Pulling all nighters can have serious negative impact on the brain and is as bad as getting a hard blow on your head, according to Uppsala University researchers.

Many of us have pulled all nighters- last minute studying for an exam or partying all night long with friends. Studies have proven in the past that such events can have a negative effect on the health of a person but a new study conducted by Uppsala University researcher looked into the effect of all nighters on the brain.

Pulling all nighters create changes to the brain that are similar to those that happen when you get a hard blow on your head, according to Boston Globe.

The study was conducted on 15 healthy young men. Researchers measured the levels of certain proteins (NSE and S100B) associated with brain injuries after the men slept for eight straight hours. The levels were re-measured after the participants were made to stay awake all night. They found that the levels of these proteins were 20 percent higher when the participants were deprived of sleep all night.

"The levels found after acute brain damage, such as after concussions, are distinctly higher than those found in our study," said study leader Christian Benedict, an associate professor of neuroscience at Uppsala University in Sweden, according to the tabloid. "That said, it would not be appropriate to claim that a single night of sleep loss is equally harmful for your brain as a head injury."

The proteins measured in the study are responsible for the smooth functioning of the brain. They are also biomarkers of cell damages. Though no women were involved in the study, researchers say that the same results may apply to women as well.

"We observed that a night of total sleep loss was followed by increased blood concentrations of NSE and S-100B. These brain molecules typically rise in blood under conditions of brain damage. Thus, our results indicate that a lack of sleep may promote neurodegenerative processes," Benedict said, according to Counsel Heal. "In conclusion, the findings of our trial indicate that a good night's sleep may be critical for maintaining brain health."

Findings of the study were published online in the Journal Sleep.