Get Some Sleep

It takes all your concentration not to fall asleep over your books so why can't you nod off when you go to bed? You would have thought that after a day working hard, your brain would be all too ready to switch off. However, getting a good night's sleep can be a real problem when you're working hard; you close your eyes and your brain wakes up, flashing up images of all the subjects you have learned that day. How can you help your mind turn off, tune out and drop off to sleep? Here are some tips:

Often your brain needs a little help to switch off and this means giving it time to unwind. Stop your revision a good hour before you want to go to bed. Pack away your work or tidy it up and then go and do something relaxing; have a bath, watch some television or chat to your family (but not about exams). If you work in your bedroom, make sure that your notes aren't all over your bed, I know you have to spend your day surrounded by books but you don't have to sleep in them too. Make whatever you do into a regular routine. This way your brain will learn that you will soon be going to sleep.

Alter what you do in the day to help you sleep at night. Don't spend all your time at the books, get out of the house and get some exercise. This can range from sport to walking the dog. Exercise is a great way to reduce stress levels and feeling physically tired in the evening will help you to switch off.

Don't eat a heavy meal too close to going to bed or your body will not be able to relax and avoid caffeine-containing drinks such as tea, coffee, or cola after about 6pm. If you do feel hungry, eat something that your body can digest easily like a banana or some soup. A milky drink may be a good idea as this contains a chemical called tryptophan which is an essential component of the body's sleep mechanism.

When you're finally tucked up, turn off the light and relax. If you are feeling tense take a few deep breaths or try the relaxation exercise in the Relaxing the Body section. Still no help? Well you could always try counting sheep. Sounds boring but that's the whole point, focusing your mind on a mundane task will help it stop worrying about your work.

If you wake up in the middle of the night worrying about problems, remember this is not the time to think about them! You can review them in the morning. It may help to keep a note pad by the side of your bed to write down any panicky thoughts or ideas so that you can review them in the morning - often what you worry about at night looks trivial in the cold light of day.

Follow these tips and you should soon drop off to sleep naturally. If you still have problems herbal remedies may help but try them out at least a week before your exam, some herbal drafts can leave you drowsy in the morning which will not help your exam performance. Never take sleeping tablets unless they've been prescribed for you by a doctor.

If you really can't get to sleep, don't panic, it won't help. Get up and do something monotonous, file some notes or fold up some clothes. There is nothing worse than lying in bed being tense about being tense. If you can't sleep the night before an exam don't worry the odd night without sleep will not be devastating; the adrenaline will see you through."