Snooze your way to exam success
Exam season is the bane of every student’s life. Revision periods see sleep-deprived students head to the library in their PJs and cram behind towers of books, only to leave at dawn, walk home, and promptly collapse on their housemates (trust me, it happens).
And although exam cramming and sleep deprivation are widely known to be more of a hindrance than a help, it is estimated that in the month leading up to exams, the number of students who have between five and six hours of sleep doubles from 10% to 20%, with many cramming in up to 14+ hours of exam revision each week. This has also been linked to the stress of exams, relationships, social activities, and jobs, which put students under an enormous amount of pressure, making it difficult for them to relax at night.
Thankfully there exists a wonderful establishment called the ‘Sleep Council’, funded by the National Bed Federation. I know what you’re thinking- it sounds like something out of Harry Potter (I imagine it would be found in Diagon Alley, right between to Gringotts bank and Ollivander’s).
But as it so happens, they are real. Their mission is to raise awareness of the importance of a good night’s sleep, providing helpful advice on choosing the right bed, improving your lifestyle, and getting yourself prepped for a good old snooze.
The Sleep Council reports that a huge factor in sleep deprivation is the widespread use of mobile phones and laptops far into the night. You know that blinding white light that comes from phone screens and laptops? That glow, meant to mimic the light of the sun during working hours, is said to play a crucial role in preventing students and professionals alike from switching off before bedtime. The solution? Try indulging in quiet time and laying off the revision for at least an hour before bed. It’s also worth installing the F.Lux chrome extension on your laptop, to help adjust your eyes to a more dimmer light in the evenings.
According to Lisa Artis, author at The Sleep council, “a worryingly high number of teenagers are not getting as much sleep as they need to function and perform at their best. Sacrificing sleep is more detrimental to mental alertness than cramming in last minute revision.”
Lisa emphasises the importance of sleep in pushing students to excel in their exams, adding that “With some 83% of teenagers admitting their sleep is affected by worry and stress over exams, it’s important to teach them the importance of a good night’s sleep and how it may just be the thing that helps them pass with flying colours!”
The moral of this story? Sleep is the key to success. And here at YCB, although our student days may have passed, we are no strangers to long hours and, work that sometimes edges beyond bedtime and sees you spending far too long in front of that laptop screen!
So whether you’re still studying or just find yourself regularly working into the night, remember that putting away technology and taking the time to snooze will be your best companion on your way to a long and successful career.
For more information on how to step up your sleeping regime, visit http://www.sleepcouncil.org.uk/
