Sleep

[MrTaco92]

Anyone else worried about getting no sleep the night before test day? The vast majority of my exams during first year I took running on about 2-3 hours even though I'd devote ~7 hours to sleep and there have been a couple times where I got 0. This year has been a little better with the use of melatonin and a bit of emotional desensitization since our exams have been more frequent, but some days I'll still go into an exam with just a couple hours of sleep from anxiety. I'd really hate for all the studying I'm doing now to go to waste so I'm just looking to see what others do/plan to do regarding this.

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[Redbarron21]

The day before the test I stopped studying around 5pm and starting winding down, ate a small dinner and watched some tv. I also took 2 benadryl around bedtime (You should know how these OTC sleep / antihistamine meds affect you before trying this b/c you don't want to be groggy in the morning).

 

[Mr. D.O.five]

Due to diphenhydramines MoA, doesn't it have the potential to decrease memory? I use melatonin instead. Correct me if wrong plz

 

[LChristmas]

Don't study the day before your exam. Eat 3 good meals. Exercise. Try to do something leisurely that can take your mind off of studying for a couple hours. The best thing you can do is establish a consistent sleep-wake cycle during your dedicated studying so that your body is used to it.

 

[just_SAIYAN]

Maybe wake up a lil earlier the day before your test that way you’ll be more tired than normal by bed time. Take melatonin, take it a few times beforehand to see how you respond to it... and exercise.


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[USMLE_Pro]

Guided meditation can also be really helpful! I've had several students use Headspace (a free meditation app) with good results. I also recommend waking up earlier than you will need to on test day for at least the week leading up to your exam.

 

[RadDocGoneBadDoc]

I usually have trouble sleeping the night before exams. Simple things like stretching and sitting on the floor cross-legged for 5-10 minutes can be really relaxing. Also, having a good sleep schedule starting weeks before the test also helps.