a>, Health.com reported.




  • ...Fuel Memory Loss


    You probably know that on the days when you are most tired, you're forgetful and unfocused -- but sleep deprivation can lead to <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130127134212.htm"><em>permanent</em> cognitive issues</a>. The less we sleep, the less we benefit from the memory-storing properties of sleep. But additionally, a lack of sleep can cause <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/28/sleep-deprivation-memory-loss_n_2566999.html">"brain deterioration,"</a> according to a 2013 study, which may at least in part explain memory loss in seniors.




  • ...Damage Bones


    At least in rats, long-term <a href="http://ebm.rsmjournals.com/content/237/9/1101.full">sleep deprivation seems to contribute to osteoporosis</a>, according to a 2012 study. Researchers found <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/26/sleep-deprivation-bones-marrow_n_1898610.html">changes to bone mineral density and bone marrow</a> in the rodents when they were deprived of shuteye over a period of 72 days. "If true in humans, and I expect that it may be, this work will have great impact on our understanding of <a href="http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-09/sfeb-los_1091812.php">the impact of sleep deprivation on osteoporosis</a> and inability to repair bone damage as we age," Steven R. Goodman, Ph.D., editor-in-chief of Experimental Biology and Medicine, said in a statement.




  • ...Increase Cancer Risk


    A small (but growing) body of research suggests that short and poor sleep can up risk for certain types of cancer. A 2010 study found that among 1,240 people screened for colorectal cancer, the 338 who were diagnosed were <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cncr.25507/abstract">more likely to average fewer than six hours of sleep</a> a night. Even after controlling for more traditional risk factors, polyps were more common in people who slept less, according to the study. Getting just six hours of sleep a night has also been linked to an <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/06/sleep-breast-cancer-aggressive-deprivation_n_1854658.html">increase of recurrence in breast cancer patients</a>. The study's author has pointed to more and better sleep as a possible pathway of reducing risk and recurrence.




  • ...Hurt Your Heart


    The stress and strain of too little sleep can cause the body to produce more of the chemicals and hormones that can lead to heart disease, according to 2011 research. The study found that people who slept for six hours or less each night and have problems staying asleep had a 48 percent <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110208091426.htm">higher risk of developing or dying from heart disease</a>.




  • ...Kill You


    It's not just heart problems that can lead to sleep-deprivation-related death. In fact, <a href="http://healthland.time.com/2010/09/02/lack-of-sleep-can-cause-depression-weight-gain-and-even-death/">short sleepers seem to die younger</a> of any cause than people who sleep about 6.5 to 7.5 hours a night, TIME reported. A 2010 study examined the impact of short sleep on mortality and found that <a href="http://www.journalsleep.org/ViewAbstract.aspx?pid=27894">men who slept for less than six hours of sleep a night were four times more likely</a> to die over a 14-year period. The study's authors called this link "a risk that has been underestimated."




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