Sleeping the night before the MCAT

[stereochemistry]

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I have taken the MCAT 3 times now; I never can sleep the night before the exam. I have done very well in college and I would pound coffee late into the night studying for all of my major finals in organic, biochem, physiology, finish my cup, turn out the light, and fall asleep. Never have I had such difficulty with an exam and I took all the neccessary steps to ensure sleep less taking sleeping pills. Now, I understand that this is the biggest exam of one's life, but this is not fair. I spent 300+ hours studying for this thing only to be sabotaged by my own body.
What is everyone's tactic for approaching this exam with regards to getting a good night sleep?
I might have done well this past weekend, I don't know. But I do know that my focus was not present and all the knowledge in the world does not help when you cannot comprehend the question. Especially those feedback inhibition and genetics problems, damn.

Help.

 

[thadocta26]

I have taken the MCAT 3 times now; I never can sleep the night before the exam. I have done very well in college and I would pound coffee late into the night studying for all of my major finals in organic, biochem, physiology, finish my cup, turn out the light, and fall asleep. Never have I had such difficulty with an exam and I took all the neccessary steps to ensure sleep less taking sleeping pills. Now, I understand that this is the biggest exam of one's life, but this is not fair. I spent 300+ hours studying for this thing only to be sabotaged by my own body.
What is everyone's tactic for approaching this exam with regards to getting a good night sleep?
I might have done well this past weekend, I don't know. But I do know that my focus was not present and all the knowledge in the world does not help when you cannot comprehend the question. Especially those feedback inhibition and genetics problems, damn.

Help.

Don't kid yourself thinking that you can scale your sleep scedule back 9 hours in 3 days. Go to bed at 9pm every night and get up at 5:30am for at least 10 days before the exam, whether you're tired or not. On the eve before the exam, take a light Sleep-Aid sleeping pill at 6pm, go to bed around 8pm. Put in earplugs and turn on a fan or something for some 'white noise'. If you don't immediately fall asleep, don't stress. Know that just being in bed resting with your eyes closed is also regenerating your mind and body. As well, know that when your alarm goes off at 5:30am, even if you're totally bagged because you didn't really fall asleep until midnight, that you can sneak in at least another hour or so (more if you live close to your exam centre).

 

[IckeyShuffle]

Yeah, I set up my sleep schedule starting a week before the mcat. I made sure I ran every day too to tire myself out. I also didnt study much the last week so i could calm my mind and give myself some rest. I had prepared for about 4 months so not much studying in the last week really didnt have much of an effect. I went to bed everyday for the last week at 9:30 and made sure i was up at 6:00 each morning. I ended up sleeping pretty well the night before though i was nervous as hell and work up earlier than usual. But i was so rested from the whole week that it didnt matter.

 

[stiffany]

I made sure that I started to reverse my sleep schedule starting two weeks before the exam (trying to get up at 8am each day versus my typical summer 10am). A week and a day before the exam I took a day off from studying to just relax and catch up on other things in my life (I had a practice exam the next day and I think relaxing before definitely uped my score that weekend). Then, starting the Wednesday before the exam, I cut down on my caffeine intake drastically and also tried to wind down my studying to help me relax. Wednesday night I went to bed at my typical 1am or so, getting up at 5:45am on Thursday and not taking a nap during the day even though I was exhausted. Then, on Friday, I woke up at 5:30am after going to bed around 12am the night before (also tired on Friday). On Friday, I spent the day shopping and running errands for an upcoming vacation and also watching corny feel good movies. Finally, Friday night I went to bed at 9:30pm since I had to be up at 6am to get ready and head to my testing center. I slept soundly until around 3:30 when I started waking up nervous and then falling back asleep (a few times). Being tired, reducing my caffeine intake, and just trying to relax as much as possible (and the adrenaline of the day) helped me feel awake and alert until at least through the middle of the writing section (I was definitely more worn out during the latter part of the exam than I had been in practice). Hopefully you won't need any of what I've posted above for another MCAT, but it might be useful guidance for the USMLE Step 1 exam. 😉

 

[jujube]

🙁 I should've taken Benadryl the night before. I'm generally a light sleeper but that night was especially bad. Someone next door was playing mariachi music and their weiner dog kept barking.

 

[Foolins]

Stereochemistry, i know EXACTLY how you feel. I can never sleep before big tournaments, and even though i didn't feel stressed out or nervous the night before the mcat, i could NOT sleep.

I did everything the above posts have suggested..and it still didn't work. I reset my sleeping schedule to a 9pm bedtime (3-4 weeks before the mcat).

I worked out hard at 5pm so i'd crash around 9-10. I didn't study that day at all and just relaxed and didn't think about the mcat. Regardless, i was in bed at 9pm and didn't fall asleep until 6 am(had to wake up at 6:30am to get to the test centre on time)

Sure i lay in bed trying to convince myself that i was getting enough rest...but it's a pretty weird feeling to feel SOOOO sleepy while you're in bed, and not have yourself drop off into sleep. Pretty miserable actually.

I even took melatonin. Nothing seemed to work.

By 545, the only reason i got to sleep was because around 3am, i said &%*# it, and threw back 3 gravol and a glass of wine.

Essentially, i had great practice scores and felt really prepared for the test, but was screwed over because i couldn't manage a simple biological function. All those people who warned me (and probably you too) against taking a sleeping aid the night before because it would make you drowsy and unfocused have no idea how much worse it is to go into the mcat without a single hour of sleep (probably because day to day, so many people exaggerate how little sleep they've had, and don't quite get the meaning of NO SLEEP)


So yeah, if you're gonna do it again, explain the situation to your doctor....and hopefully they don't prescribe you imovane, because i hear that one of the sideffects is a TERRIBLY bitter taste in your throat that keeps 50% of the people that take it awake all night because it's so godawful.

 

[quadmanturbo]

I usually went to bed around 6 or 7 am lol and was doing that up to Tuesday......On Wed I went to bed at 4 am.......thursday at 12am with some sominex lol...........and fri at 9 with some more sominex.......woke up on sat at 6.......felt strong and refreshed......oh by the way............I was relaxed as much as I could during that week and when I woke up on sat I tried really hard to relax and control the release of adrenaline in my body........adrenaline is released when u r stressed......stressed = not thinking straight........once it's released u cannot control it and its effects last for a longgggggg time lol and won't subdue until the chemical is gone........

 

[Psycho Doctor]

face it, you need meds or give up on the idea of sleep...just practice on the meds a few days ahead of time

 

[TheHunter]

When I feel asleep at 5AM, I actually decided to sleep in until 7:30AM since I lived so close to my testing center. I think it was worth it.

 

[xTinaBna]

i agree with getting up early the previous few days before the exam..working out may also help wear you down so you will fall asleep easily. my main problem was avoiding being sick for the mcat. i took the mcat twice before and for some reason i would get really sick the couple of weeks right before both tests...sick enough to be on 5 different prescriptions..yuk! 🙁 this time i wasn't sick though so i think that's a good sign.

 

[Brandon81081]

When I feel asleep at 5AM, I actually decided to sleep in until 7:30AM since I lived so close to my testing center. I think it was worth it.

Definately worth it. I finally went to sleep at about 1:30am. Then i woke up at 3:30am. and never went back to sleep cause i was so nervous...i was barely able to eat breakfast i felt so sick. Those 2 hrs did wonders for me. Not one time did i get tired or burnt out on the test.

 

[DrBowtie]

I took a Sominex on Wednesday and Thursday night. Woke up at 6:30 on Friday morning, played golf in the heat, and was in bed around 10 pm. Too tired to not sleep.

 

[Psycho Doctor]

Definately worth it. I finally went to sleep at about 1:30am. Then i woke up at 3:30am. and never went back to sleep cause i was so nervous...i was barely able to eat breakfast i felt so sick. Those 2 hrs did wonders for me. Not one time did i get tired or burnt out on the test.

just think what 5 or 6 hours would have done. 😉 but i hear you; i got no sleep when i took mine either

 

[Brandon81081]

just think what 5 or 6 hours would have done. 😉 but i hear you; i got no sleep when i took mine either

Yeah, I cant help but wonder. But i was always the type to get very little sleep, even as an undergrad, and still able to pull off A's. But im sure if affected my performance somewhat...i just like to see it from the bright side though....just think if i had absolutely no sleep before the test. I was able to sleep very little the few days leading up to the test...it's like i was tired but my body was still trying to fight the sleep.

 

[Psycho Doctor]

Yeah, I cant help but wonder. But i was always the type to get very little sleep, even as an undergrad, and still able to pull off A's. But im sure if affected my performance somewhat...i just like to see it from the bright side though....just think if i had absolutely no sleep before the test. I was able to sleep very little the few days leading up to the test...it's like i was tired but my body was still trying to fight the sleep.

yup, i know the feeling; i'm exactly like you in that respect. you sound like you have a great attitude. all the best.

 

[deleted106503]

I woke up at 6AM Friday to get myself adjusted. Had an active day to wear me down physically to get to sleep. Got into bed at 10 and fell asleep around 11. Woke up once at 4 because it was hot as hell in my room. Went back to sleep and woke up at 6. No medications and I went to bed at 2AM previous day so I adjusted quickly. I felt okay with 7 hours of sleep, but would've liked closer to 10.

 

[Dimness]

Wow, I thought I was the only nutcase taking it for a fourth time. I got about six hours of sleep for this round.

 

[docolive]

I have taken the MCAT 3 times now; I never can sleep the night before the exam. I have done very well in college and I would pound coffee late into the night studying for all of my major finals in organic, biochem, physiology, finish my cup, turn out the light, and fall asleep. Never have I had such difficulty with an exam and I took all the neccessary steps to ensure sleep less taking sleeping pills. Now, I understand that this is the biggest exam of one's life, but this is not fair. I spent 300+ hours studying for this thing only to be sabotaged by my own body.

Help.

I can not even tell you how much I can relate. I sought help from a psychologist but come mcat eve, I was not able to fall asleep. Now, I will be taking other measures if I retake in January. It totally affects your performance, and I understand you 100000%%%%.
I too, am a good student and do not get stressed about undergrad. exams so much as this big kahuna. I will let you know if I find a solution. i would talk to your doctor...because this is unfortunate and needs to be resolved. After the exam, I took Nyquil and slept like a baby...only 1 gel cap and it worked wonders. best wishes, and you are not alone!!!!

 

[xylem29]

I can not even tell you how much I can relate. I sought help from a psychologist but come mcat eve, I was not able to fall asleep. Now, I will be taking other measures if I retake in January. It totally affects your performance, and I understand you 100000%%%%.
I too, am a good student and do not get stressed about undergrad. exams so much as this big kahuna. I will let you know if I find a solution. i would talk to your doctor...because this is unfortunate and needs to be resolved. After the exam, I took Nyquil and slept like a baby...only 1 gel cap and it worked wonders. best wishes, and you are not alone!!!!

I know it's difficult to do - but you have to somehow play down the MCAT and not hype it up too much. I know it's one of the biggest tests of our lives and that it's different from our regular exams but - you have to fool urself into believing that it's not as a big a deal as it appears to be. Just have a "meh" attitude about it - I tried to do this too, though on test day I started to get a bit nervous, and it helped a bit. Waking up about 1-2 hours earlier than you normally do on the friday, doing some exercise, walking through the city for most of the day - should get your body sufficiently tired enough to sleep well - and if your mind isn't tired, take valerian root pills. Hope that helps - no need to see doctors about this stuff, they don't know what they're doing when it comes to getting good sleep.

 

[docolive]

I know it's difficult to do - but you have to somehow play down the MCAT and not hype it up too much. I know it's one of the biggest tests of our lives and that it's different from our regular exams but - you have to fool urself into believing that it's not as a big a deal as it appears to be. Just have a "meh" attitude about it - I tried to do this too, though on test day I started to get a bit nervous, and it helped a bit. Waking up about 1-2 hours earlier than you normally do on the friday, doing some exercise, walking through the city for most of the day - should get your body sufficiently tired enough to sleep well - and if your mind isn't tired, take valerian root pills. Hope that helps - no need to see doctors about this stuff, they don't know what they're doing when it comes to getting good sleep.

thanks...lol, that's right about doctors! I am sure those of us with these issues will work it out. It's not uncommon but some of us are better than others at taking an exam with one hour of sleep. 🙂

 

[naus]

You can always take the afternoon MCAT in 2007 if things don't turn out too well. Even if you couldn't fall asleep until 6am, you still get to sleep till 11am for the afternoon session. 👍