Sleep is the Key to Success for Finals Week

Posted by Alexandra Pine on May 11, 2015 4:09:00 PM

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As we enter finals week, we are all bound to procrastinate, and we often opt to study during the wee hours of the morning as opposed to getting a full night's rest. This may sound good in theory, but the reality is that sleep is critical for success on exams.

Though some people may feel alert and motivated on just six hours of sleep or fewer, many of us need more than that to succeed during stress-inducing finals week. In fact, to function properly, most people need between seven and nine hours.

According to Everyday Health, sleep deprivation leads to many problems including memory issues and poor communication skills. Thus, choosing studying over a good night's rest might actually hurt you more than help you.

So, you may be thinking to yourself: how could I possibly fit studying and sleep into my grueling schedule? The answer is actually quite simple—prioritize. Without sleep, your mind and body will not function properly, so even though the warm weather presents some strong temptaions, maybe you should skip that day sunbathing at Central Park and opt to studying during the hours that the sun is still shining. I know it's great that we can get outdoors again, but I promise, you can bask in the rays when finals week is all done!

A Brown University article explains some other tips to get you through those stressful nights of studying. Eliminating your caffeine intake will help you ease into sleep easier, and turning off the TV early will allow your mind to unwind before hitting the pillow.

Also, staying active and exercising while stressed out is a great way to boost your energy levels throughout the day, and it allows you to get a restful sleep at night.

Lastly, try to keep in mind that Social Media will be there when you wake up in the morning. Wasting time liking photos on Instagram or tweeting about how much you hate studying will not actually help you on your exams. In reality, it will hinder you from your ultimate success.

 

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Topics: LIM, limcollege, lim-life, finals, finals week, sleep

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