Exam Trilogy #2: How To "Shut Down" At Night

The second post in my Exam Trilogy is about "shutting down" at night. One of the most difficult things about exams is trying to get some R&R. Sometimes I lie in bed all night imaging the next day and organizing my thoughts and then when my alarm goes off at seven, I haven't had enough sleep to get up and accomplish my mental list. Getting a good night's sleep is important for brain-functioning and being able to relax is important for your mental health when you spend all your waking hours worrying about making dean's list. And if you're one of those people who prefer all-nighters you might want to read this.

1. Keep your work space separate from your relaxation space.

This is number one for a reason and it has helped me a lot in the past. When it's winter and you don't need to get dressed during exam season, it can be easy to just stay in bed all day and work from there. Keeping your laptop and textbooks at a desk, studying at the kitchen table, or studying at the library can all be good ways to keep studying and sleeping separate. When you're surrounded by the things that stress you out, they tend to stress you out more right? So when you go to bed with your laptop or are sleeping with a textbook at your feet, it's only natural to start thinking about those things when you're in bed. 

2. Develop some down-time.

When you're trying to disassociate sleeping and studying, it helps to associate sleeping with something else. You can develop your own routine that suits you best and helps wind you down. I find I sleep a lot better if I haven't just shut off my laptop and jumped straight into bed. An evening skincare routine, a cup of tea, lighting a candle, reading something light (you don't want to be reading something that will make you think too much, nor do you want something which will distract you from studying) are all good ways to relax before bed.

3. Get everything out of your brain and onto paper.

The best way to avoid laying in bed all night, making grand plans, is to write them down before you go to sleep. An agenda or a diary can be helpful in organizing some of those thoughts. Write down your schedule for the next day, write down some of the topics that had you stuck, maybe even what you're going to eat. The more you write down, the less you have to think about when all you want are your 7-8 hours. I like to keep my agenda in my bedside table so on nights like those, I can jot down what's on my mind easily instead of dwelling on it all night.

Do you have any tips on how to turn off your brain at night?

xx jenn