Acing an exam can be easy if you plan your studies well. Regular preparation is key to doing well, while last minute hurried preparation will usually leave you stressed and tired. Whether you are in school or college, there is one thing for sure, your results will matter immensely. Your grades will open a lot of doors for you, so no wonder thousands of students all across the country work so hard to ensure good grades.
But did you know that there is something that you can do which will improve your memory retention. It is something so simple, yet a vast majority of students seem to ignore it! All you need is some sound sleep on the night of your exam!
Sleep well for better results
Burning the midnight oil may actually be harming your study preparation. Cramming all your study plans into one night leaves you unable to sleep for more than a couple of hours. Not only are you too tired to study properly, you also remain unfocused and drowsy when in the exam hall. When so tired, your memory often falters, and you are left blank even for topics that you studied merely a few hours ago.
Science says sleep is good for your memory
When you are well rested, your brain is raring to perform and will absorb large amounts of information. It is also easier to focus on studies when you are not continuously waiting to just crash in your bed. When you are not sleep deprived all the time, you are less prone to general forgetfulness and carelessness. You stay alert and are able to recall even tricky topics simply because your mind is working at full capacity, and is not drowning under the weight of its own fatigue.
Don’t just sleep long, sleep on time as well
Just getting six to eight hours of sleep is not enough, scientists also say that you should get this sleep at a proper time. This means that crashing in your bed at 6 in the morning and then waking up at noon will simply not do! Instead, if you slept at 12 and woke up at 6 AM, you would be so much more rested. The reasons behind this claim are simple; night time allows for undisturbed sleep, which is free from the distraction of too much noise of light.
Power naps really do work
Don’t scoff at people dozing off in the middle of the class. Ok, maybe you can. But research shows that even a nap of 30 minutes during the day will ensure that you are alert and active throughout the day. While colleges may not be introducing mandatory nap time just yet, if you are studying over the weekend, a little siesta after your lunch will ensure that you are ready to resume studies and give it your full attention.
Sleeping properly also improve your attention span
Getting distracted while studying results in sitting in front of the book for hours and barely finishing a single chapter. Lack of sleep is also a reason for you being so distracted all the time. When the brain is unable to keep focus on the book, it will find other things to occupy its time. Social media, television and your mobile phone are easy distractions and require very little thinking on your part, which is why so many people confess using them when they were supposed to be studying.
So if you want to do well in that exam, you are so worried about, plan your study sessions in advance and make sure that you get some sound sleep the night prior!
