Trouble falling asleep before the mcat

[poppytart]

This is not my first time taking the mcat...and everynight before the test I ALWAYS have trouble falling asleep. I've tried taking a sleeping aid (simply sleep and nyquil) but it makes me super drowsy when I wake up...any ideas for a nice and peaceful sleep??

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[alphaholic06]

Have a drink or two.

 

[sweetstuff25]

i planning on sleeping in like crazy the day before.

 

[docolive]

I am seeking the same advice. I have been waking up early but I am not able to fall asleep until late. Exactly the reason why today is the last day of light review for me.
Have any of you heard about chamomile tea helping???
Last August, I was up all night and made tea at 3am. I really need help to avoid any distastrous consequences. And....I can't have family members prescribe adivan since that's not allowed.

 

[Kristiyana]

For me ... warm milk and nice book (non-mcat related) or soft classical music. Also, taking a long hot bath usually makes me reeeallly sleepy ... you might want to try that too.

 

[docolive]

For me ... warm milk and nice book (non-mcat related) or soft classical music. Also, taking a long hot bath usually makes me reeeallly sleepy ... you might want to try that too.

thank you for your advice.

 

[humerus]

If alcohol (1-2 shots max) is out of the question for you and other things don't seem to work the night of, whatever you do, DON'T force yourself to to sleep. As an inveterate insomniac, who refuses to take anything habit-forming (I take enough pills), I found that feeling mad at myself and "trying" to sleep is more detrimental to my anxiety levels.

If you can't fall asleep after an hour, try to do some deep meditation. Even if you don't get sleep, at least your mind is rested. Also, plan your strategy for the next day in light of your lack of sleep. Try to eat a quick lunch and plan for a power nap somewhere quiet (like in a corner). Bring earplugs and/or a eye mask. Alternatively, you can do some yoga moves that will raise your energy levels or more meditation.

I'm already planning for a night of fitful sleep myself. Good luck.

 

[aidan44]

This is not my first time taking the mcat...and everynight before the test I ALWAYS have trouble falling asleep. I've tried taking a sleeping aid (simply sleep and nyquil) but it makes me super drowsy when I wake up...any ideas for a nice and peaceful sleep??

Just make sure you get plenty of sleep Thursday night. You're more than likely to be pretty amped up during the test, so one night's lack of sleep won't be as bad as you think.

Also, not sure if you are male or female (not sure if females have the same response to this as males), but there is always one surefire way for me to fall asleep....

 

[ADeadLois]

This is not my first time taking the mcat...and everynight before the test I ALWAYS have trouble falling asleep. I've tried taking a sleeping aid (simply sleep and nyquil) but it makes me super drowsy when I wake up...any ideas for a nice and peaceful sleep??

I have acute insomnia, and I've taken Melatonin for several years. It's a hormone, not a sleeping pill, and you can find it at any drug/grocery story in the vitamin section. It usually only works when you take it over a long period of time, so I'm not sure taking it one night before will be of any help.

For one night, I would recommend listening to classical music before you fall asleep, or if you know anyone with a Sigur Ros album (an Icelandic alt. rock band) I'd listen to that to get drowsy. Just take a lot of deep breaths; it forces your body to relax.

 

[Sundarban1]

Tylenol PM. All this yoga, classical music, meditation, etc. is for the birds. Good luck everyone!

 

[MasterMD]

i always have this problem too so i try to bore myself to sleep .. like you know how you are reading your bio book for class and you keep fallng asleep.... but somehow whenever i try to read the bio book TO sleep.. it becomes REALLY interesting!

so here's what i do.. i took a class in meditation--no im not saying to meditate. and we learned to focus on our breathing... you can try that first for about ten minutes to calm yourself down.. just think about how you are breathing and try to slow your breathing down.. you will relax. then think about absolutely nothing. everytime you even think about thinking about nothing make yourself stop immediately... like focus on the blackness of your eyes but dont let yourself think about focussing on it.... its hard but it works... your brain protests this thoughtlessness and forces you to fall asleep (at least thats how i interpret it).

I ALWAYS have trouble falling asleep (sometimes an hour or two to sleep) but this gets me asleep in 5 minutes flat.

 

[shantster]

I have acute insomnia, and I've taken Melatonin for several years. It's a hormone, not a sleeping pill, and you can find it at any drug/grocery story in the vitamin section. It usually only works when you take it over a long period of time, so I'm not sure taking it one night before will be of any help.

For one night, I would recommend listening to classical music before you fall asleep, or if you know anyone with a Sigur Ros album (an Icelandic alt. rock band) I'd listen to that to get drowsy. Just take a lot of deep breaths; it forces your body to relax.

I know people that have had Melatonin work well for them. If you are worried and want to try something, I say that tonight is the night to do it since you want to make sure that you aren't too drowsy the next morning.

I personally have been getting up early this entire week (around 5:30) and then working out so that I'm ready for bed before 10. It's been working quite well and I'm hoping that I'll stay in this same sleep schedule that night.

 

[shantster]

Tylenol PM. All this yoga, classical music, meditation, etc. is for the birds. Good luck everyone!

Some people might not react well to Tylenol PM. I took that once and was still in a daze over 12 hours later.

 

[fi0ri]

diphenhydramine hydrochloride 1hr prior to bedtime, worked great for me (score wasn't super high, but I was super-rested)

 

[Saluki]

In general, melatonin works pretty well for me without making me drowsy in the morning... (It's a natural thing you can get in the over the counter area of Walmart)

Disclaimer: I did not sleep at all the night before the MCAT even after taking the melatonin- I was just too wired... I probably didn't do as well as I would have with a few hours of sleep, but oh well....

 

[Pancho Villa]

just wake yourself up early as hell friday morning so your nice and sleepy by the time night rolls around.

 

[Zephyrus]

this is what i'm doing... getting up at 4AM Friday to counteract my insomniac tendencies. I'd much rather tire myself out and get a full night of natural sleep than have to knock myself out with Unisom or Benadryl.

Z

 

[Law2Doc]

This is not my first time taking the mcat...and everynight before the test I ALWAYS have trouble falling asleep. I've tried taking a sleeping aid (simply sleep and nyquil) but it makes me super drowsy when I wake up...any ideas for a nice and peaceful sleep??

Don't stress about not sleeping -- that's what's keeping you from falling asleep in the first place. The human brain can do fairly well on very little sleep for quite a long period of time. try to get some sleep the day or two prior and you will get through it. Stay away from benadryl, alcohol or other things that will leave you gorped out on test day -- you need to be running clean and on pure adrenaline come test day.

 

[poppytart]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I already have trouble falling asleep and the anxiety preceeding the mcat just aggravates the situation. I think I am going to wake up super early friday so that I will be sleepy earlier....and then I will focus on nothing so that my brain shuts down and lets me sleep haha. No sleeping aids for me! Although, I might go to Wally World and grab some of that melatonin and try it tonight!

 

[rgerwin]

I suck at sleeping, too. I'm getting up at 7am the next 2 days to be prepared for sat. Also, definitely get exercise. That's really the best thing for me to sleep. Also, valerian root capsules are great (though they smell), and I think someone reccomended tylenol pm or benadryl(same sleep agent). It will make groggy, so allow for enough time to have it wear off in the morning.

 

[PBandJ]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I already have trouble falling asleep and the anxiety preceeding the mcat just aggravates the situation. I think I am going to wake up super early friday so that I will be sleepy earlier....and then I will focus on nothing so that my brain shuts down and lets me sleep haha. No sleeping aids for me! Although, I might go to Wally World and grab some of that melatonin and try it tonight!

good call. get to bed early thursday, get up early friday, and go with it.

and if you are in bed, but can't get to sleep, go do jumping jacks for a minute or two and then come back. a quick bit of exercise right before bed can do the trick.

 

[sweetstuff25]

good call. get to bed early thursday, get up early friday, and go with it.

and if you are in bed, but can't get to sleep, go do jumping jacks for a minute or two and then come back. a quick bit of exercise right before bed can do the trick.

No matter how early i wake up the day before, i'm still gonna feel buzzed the night of the mcat. i will lie in bed, not sleeping, but thinking. This will hurt me more on test day because i'll be carrying almost 2 days of no sleep. Just a warning for those who may have this problem.

 

[Sapient1]

My best advice would be to avoid any stimulants for no less than 24 hours, and preferably 36 hour; that includes all forms of caffeine from tea, coffee, cola, red bull, guarana extracts etc... Then, if you're having trouble sleeping, and it's not contraindicated, take a Benadryl.

You'll sleep like a baby but have a dose of caffeine ready for that morning (plus it may help your focus and concentration).

Good luck with the MCAT! I lose my MCAT virginty on Saturday as well



Sleeplessness /Insomnia... if only people would realise how much caffeine affects them and for how long.

 

[snowkhat]

I would stay away from any chemical help unless you know how it affects you the next morning.

For example, benadryl (diphenhydramine) and Nyquil make me too groggy in the morning. However, Ambien helps my mind shut down and I feel rested in the morning (do NOT take any meds. if you don't know how you react to them).

I am planning to wake up early on Friday and go work out. I am going to go bowling and watch a movie to keep my mind off of the MCAT. I plan on getting to bed by 10pm (and maybe taking something to help me sleep).

Make sure you eat plenty of carbs the day before and eat breakfast the morning of the MCAT.

Best of luck.....hopefully we can all get some sleep!

 

[jmnykrkts]

this is what i'm doing... getting up at 4AM Friday to counteract my insomniac tendencies. I'd much rather tire myself out and get a full night of natural sleep than have to knock myself out with Unisom or Benadryl.

Z

not a bad idea but many people will be so wired friday night that they will be sleepless regardless of how little they sleep the night before. Two nights in a row of <5 or 6 hrs would be bad. Could be risky...

Best advice so far is EXERCISE. This will not only make you sleepier come bedtime but it will also clear your head and help you relax a little. I went for a ~30 min run in the early evening the day before MCAT and fell asleep with little trouble.

 

[peace84]

i got up pretty early friday morning....got a relaxing massage friday afternoon....ate a lot of carbs friday evening....and to my surprise i had no trouble sleeping friday night

i would definitely recommend the massage...helps you release all the tension

 

[MNsocsci]

What works for each person varies, but currently I like falling asleep to NPR podcasts (dorky, I know). I try to pick a boring one and the calm talking relaxes me a lot. It keeps me from rehashing things in my head and quiets internal dialogue.

That said, I don't know that anything could have helped me the night before the MCAT. I have a bit of an insomnia problem anyway, so I got Ambien (prescription sleeping pill) to help with that. I tried it ahead of time and felt confident that it worked well without making me groggy in the morning. So... the night before the MCAT I took it, and I STILL couldn't sleep a wink the whole night. If this happens to you, just tell yourself that you can still do fine without sleep and like someone else said, know that resting without sleeping will help you too.

 

[HunterGatherer]

Easy on the exercise the day before the MCAT if you are inactive individual. Going for a long walk or light sport activities is not a bad idea.

Don't take tylenol PM either if you don't have experience on how it alters your sleep and ability to wake up.