MCAT Eve Insomnia

[LittleRocker]

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So I have a bad habit of not being able to fall asleep the night before important tests. My mind always races and I can't fall asleep. I am seriously worried that the night before the MCAT (the most important test of my life so far) that I'll be tossing and turning all night and will show up with 2 hours of sleep and do horribly. Can anyone recommend something to help this? Also I normally don't have trouble sleeping. It only happens when I have something important the next day.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

i was thesameway. Honestly for me though, itdidnt kickin until 30 minutes after thetest when Iwasdriving. I am not sure it made a difference in my performace, Insomnia sucks though

 

[bodonid]

This has honestly been a problem for me since my 10th grade biology final. Recently what I have been doing is trying to sleep about four hours or less two nights before so I won't have as much trouble sleeping the night before. But honestly, if you get between four and six hours on the eve of the test, preferably waking up at least an hour before the exam, it probably won't hurt you much. Less than that and your'e probably

P.S.- consider exercising for an hour the day before.

 

[BloodySurgeon]

I spend most of the day/night before just relaxing and calming myself down. Not thinking, speaking, or studying for the test. This should make it a little bit easier to fall asleep.

When I have an important test/day the next day, I have a bad habit of waking up 5:00am (SHARP). Even if there was an earthquake, I usually can't wake up earlier than 8:00am. But this is not to say that I will be tired at five but another thing about me is that, once I wake up I can never go back to sleep. 😴

 

[RaVen777]

I found my lack of sleep did not factor in until the long drive home after the MCAT ( I was about a 2 hour drive away).

I could not sleep till about 1am the night before, and my body woke me up at 5am sharp the morning of. I tried to get back to sleep, but was up at 6am anyways. However, I never really felt the effects of the lack of sleep (If my score was affected or not, i'll never know, I do NOT want to take the test again😛)

However, the caffeine I had reared it's head about 5min before my first break Lucky for me it was not earlier.

 

[DrJD]

Tylenol PM... helps you sleep but there is no grogginess the next day. Do a trial run on a different night to make sure, but it normally only lasts in your system about 4 hours, just enough to help you fall asleep...

 

[olemissbabydoc]

I didn't sleep, but adrenaline got me throug the test.. I was exhausted after from working the ole brain so hard so I had a nap. but insomnia before won't kill you and (most likely) won't hurt your score. the adrenaline kept me on my toes.

 

[OncDoc19]

I have the same problem and I though it would be even worse because I had to stay in a friends house in another city the night before. Luckily they had a sound machine, which I have never used before, but which really helped me get to sleep. I highly recommend it!

 

[ComicBookDude]

I have this same problem. Usually, I try to wake up really early a day or two before. That way, I'm able to fall asleep much easier the night before the test. Or... you could sign up for a 12PM MCAT.

 

[brianmartin]

really, the best way to avoid this is to be really tired when you need to sleep, which means not oversleeping in the days leading up to the test. It's taken me 6 long years to figure this out 🙂

 

[RoadRunner17]

Do your usual exercise/workout routine, or up the intensity enough that you're tired enough. Then, get some wine+pasta for dinner, so you're pretty damn tired (but well-fed and feeling good) when you get home. Then fall asleep.

Of course, you could schedule yourself for an afternoon testing date, and none of this matters.

 

[xiaoyi666]

i never really have this problem unless it's for something major like the mcat. um....might not be politically correct but my girlfriend did wonders for me. other than that, a good workout or physical activity will probably also do the trick.