I discovered an e-book that had been published - no more than a month ago, and ironically with the exact same title as my blog post - about pulling all-nighters. I was VERY pleased to see that most of the suggestions in my original post were either confirmed or reinforced by what I read in the press release. I'll break down what I read:
Confirmed: Save your stimulants until after 2 AM.
According to the info in the press release, your concentration/alertness bottoms out between 3-6 AM because of the circadian rhythm.
Reinforced info:
I suggested with sugar intake in my Vending Machine Nutrition post that a great, measurable way to get enough consistent energy to your brain is to eat 2-3 Skittles every 5-10 minutes. I use Skittles because they're bite sized, easily measured 'doses' of sugar. Gummi bears work too, as do any other candies in set sizes.
The brain is different from muscles in the fact that the brain has no ability to store energy; it takes all nourishment in directly from the blood. What I didn't know is that your brain burns a full 20% of all the blood sugars in your body. I knew the burn rate had to be high, but I had no idea it was that high.
In addition, the brain burns even more energy when trying to focus...especially between those low hours of 3-6 AM. What the guide suggested, that I didn't, was to actually use more sugar than protein for those hours. I still think getting some protein (heck, a non-fatty meal if you can swing it) is a very good idea.
One pack of Skittles should last anywhere from 1 1/2 to 3 hours...long enough to get you to 6 AM. I've tried it when I'm feeling absolutely gone (downing a can of pop), and I've been very impressed with the results. Just make sure your blood sugar levels don't collapse, or you're going to feel even more sluggish.
Update: Downsides of Alcohol consumption
The article/press release about the book mentioned that alcohol should not be consumed AT ALL before/during an all-nighter. I've read various other articles on what it does, and they basically repeated them - "reducing mental efficiency while studying" and messing with REM sleep, which is when the brain stores new memories. This is probably why blackouts occur; so much alcohol has been ingested that new memories CAN'T be stored.
While I agree with what they say about memory and sleep (I will not sleep well even after one drink), I'm not so sure about small (pre-buzz) doses of alcohol reducing mental efficiency. As I wrote in my post on alcohol, one of the other effects alcohol has is as a very fast-acting sugar. Ignoring the drug effects of alcohol, I think it's possible to use it like street cars use nitro for a fast power boost. One or two drinks typically make me feel hyper-alert. Beyond that I'm sluggish.
What it boils down to, basically, is that alcohol use depends on what you're doing during the all-nighter. If you're studying for a test, it's probably a mistake because of the effects on memory (and they're very clear, from an article I read in an old Psychology Today: "Is College Bad For You?"). You probably won't remember anything you learned while intoxicated very well after three weeks (let alone three hours), and the same goes while sleep deprived. Will that matter? That's your call.
If you're writing a paper that you feel is no big deal, alcohol might be irrelevant. I wouldn't recommend using it if you weren't planning on it already; but most of the research out there has focused on the long term (the memory effects, etc). I'm still not convinced about the immediate short run, though - which is pretty much the only thing that counts when you're in a crisis. The choice is yours, here's some info to help you make an informed decision. Alcohol can still come back to bite you, so be careful.
The book is available through LuLu for $15. You can be sure that I'm going to get it at some point!
Showing posts with label all-nighters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label all-nighters. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
The Art of Pulling an All-Nighter
If you're in a time crunch for reading this, the first paragraph or two below every section will contain the necessary instructions. If not, look for boldface. The rest explains the reasoning. The three main sections to look at are food, napping, and stimulants. Also, if you find this useful, please share it with your friends and donate to me through the paypal button if possible. Thanks, read on!
I was not really a good student. Ever. Whether it was my ADD that got me into trouble, my ability to understand/learn new things incredibly quickly, or my decision to take advantage of the previous two things and procrastinate till the very last possible SECOND...I don't know. I don't care either - I graduated (and by the very skin of my teeth, mind you - BUT I DID!). It was messy, but I made it.
Messy enough that I, toward the end of my schooling, once pulled 3 all-nighters in a single week (2 nights in a row on at least one occasion). In other words, I know how to compensate for a lack of foresight that leaves you sweating wikipedia entries (among other things) at the keyboard.
All-nighters are a sticky, sticky situation...especially if you're a busy student. It's a pretty unpleasant situation to be facing a paper due the next morning and start typing it at 10 pm that night. There's a reason for the facebook group "College Took My Circadian Rhythm and Shot It Between the Eyes."
Anyway, the first thing you have to do when you're facing an all-nighter is take an assessment of a few things:
Why? I'll explain point by point.
#1: self explanitory. Subtract meals and classes from this time.
#2: see #3.
#3: perhaps the most important thing to know; combines with #2 to give you an estimate for how long it's going to take you. I've known people who have gone as fast as 20 minutes per page; I have no idea hth they did that - it takes me roughly an hour to type out one page, including time spent searching out resources (and I type at over 80 WPM). If you don't know your #3, a good rule of thumb is about 1 hr/page. (post if you disagree, this is VERY important!)
#4: Will affect how quickly your brain is going to work, and how often you're going to need breaks. This will become critical towards sunrise!
#5: Like #4 - see my post on vending machine nutrition.
#6: This is going to be very important later on at night. I say 'stimulants' and stress legal because, in addition to caffeine, ADD/HD prescriptions fit the bill for some. I take Adderal XR for my ADHD, and it works VERY well for me (and yes, I have used it for the 'side effect' of "sleeplessness") - but I recommend against taking it if you don't have a legal prescription. There are cases out there of heart attacks - this *IS* speed, people!
#7: Laugh all you want (OMFGROFLMFAOLOLOLOLOLHAHAHAHAHAHA...*ahem*), but this can speed up #3; if you're VERY well read in your subject, it *could* potentially double your typing rate. Chances are, though, that if you did that - you wouldn't need to be reading this. ;)
If you've read my Vending Machine Nutrition post - you'll understand that sugar (High GI) - for a long period of concentration such as this - is a big mistake. You definitely want to get as much protein and low GI foods as possible. If all you have are vending machines, Snickers bars or nuts are your best bets. If not (or you're allergic to peanunts), try some other sources of protein; hard-boiled eggs, yogurt (plain if possible - use cinnamon to spice it up [according to You, The Owner's Manual, cinnamon actually helps insulin do its job, a bonus in this case), cheese, raw almonds. There are others, but those four are my absolute favorites. Beef jerky would also be a decent source (minus all the preservatives).
You don't ever need to feel full, but do not let yourself get hungry under any circumstances. If I start to feel sleepy, it's a good indication that my brain is starved for energy (in the form of glucose). Grazing on any source of protein will help you stay alert FAR longer than if you had sugars...I am hypoglycemic (my blood sugars dip too low), and my body is *very* sensitive to this. Protein helps a TREMENDOUS amount, and is released into the bloodstream far more slowly than pure sugar. All you need is a few cubes of cheese, a spoonful of yogurt every 15-20 minutes (or more), etc.
In addition, I have also heard that Vitamin C also helps. I have no clue how, but when I find out more I'll add the info. Emergen-C has been recommended to me.
Ok. This is a point where some of you may disagree with me. Many times I've advocated naps and many people tell me, "Oh, that doesn't work for me," or "...if I dare take a nap I'll fall asleep for hours!" I could use some more information on this from the nay-sayers of napping - because I don't really understand what's so difficult about taking a nap. My concern to you: if you're falling asleep within *five* minutes...you seriously need to be getting more rest! Ideally, it should take up to 20-25 minutes for a rested person to fall asleep. Americans just DON'T get enough sleep, period - and it's killing our ability to be productive (The Ingenuity Gap, don't know the author).
The way I typically do things:
With some form of alarm in place, I will:
Ideally; taking a nap is just shutting your eyes for a while. Occasionally, I've started dreaming, but when I've limited the time to under 45 minutes, I don't remember ever missing my alarm. Even 15 minutes is plenty. Now - you may be screaming at me right now, "ARE YOU CRAZY? THIS IS CUTTING INTO MY TYPING TIME!" Yes, it does - for now...but carefully managing your sleep at the BEGINNING of the night is going to grant you a minimum of 4-6 productive hours later.
According to You, The Owner's Manual, a stopgap measure in situations you *can't* sleep in is to sleep 15 minutes every 4 hours. This can be done for up to four days without trouble.
Just make sure you've got an alarm. I typically don't fall asleep, and sometimes my thoughts will drift during the entire nap, but that's totally okay. It's even better when, as you relax, you can feel your mind go fuzzy for a while. Those naps are SUPER energizing. The only requirement is that you close your eyes for the whole nap. If you fear you'll fall asleep, lie down on the floor with a jacket/bookbag as a pillow or something - just don't crawl into bed. It's better if you're in a public setting (just make sure you save your work before you nap so the labs don't log you off!), because it's harder to get *too* comfortable.
Ahh...chemical sleep in a can/pill/mug. Nectar of the gods! Basically, because stimulants increase your metabolism of food, you need to watch your food intake more closely when you use them; particularly caffeine, which crashes blood sugars, causing fatigue. My best guess is that energy drinks - some of which also contain caffeine - are the same way. Basically, my rule of thumb here is NO STIMULANTS BEFORE 2 AM.
While caffiene causes some positive feedback loops in the brain (I don't remember where I read this, but these effects can be felt up to 10-12 hours), it actually lasts only about 3 hours in the system. You're best off waiting as late as possible to start in with them. Once you've used them, DO NOT NEGLECT YOUR NAPS. Your heart will pound (especially if you've combined caffeine with prescription stimulants), but the nap will still do its job.
Prescription stimulants (for those with legal prescriptions) are a slightly different story. For those who have them: it's up to you when to use them. I've 'used' my prescriptions late at night for their main purpose for focus (because it's silly to work w/o them), getting the side benefit of staying awake more easily (though I have fallen asleep while on them, lol).
The familiar bloodshot, bleary-eyed aftermath... I can only imagine that you're absolutely exhausted after this ordeal (hopefully it'll take a few hours after you're done to catch up with you, if you've managed your naps right). Continue eating as much protein as you can into the day - just doing that alone has helped me stay surprisingly alert for the following day. If you have to (or can), nap in the afternoon...but try to do it before 4 pm or you *might* have trouble sleeping that night. If you can, exercise in the late afternoon or early evening - that'll finish the knockout blow you need to recover.
Disclaimer: You take this advice at your own risk. You recognize that these methods do carry certain risks; I will not be responsible for any damage/harm caused by using the methods described above. These are meant to be applied in worst-case scenarios if you have no other choice, and can lead to serious long term consequences if abused.
That being said, I wish you all the best of luck with your projects! Leave comments and suggestions (and donations if possible) ;) about what worked and what didn't work for you. I will likely create another post to specifically ask about napping strategies and habits. Take care and good luck!
I was not really a good student. Ever. Whether it was my ADD that got me into trouble, my ability to understand/learn new things incredibly quickly, or my decision to take advantage of the previous two things and procrastinate till the very last possible SECOND...I don't know. I don't care either - I graduated (and by the very skin of my teeth, mind you - BUT I DID!). It was messy, but I made it.
Messy enough that I, toward the end of my schooling, once pulled 3 all-nighters in a single week (2 nights in a row on at least one occasion). In other words, I know how to compensate for a lack of foresight that leaves you sweating wikipedia entries (among other things) at the keyboard.
All-nighters are a sticky, sticky situation...especially if you're a busy student. It's a pretty unpleasant situation to be facing a paper due the next morning and start typing it at 10 pm that night. There's a reason for the facebook group "College Took My Circadian Rhythm and Shot It Between the Eyes."
Before You Start
Anyway, the first thing you have to do when you're facing an all-nighter is take an assessment of a few things:
- Amount of available time, in hours, that you have to work on the project (realistically)
- Length of project (in pages, assuming it's a paper)
- Your average pace (typically in minutes/page...i.e. how long it takes you to type one page)
- Amount of sleep you've gotten over the past two nights + naps (important, will affect pace)
- Access to food (your sleep deprived, glucose starved brain will need it!)
- Access to stimulants you can LEGALLY use (more on that in a bit)
- How much previous preparation you've done (It's okay to laugh. I would.)
Why? I'll explain point by point.
#1: self explanitory. Subtract meals and classes from this time.
#2: see #3.
#3: perhaps the most important thing to know; combines with #2 to give you an estimate for how long it's going to take you. I've known people who have gone as fast as 20 minutes per page; I have no idea hth they did that - it takes me roughly an hour to type out one page, including time spent searching out resources (and I type at over 80 WPM). If you don't know your #3, a good rule of thumb is about 1 hr/page. (post if you disagree, this is VERY important!)
#4: Will affect how quickly your brain is going to work, and how often you're going to need breaks. This will become critical towards sunrise!
#5: Like #4 - see my post on vending machine nutrition.
#6: This is going to be very important later on at night. I say 'stimulants' and stress legal because, in addition to caffeine, ADD/HD prescriptions fit the bill for some. I take Adderal XR for my ADHD, and it works VERY well for me (and yes, I have used it for the 'side effect' of "sleeplessness") - but I recommend against taking it if you don't have a legal prescription. There are cases out there of heart attacks - this *IS* speed, people!
#7: Laugh all you want (OMFGROFLMFAOLOLOLOLOLHAHAHAHAHAHA...*ahem*), but this can speed up #3; if you're VERY well read in your subject, it *could* potentially double your typing rate. Chances are, though, that if you did that - you wouldn't need to be reading this. ;)
How to actually pull it off.
Before getting to the heart of the matter, I just want to start off by saying two things. One, I'm a total fanatic of naps. I LOVE naps, and have been able to use them to full advantage. Two, I don't drink caffeine very often...I usually 'save' it for emergencies such as these - so it also tends to have a more potent effect on me. Plus, caffeine reduces the effects of prescription stimulants (as noted by Dr. Daniel Amen in many of his books).
Before getting to the heart of the matter, I just want to start off by saying two things. One, I'm a total fanatic of naps. I LOVE naps, and have been able to use them to full advantage. Two, I don't drink caffeine very often...I usually 'save' it for emergencies such as these - so it also tends to have a more potent effect on me. Plus, caffeine reduces the effects of prescription stimulants (as noted by Dr. Daniel Amen in many of his books).
Now that you know all of this, it's time to get into the routine. Do whatever you normally do - music, no music...whatever. The keys here: 1, 2, 3, and 7 are fixed by the time you start typing; so there isn't much you can do about those. However, 4, 5 and 6 (sleep, food, and stimulants) are not, and can either grind you to a snoring halt or help you make it to the end. Careful management of these three things can keep you constantly productive for 8-10 hours or longer. Also, I recommend doing your project in a public setting - a lounge or a computer lab.
Food
If you've read my Vending Machine Nutrition post - you'll understand that sugar (High GI) - for a long period of concentration such as this - is a big mistake. You definitely want to get as much protein and low GI foods as possible. If all you have are vending machines, Snickers bars or nuts are your best bets. If not (or you're allergic to peanunts), try some other sources of protein; hard-boiled eggs, yogurt (plain if possible - use cinnamon to spice it up [according to You, The Owner's Manual, cinnamon actually helps insulin do its job, a bonus in this case), cheese, raw almonds. There are others, but those four are my absolute favorites. Beef jerky would also be a decent source (minus all the preservatives).
You don't ever need to feel full, but do not let yourself get hungry under any circumstances. If I start to feel sleepy, it's a good indication that my brain is starved for energy (in the form of glucose). Grazing on any source of protein will help you stay alert FAR longer than if you had sugars...I am hypoglycemic (my blood sugars dip too low), and my body is *very* sensitive to this. Protein helps a TREMENDOUS amount, and is released into the bloodstream far more slowly than pure sugar. All you need is a few cubes of cheese, a spoonful of yogurt every 15-20 minutes (or more), etc.
In addition, I have also heard that Vitamin C also helps. I have no clue how, but when I find out more I'll add the info. Emergen-C has been recommended to me.
Naps (Sleep)
Ok. This is a point where some of you may disagree with me. Many times I've advocated naps and many people tell me, "Oh, that doesn't work for me," or "...if I dare take a nap I'll fall asleep for hours!" I could use some more information on this from the nay-sayers of napping - because I don't really understand what's so difficult about taking a nap. My concern to you: if you're falling asleep within *five* minutes...you seriously need to be getting more rest! Ideally, it should take up to 20-25 minutes for a rested person to fall asleep. Americans just DON'T get enough sleep, period - and it's killing our ability to be productive (The Ingenuity Gap, don't know the author).
The way I typically do things:
With some form of alarm in place, I will:
- take a 5-10 minute nap every hour at the beginning of the night
- take a 10-15 minute nap every hour through the end of the night
- take a 45 minute nap every 4 hours for a BIG boost in alertness
Ideally; taking a nap is just shutting your eyes for a while. Occasionally, I've started dreaming, but when I've limited the time to under 45 minutes, I don't remember ever missing my alarm. Even 15 minutes is plenty. Now - you may be screaming at me right now, "ARE YOU CRAZY? THIS IS CUTTING INTO MY TYPING TIME!" Yes, it does - for now...but carefully managing your sleep at the BEGINNING of the night is going to grant you a minimum of 4-6 productive hours later.
According to You, The Owner's Manual, a stopgap measure in situations you *can't* sleep in is to sleep 15 minutes every 4 hours. This can be done for up to four days without trouble.
Just make sure you've got an alarm. I typically don't fall asleep, and sometimes my thoughts will drift during the entire nap, but that's totally okay. It's even better when, as you relax, you can feel your mind go fuzzy for a while. Those naps are SUPER energizing. The only requirement is that you close your eyes for the whole nap. If you fear you'll fall asleep, lie down on the floor with a jacket/bookbag as a pillow or something - just don't crawl into bed. It's better if you're in a public setting (just make sure you save your work before you nap so the labs don't log you off!), because it's harder to get *too* comfortable.
Stimulants
Ahh...chemical sleep in a can/pill/mug. Nectar of the gods! Basically, because stimulants increase your metabolism of food, you need to watch your food intake more closely when you use them; particularly caffeine, which crashes blood sugars, causing fatigue. My best guess is that energy drinks - some of which also contain caffeine - are the same way. Basically, my rule of thumb here is NO STIMULANTS BEFORE 2 AM.
While caffiene causes some positive feedback loops in the brain (I don't remember where I read this, but these effects can be felt up to 10-12 hours), it actually lasts only about 3 hours in the system. You're best off waiting as late as possible to start in with them. Once you've used them, DO NOT NEGLECT YOUR NAPS. Your heart will pound (especially if you've combined caffeine with prescription stimulants), but the nap will still do its job.
Prescription stimulants (for those with legal prescriptions) are a slightly different story. For those who have them: it's up to you when to use them. I've 'used' my prescriptions late at night for their main purpose for focus (because it's silly to work w/o them), getting the side benefit of staying awake more easily (though I have fallen asleep while on them, lol).
The Following Morning (the aftermath & recovery)
The familiar bloodshot, bleary-eyed aftermath... I can only imagine that you're absolutely exhausted after this ordeal (hopefully it'll take a few hours after you're done to catch up with you, if you've managed your naps right). Continue eating as much protein as you can into the day - just doing that alone has helped me stay surprisingly alert for the following day. If you have to (or can), nap in the afternoon...but try to do it before 4 pm or you *might* have trouble sleeping that night. If you can, exercise in the late afternoon or early evening - that'll finish the knockout blow you need to recover.
Disclaimer: You take this advice at your own risk. You recognize that these methods do carry certain risks; I will not be responsible for any damage/harm caused by using the methods described above. These are meant to be applied in worst-case scenarios if you have no other choice, and can lead to serious long term consequences if abused.
That being said, I wish you all the best of luck with your projects! Leave comments and suggestions (and donations if possible) ;) about what worked and what didn't work for you. I will likely create another post to specifically ask about napping strategies and habits. Take care and good luck!
Vending Machine Nutrition
Everybody knows that it's important to have a good diet, in order to be successful. But what are you supposed to do when it's three o'clock in the morning, you're hungry, and you only have access to a vending machine? Not very many people have addressed how to eat when you don't have many options. If you're stuck on campus without access to a car, all the cafes are closed, and you need to get a paper done in the next five hours, what are you supposed to eat?
If you notice yourself starting to sag, and you don’t have or want to use stimulants (adderall, ritalin and the like) to help you out for a short burst of time (like for classes or assignments shorter than 2 hours), pure sugar is an OK substitute if used properly. Sleep is important, so I advise against eating much chocolate or using soft drinks for sugar - especially those with caffeine, because caffeine is so disruptive to sleep (AND causes blood sugars to fall faster - exactly what we’re trying to avoid). Most energy drinks are the same way.
Research is being done on the glucose uptake in brains of people with ADHD - those studies have suggested that glucose uptake is reduced up to 20% from other brains. Why not replace that sugar? The benefit of sugar (and high GI snacks) is that it is extremely fast acting. The drawback of sugar is that it’s extremely fast acting, and if you have blood sugar problems, can cause way more harm than good if you’re not careful. In addition, unlike muscles (which can burn stored fat, etc), the brain does NOT have any reserves of energy; it pulls ALL of its energy directly out of the sugars in the bloodstream [I believe I read this in You, The Owner's Manual, but I could be wrong].
Warning: A diet full of high GI foods (those with simple carbs) are linked to numerous problems later on in life (Read Sugar, Sleep, and Survival for a better idea); do not use sugars as an everyday thing, but only in emergencies.
The trick is to eat just enough to give you a boost, without taking you over the top. You must pace your intake to avoid a sugar high. If you don’t, and you eat it in a burst, you’ll get exactly that - a huge burst of energy followed by a drowsy, non-functional sugar crash. You must eat slowly, and methodically to provide just enough fuel to keep your brain on full alert.
With vending machines, I’ve discovered that a bag of Skittles appear to be an excellent pure-sugar option - they’re small and there are lots of them in a bag, so it’s easy to keep track of how much you’re eating. What’s worked for me is to eat 3-5 Skittles every 5-10 minutes. Resting, your body burns roughly 1-1.5 calories per minute - eating at this rate roughly replenishes the calories lost by sitting in class (or in front of the computer), keeping enough sugar in your brain at all times to function. A vending machine sized bag of Skittles (250 calories worth) should last about 3 hours.
I would advise eating a little protein with the sugar, especially when you start your run - protein lasts longer and can temper the downsides of the sugar. The whole goal is to prevent a blood sugar crash, which will ruin everything.
If you need to focus for longer than three hours, proteins and lower GI snacks are a much wiser option. Many vending machines have nuts of some sort - those are a good option (in spite of the fat). Snickers bars have a lower GI than most other candies, and are a good option.
I have not covered chocolate in this section because I avoided using it (experimenting with it) to stay awake. Chocolate is a much more complicated substance than sugar is - sugar is readily absorbed by the body, and its effect is easiliy measured, controlled, and predictable. Chocolate also contains caffeine, fat, and some amount of protein; all of which affect the body differently.
I will discuss caffeine and sleep in a different post.
Note: This worked for me - I don't know offhand whether or not this will work for everyone...I need your help to let me know if this has worked for you. Post comments - what you used, how long you ate it for, and how fast you ate it...and of course, whether or not it worked. I used Skittles because they're pure sugar, and come in small, easiliy measurable units. Gummy bears will also work. Just be careful you don't average much more than 2 calories per minute while eating, or it's gonna hit you 20-30 min after you run out of fuel.
If you're sleep deprived...that'll affect how well this works, and sleep deprivation contributes to insulin resistance (meaning your body will have a harder time absorbing the sugars in your blood), as well as making the final 'crash' even more severe [read "You, The Owner's Manual," among many other books, for more details].
If you notice yourself starting to sag, and you don’t have or want to use stimulants (adderall, ritalin and the like) to help you out for a short burst of time (like for classes or assignments shorter than 2 hours), pure sugar is an OK substitute if used properly. Sleep is important, so I advise against eating much chocolate or using soft drinks for sugar - especially those with caffeine, because caffeine is so disruptive to sleep (AND causes blood sugars to fall faster - exactly what we’re trying to avoid). Most energy drinks are the same way.
Research is being done on the glucose uptake in brains of people with ADHD - those studies have suggested that glucose uptake is reduced up to 20% from other brains. Why not replace that sugar? The benefit of sugar (and high GI snacks) is that it is extremely fast acting. The drawback of sugar is that it’s extremely fast acting, and if you have blood sugar problems, can cause way more harm than good if you’re not careful. In addition, unlike muscles (which can burn stored fat, etc), the brain does NOT have any reserves of energy; it pulls ALL of its energy directly out of the sugars in the bloodstream [I believe I read this in You, The Owner's Manual, but I could be wrong].
Warning: A diet full of high GI foods (those with simple carbs) are linked to numerous problems later on in life (Read Sugar, Sleep, and Survival for a better idea); do not use sugars as an everyday thing, but only in emergencies.
The trick is to eat just enough to give you a boost, without taking you over the top. You must pace your intake to avoid a sugar high. If you don’t, and you eat it in a burst, you’ll get exactly that - a huge burst of energy followed by a drowsy, non-functional sugar crash. You must eat slowly, and methodically to provide just enough fuel to keep your brain on full alert.
With vending machines, I’ve discovered that a bag of Skittles appear to be an excellent pure-sugar option - they’re small and there are lots of them in a bag, so it’s easy to keep track of how much you’re eating. What’s worked for me is to eat 3-5 Skittles every 5-10 minutes. Resting, your body burns roughly 1-1.5 calories per minute - eating at this rate roughly replenishes the calories lost by sitting in class (or in front of the computer), keeping enough sugar in your brain at all times to function. A vending machine sized bag of Skittles (250 calories worth) should last about 3 hours.
I would advise eating a little protein with the sugar, especially when you start your run - protein lasts longer and can temper the downsides of the sugar. The whole goal is to prevent a blood sugar crash, which will ruin everything.
If you need to focus for longer than three hours, proteins and lower GI snacks are a much wiser option. Many vending machines have nuts of some sort - those are a good option (in spite of the fat). Snickers bars have a lower GI than most other candies, and are a good option.
I have not covered chocolate in this section because I avoided using it (experimenting with it) to stay awake. Chocolate is a much more complicated substance than sugar is - sugar is readily absorbed by the body, and its effect is easiliy measured, controlled, and predictable. Chocolate also contains caffeine, fat, and some amount of protein; all of which affect the body differently.
I will discuss caffeine and sleep in a different post.
Note: This worked for me - I don't know offhand whether or not this will work for everyone...I need your help to let me know if this has worked for you. Post comments - what you used, how long you ate it for, and how fast you ate it...and of course, whether or not it worked. I used Skittles because they're pure sugar, and come in small, easiliy measurable units. Gummy bears will also work. Just be careful you don't average much more than 2 calories per minute while eating, or it's gonna hit you 20-30 min after you run out of fuel.
If you're sleep deprived...that'll affect how well this works, and sleep deprivation contributes to insulin resistance (meaning your body will have a harder time absorbing the sugars in your blood), as well as making the final 'crash' even more severe [read "You, The Owner's Manual," among many other books, for more details].
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