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How-To: "Kill" yourself by not getting enough sleep...

I'm just wondering if anyone else in high school (specifically junior year) is frequently pulling all nighters to get their work done, and essentially "dying" from the process. I am in serious sleep deprivation now, and I'm pretty sure that my eyes are going to implode....

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Incineration_Prophecy says: Apr 25, 2007. 12:42 PM
Theoretically, a person only needs 3 hours of sleep a night to function. I get this from a U.C.L.A study I read on sleep a couple years ago.
canida says: Apr 30, 2007. 11:57 AM
By "function" it presumably means continue living at a minimal level! There are lots of interesting sleep studies out there. Apparently sleep is necessary to "consolidate" what you learn during the day- if you don't sleep enough, the information isn't properly written to long-term memory. If you want to retain any of the info you're shoving into your brain for tests you really need to sleep.
T3h_Muffinator (author) says: Apr 25, 2007. 2:42 PM
Interesting. I actually function better when I don't sleep at all than when I get less than 7 hrs of sleep.
KentsOkay says: Apr 29, 2007. 2:51 PM
As I prommised, I have posted an Instructable on peace relaxation, and feeling better, How to Calm,Relax, and Re-Energize Yourself in Five Minutes I have it entered in the Laser Cutter contest, I would greatly apreciate it if you would rate it as you feel it should be rated. Did I mention it has free music downloads?
T3h_Muffinator (author) says: Apr 29, 2007. 5:51 PM
Haha! I'll rate it, but I don't know if it's going to top my nuclear powered flashlight, or my anti-anti-depressant!
carbon says: Apr 25, 2007. 3:44 PM
Recently, I've been getting anywhere from 3-5 hours of sleep per night. (Excluding the 3-4 all-nighters I pulled). I really think there's been a decline in my performance, and today is the day that I'm going to get back on track. Unfortunately, I have three tests tomorrow, and I need to study. In math, there'll actually be a few questions dealing with chapters we haven't gone over yet. :(
T3h_Muffinator (author) says: Apr 25, 2007. 5:01 PM
Wow, your math teacher is mean! I agree though, sleep is a serious issue that schools should take care of. Set a maximum work load, or decrease the day length.
carbon says: Apr 26, 2007. 3:55 PM
Ironically, I didn't study as much as I should have because I was spending time here, on Instructables. :P

However, I think I did pretty well on the math test. While I didn't even completely finish the test, I was the closest to finishing, with three left to go. The next highest level of completion was 5 problems remaining. (Let's put this in perspective: There were 23 problems on the test ).
T3h_Muffinator (author) says: Apr 26, 2007. 8:03 PM
mmm

In my Math Theory class, the test usually consists of about 18-28 questions. The raw score always adds up to 60 points, and there is an even curve distribution. everyone above the median gets A/A+, below = B+/B if you're way off the curve, C/D/F
carbon says: Apr 25, 2007. 4:50 PM
You have to remember that I'm in the top classes, so it's an entirely different situation for 95% of the students, really. I know a couple of people who don't have any homework at all more than one day a week.

It doesn't help that I'm in tons of clubs, intramurals, etc. Nor that I usually don't get home until 8 or so.

By the way, stop posting your comments -16 minutes ago! :P Do you think changing my system time would fix this? (I'm fairly sure that my time is the correct one, as I sync it obsessively with the atomic clock).
T3h_Muffinator (author) says: Apr 25, 2007. 7:33 PM
I'm in all of the top classes in my school, too... I've found that most of the more intelligent and less k'nex oriented users are generally in the top 10% of the world's smart people. I know tons of people that have barely any homework, which really stinks. All of the people in my tech classes aren't in any APs, so they barely have any work.

as for By the way, stop posting your comments -16 minutes ago! I'm not exactly sure what you mean. Although changing your time won't do anything. The Instructables comments system is certainly not flawless... I have problems with keeping track of who commented on my comments because occasionally the robot decides not to write the comment on my comment board....

Let's hope that the work load for both of us decreases rapidly!
Cheers,
-Josh
Weissensteinburg says: Apr 25, 2007. 10:17 PM
I'm in the top 1.53846153546153846153846153846-10

Yes, that means out of our 6.5 billion people, I am the smartest. :-P
carbon says: Apr 25, 2007. 9:20 PM
Every time I post a forum topic comment, I expect the topic that I posted in to soar to the top of the list when sorted by most recent / active. However, I find that my reply will be buried under 5 or 6 other comments, which are often labeled with a post date of a negative count of minutes. Very annoying. ; )
teaaddict314 says: Apr 25, 2007. 5:34 PM
i never have homework and im in grade 9
carbon says: Apr 25, 2007. 8:49 PM
I'm a freshman, too. Point being?
T3h_Muffinator (author) says: Apr 25, 2007. 9:12 PM
I didn't have much HW as a freshman, even though I was in all the advanced courses. Just wait until Junior year, if you make it... From how it sounds like it's going, I think you might be dead by then.... Ledzeppie, don't be surprised if you aren't sleeping for days Junior year... especially if you're in all APs
carbon says: Apr 25, 2007. 9:22 PM
I'm going to take the advice of royalestel and go to bed now. :P (10:47 over here).
Weissensteinburg says: Apr 25, 2007. 10:18 PM
it's 11:19 here, im getting up at 5..should probably go to bed. night.
T3h_Muffinator (author) says: Apr 26, 2007. 8:05 PM
You guys are sissies! You've gotta pull the all nighter! Haha, just playin'
Vendigroth says: Jun 11, 2007. 2:48 PM
i'm fine with all-nighters, but i usually start to get drowsy at about 4 in teh morning. Once the sun's up, tho, i'm fine
T3h_Muffinator (author) says: Jun 11, 2007. 2:19 PM
Agreed! I almost pulled an all-nighter yesterday, but my entire right arm started to feel as if the bone was being stabbed by tons of needles, so I went to sleep. No, my arm didn't fall asleep. It's still hurting today, I think I'm going to see the doctor about it.
teaaddict314 says: Apr 25, 2007. 8:56 PM
you were just saying that you have alot of homework ect......my point is i have almost none
KentsOkay says: Apr 24, 2007. 6:00 AM
Hmm, no sleep, an idea to get more sleep = Instructable
T3h_Muffinator (author) says: Apr 24, 2007. 5:43 PM
yessss! make it!
KentsOkay says: Apr 26, 2007. 8:30 AM
Made it.
T3h_Muffinator (author) says: Apr 26, 2007. 3:45 PM
Sweet!
trebuchet03 says: Apr 25, 2007. 10:10 PM
No worries - it should pay off... just don't coast next year, or you'll be kicking yourself :p
mikesty says: Apr 25, 2007. 10:30 PM
Why do you say that?
trebuchet03 says: Apr 25, 2007. 11:30 PM
Because getting that "letter of acceptance" from a university is not ticket to the university... That acceptance is hinged on your performance in your final year... Goof off and screw up up - they can (and I've seen it happen more than once) rescind your acceptance.... That's why it's important to update the university should you change courses. Or, if there is a legitimate reason (say, medical or death etc.) make sure your university knows why your performance changed. I can't speak from experience, but I'll bet it is the worst feeling to have a college change their mind on you :(
mikesty says: Apr 25, 2007. 10:29 PM
High school was a load of crap. I was in the high classes (mostly, not always, mostly), and I did alright but it's not worth my time. A month left and I am off to college :) The weird thing is, I usually get 6hrs of sleep tops, sometimes 4. Not because of homework, but just because I feel like staying up :)
sidriddle says: Apr 25, 2007. 12:14 PM
when i was in the army, i was involved in a sleep depervation study. we done a forced march for four days. we were allowed only a few minutes sleep at a time with the rest of the time walking. after the second day people were dropping like flies and hallocinating (how ever you spell it) It was not one of my better times serving.
T3h_Muffinator (author) says: Apr 25, 2007. 2:43 PM
Whoa... that doesn't sound like fun. I salute you, though, for serving the country.
Vendigroth says: Apr 24, 2007. 7:03 AM
i get about 10 hours of sleep a night and it's still not enough.
T3h_Muffinator (author) says: Apr 24, 2007. 5:42 PM
I get about 7 on average... you're so lucky!
ich bin ein pyro says: Apr 25, 2007. 12:25 PM
i get an average of 7 hours also but my friend in school i hear in the summer he used to stay up all night playing halo and guitar hero and somehow he made it work hes usally tired in all classes now
cesar harada says: Apr 25, 2007. 9:01 AM
I sleep when i can't stay awake, so it's very irregular and related to the present stimulation : sometimes, for a week i almost don't sleep, sometimes i sleep 2 continuous days, no rule. I'm lucky to be able to do that, because i am an independent designer, student researcher, and what i mostly do is passion driven. When I was in high-school I slept very little (some years at least 2 sleepless nights a week), and it was to get good grades to get a good job and get well payed and have plenty of free time ... i don't have this yet, but that's the plan. Like westfw says, getting good grades is important for futur confort ... Making interesting not paid projects can be a clever long term investment as well .... i hope ... i always say, i will sleep later, and the pile of project keeps on accumulating ...
royalestel says: Apr 25, 2007. 9:45 AM
Okay, now you're just getting ridiculous. You're going to kill yourself before you're 40 if you don't slow down. Every night you stay up and don't sleep hurts your body long term, just a wee bit. Aren't you worrying a bitt too much about getting a job with free time? When you do get one, will you even know what to do with it? My friend, please get some rest. Your body needs play, it needs food and water, and sleep. You can go without any for a short time, but long term this is just a terrible thing to do to yourself.
royalestel says: Apr 24, 2007. 9:23 AM
Sleep > Studying
Sleep + Responsible daily activities = Enough time to study.

If you have a job, quit if you can. Making school your job in hgih school is really the way to go.

Good grades in High School = Scholarships for college and better paying jobs.
westfw says: Apr 25, 2007. 2:37 AM
I gotta agree with the "dump the job" bit. Especially in high school. It's real easy to fool yourself into thinking that you're being "responsible" when you're actually avoiding what ought to be your primary responsibility. College will run fewer hours/day spent in classes, but more time studying. I had a physics prof who estimated we should spend twice as much time studying as we did in class (A class typically runs 3h/w.)
T3h_Muffinator (author) says: Apr 24, 2007. 5:40 PM
I got home today and went straight to sleep. Sleep is definitely > studying!
Weissensteinburg says: Apr 23, 2007. 6:26 PM
I usually get about 4 hours of sleep a night, does that count? I'm just juggling options - wondering if my grade in AP Biology really matters if i'm going into Photography...
westfw says: Apr 23, 2007. 8:13 PM
A passing (gets you credit at your college; actual grade may vary) in ANY AP class gets you "freedom to flunk" one actual college class later, and is well worth some level of effort. AP Bio is probably particularly useful because the equivalent actual college class probably includes a good amount of "weed out the people who think they are pre-med" unpleasantness. That said, sleep can be better than studying.
T3h_Muffinator (author) says: Apr 24, 2007. 5:22 AM
Sleep is always better than studying, studying just prepares you for a test more =P
Weissensteinburg says: Apr 23, 2007. 8:57 PM
Well see..I have a D in there, so my decision is whether or not to take the National Exam, in which case I wouldnt get any AP credit, and the class would count as an honors (4.5 max credit, not 5). If I do take it, and get a 1 on the exam, it'll look horrible on college applications..and i go in circles with my decision making. Anyways, I don't want to get off topic..back to sleep
T3h_Muffinator (author) says: Apr 24, 2007. 5:25 AM
Don't worry! This post is all about sleep and classes and grades and just killing yourself in general... using tools that teachers give you IE homework, projects, tests, and lack of sleep.

You guys are lucky, when I enrolled in AP courses they FORCE you to take the AP exam. I'm pretty sure it's my school's way of making an extra buck or two... they don't care where you go to college afterward...
Weissensteinburg says: Apr 24, 2007. 3:16 PM
Our school makes you take the exam (they pay for it) depending on what you have in the class..I'm on the brink.
Brennn10 says: Apr 24, 2007. 6:16 AM
I get lots of sleep. I have a resolution! Don't do your homework!
Weissensteinburg says: Apr 25, 2007. 5:08 AM
I ususally do the homework about tem minutes before each class. I'm on this site way too much. So if i fail at life, it's Eric's fault, and I'm suing. :-P
Brennn10 says: Apr 25, 2007. 5:40 AM
It sucks because I hate to do my homework in study halls, and we are allowed to go to the library. There are only 4 spots for every class, and I am always late!! I have to succumb to ditching Instructables for 45 minutes, and do my geometry homework.................ugh
T3h_Muffinator (author) says: Apr 24, 2007. 5:40 PM
That's the attitude! hahaha
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