How To Get Quality Sleep During Exam Season

Exam season is hectic — but it shouldn’t compromise your health! Learn how to sleep betterduring exam season using these five tips.

1. Set Your Sleeping Boundaries Early

You already know that exam season will make it challenging to get all the sleep you need. Before you’re stuck pulling an all-nighter to study at the last minute, plan how you’re going to balance your sleeping schedule with your studying schedule.

Keep in mind that you’ll retain more information if you get enough sleep. While studying all night sounds like a good idea in theory, studies have shown that sleep deprivation can negatively affect your cognitive function and your memory.

Try planning shorter study sessions with plenty of time before your exams so you don’t have to keep yourself awake to cram. But plan your sleeping schedule, too. Make sure to respect the boundaries you’ve set for yourself.

2. Prepare Your Bedroom For Optimal Sleep

If you live in a small space, you may be using your bedroom both for studying and sleeping. But it’s important to prepare your room for sleep before your bedtime.

Avoid studying in your bed if possible. Your bed should be a place for winding down and sleeping. Keep your sleeping space decluttered, dark, and cool before you settle down for sleep.

3. Nourish Yourself With The Right Foods

What you eat can influence your sleep! So make sure to choose your late-night snacks and other meals to complement your sleep.

Avoid foods high in processed sugars right before bed. If you enjoy bedtime drinks, try a warm tea that’s free from caffeine.

Keep your dinner light and filled with healthy carbohydrates like rice, potatoes, beans, and carrots.

4. Turn Off Electronics Before Bed

The blue light emitted from your electronic screens can affect the level of melatonin produced by your brain. To make sure your body winds down adequately before bed, make sure to turn off your electronic devices at least half an hour before bed.

This will also give you a cutoff time to stop studying so that you can smoothly transition into your bedtime routine.

5. Wind Down With a Bedtime Routine

You should take the time for a bedtime routine, even amid exam season! Preparing your body and mind for sleep can help you manage exam anxiety to ensure you get the sleep you need. It’s the best way to wake up feeling refreshed on the morning of your exams.

Here are some ways you can wind down during your bedtime routine:

• Read a book that’s unrelated to your coursework: Reading can help you pull your focus away from your studies and help your mind settle down.
• Listen to a bedtime story: If your eyes are tired from all that studying, try listening to a soothing bedtime story on BetterSleep instead of reading a book.
• Quiet your mind with guided meditation: If you’re struggling to settle down your thoughts, try one of BetterSleep’s relaxing guided meditations to fall asleep faster.
• Set up a relaxing ambience with sleep sounds: The right sounds can help you calm your body and mind. You can try animal sounds, water sounds, the sounds of a crackling fire, and so many more.

Try the BetterSleep App for free to get through exam season without compromising on your sleep.