I'm so behind on so many things - paperwork, apt cleaning, etc.
 I could really use an effective "all-nighter" to get done what I need to get done.
 Anyone have ideas on how I can legally, and relatively safely, stay up all night?
 Caffeine doesn't seem to do the trick - when I need sleep I *need* it
and coffee and even Vivarin don't do much.

Hi There.

I have heard that a cold, crisp apple preferably along with a can of
Red Bull or the like can do wonders in helping you stay awake. Try it.

Keeping it legal narrows your options of course, but here's a tip I
heard from long distance truck drivers...when you feel yourself
getting drowsy wet your finger with saliva and rub it on your eyelids.
Yeah...disgusting I know but you asked.

You're better off to pull a 7 day work week, or two or three 12 hour
days, than one "all-nighter". If you work all night and then crash for
12-14 hours after, you'll be right back where you started and your
all-nighter will have been unnecesary (and unproductive) suffering. I
think your answer lies not in sustained work but in prioritizing your
belated tasks and working them into your normal routine.

tutuzdad-ga

My college roommates drank coffee and then resisted relieving
themselves, walking, etc.  I don't think I could concentrate on that
formula, but they had better grades than I did.

tutuz:  I already work seven days a week..... sigh.... :)

you need a new job

Many people have their duty hours in night time for a long period and
they become habitual of this but they invariably sleep long hours in
day time (they have to). In fact their biological clocks in long runs
are moulded like that.
If it is occasional stay up for a night than it is a different story
as it can be managed with stimulants like strong coffes / tea etc.
Taking light meals in dinner will also help. Food which take long time
in gut will also awaken you for a longer period but remember
whatsoever you do to stay up in the night will affect your health if
sleep is not compensated in thre day time. It is natures gift to us
for relaxing.

mindandme-ga  - It's not my "job;" it's a business that I started from
nothing and built from scratch.

Ritalin and other drugs for AADD help people who are distracted to
focus, stay up, and finish boring tasks. These are legal only if you
are diagnosed with AADD.

I would suggest thinking more about time management and prioritization
than staying up all night.  If you skip sleep on a regular basis, your
performance and productivity will be worse and you won't even notice
it.

Hire some help. Get a cleaning person in on an occasional basis, hire
a temp for office work, etc. If you aren't too picky and the job isn't
too complex, put up a note at your local community college (or
university, if you are so lucky to have one) and get some kid(s) to do
the work very inexpensively. Eye candy might even be an added bonus.

Try Thai "Redbull" energy drink.You eill up all night.But it got to
buy it from Thai market.

Hey,
We seem to have a similar life stlye. I pull all-nighters for school
all the time and I rarley get more than 5 hrs of sleep on nights I do
make it to bed. So here is my soultion... RED BULL!! Honestly. It
helps me so much. One Red Bull seems to last me between 3-5 hrs. And
it doesn't make me all jittery like a caffine or sugar high. Thats
because it is based off of B vitamins (it conatins the entire B
complex) and amino acids. It only contains 80 mg of caffine (about the
same as 4 oz of chocolate and less than a coke) and it contains simple
sugars instead of high fructose corn syrup (like in soda). So
everything in it (except the simple sugars and caffine) naturally
occur in your body, you produce all of the ingredients during your rem
cycle of sleep. So it feels like more of a replenishing drink than a
huge jolt of un-natural energy.