LC Sleeping patterns

Canard

Hey guys.

Just wondering - has anyone who's now finished their LC, or indeed any of you guys from the OT thread in the same boat as me, ever tried that crazy sleeping pattern of studying at 5/6am before school and just going to bed earlier? And did it work?

The reason I'm asking is because I go to bed around 10pm and get up at 7.30am which is enough sleep for me but unfortunately I'm finding it hard to get all my studying done. I have a good bit right now that I'd like to do but I'm online studying for a maths test tomorrow, and my Irish essay and Business ABQ are still waiting to be finished (just extra work, not homework, but still annoying).

At the same time, I dont want to burn out / fall asleep in an exam with a weird sleeping pattern!

Anyone got any weird and wonderful sleeping techniques? :P

fizzyorange

Hey there.

Sometimes if I need to do a bit more work I'll go to bed 9.00/9.30 and get up at 4 or 5 to get it done. Most people work better in the morning so this is handy though I wouldn't do it too often, sometimes you feel like not getting up that early the next morning or you don't sleep well enough that night because you're worried about the work you have to do.

My friend does this often though and it works out for her, suppose it just depends on the person. I'd say try it out for a few days and if you feel you can't do it or you're unproductive just try something else.

Not great advice but the best I can do, I'm doing the LC too so I have none of that wonderful hindsight.

partyatmygaff

I slept (And always have) at 1:30AM and woke up at 7:30AM. All the productive study I ever did before the exams (Which was admittedly exclusively Business, Maths and French) was either done in a library between 4-8:30PM or at home late at night (Say up to 12AM). Early morning or excessively late study never worked for me save for the day before an exam.

As for exams, put it this way... I didn't do a tap for LC Biology throughout sixth year and ended up having to cram the entire subject the day before the exam.

I had an exam the day before, finished at 12:30PM. Went home at 1PM and didn't stop studying until 6AM the next day. I slept for an hour, woke up at 7AM and kept on going until the exam started. I ended up getting 380/400 (95%) in the exam so evidently cramming and not getting any sleep *can* work for some people. In hindsight, that was a stressful day but looking back at the amount of hours I could have wasted studying it "properly" I can't say I would have done it any other way.

Edit: For the past month my study routine has been constant study from 10AM to 1AM. Not the most pleasant of months seeing as the first week of April involved two practical exams but... on the plus side I finish on the 17th of May

David1994

I normally go to bed at 11 and get up at 8. I normally study from 4 until 10 after school but am too finding myself needing more time for stuff..:( Its annoying as I try to fit as much in one day of studying otherwise I feel I am not doing enough

Chavways

Bed at Midnight usually.Get up at 7,in school by 8 and in there until 6pm.Come home then and 'study' from around 7-10:30 and I am absolutely shagged by the end of the week.

Mysteriouschic

I usually sleep at about 12am and wake up at 7.30am I changing the time I sleep for a earlier time.
I feel like I need to take days off school. I'm always tired after school too which doesn't help and I find it hard to concentrate at times and I might only get 1-3 subjects done. I might start studying from home and that way I'll have the whole day.

Canard

partyatmygaff wrote: »

As for exams, put it this way... I didn't do a tap for LC Biology throughout sixth year and ended up having to cram the entire subject the day before the exam.

I had an exam the day before, finished at 12:30PM. Went home at 1PM and didn't stop studying until 6AM the next day. I slept for an hour, woke up at 7AM and kept on going until the exam started. I ended up getting 380/400 (95%) in the exam so evidently cramming and not getting any sleep *can* work for some people. In hindsight, that was a stressful day but looking back at the amount of hours I could have wasted studying it "properly" I can't say I would have done it any other way.

Edit: For the past month my study routine has been constant study from 10AM to 1AM. Not the most pleasant of months seeing as the first week of April involved two practical exams but... on the plus side I finish on the 17th of May

I'd study 10am-1am if I wasnt in school haha. Sounds like I'll have to do that with history Then again you got 600 if I recall correctly, so you're probably a bit smarter than I am :P

fizzyorange wrote: »

Hey there.

Sometimes if I need to do a bit more work I'll go to bed 9.00/9.30 and get up at 4 or 5 to get it done. Most people work better in the morning so this is handy though I wouldn't do it too often, sometimes you feel like not getting up that early the next morning or you don't sleep well enough that night because you're worried about the work you have to do.

My friend does this often though and it works out for her, suppose it just depends on the person. I'd say try it out for a few days and if you feel you can't do it or you're unproductive just try something else.

Not great advice but the best I can do, I'm doing the LC too so I have none of that wonderful hindsight.

I didnt even think of that...my brain was kinda in 'all or nothing' mode with it :L Sounds like the best compromise!

Thanks guys, some useful advice here for sure

PictureFrame

I've been studying LCVP since 5.10, gonna stop at 10.30 and then get up tomorrow morning at 5.00, to start study at 6am. That extra 2 hours could be completely invaluable to me!

I HATE THE LEAVING

FaoiSin

I've gotten up at 5 to study occasionally but my brains practically dead at that hour and I can't shower cause I'll wake the whole house -_-

Togepi

I tried going to bed at 8 and getting up at 5.30 for a while back in March. I think it's the best way for me to get study done, I can't bring myself to do it in the evenings. I only stopped because I'm not much of a morning person at all and found it much more appealing to get up at my usual 7.40. :P Also, the weekends really threw me off it, getting up at 5 or 6 one day and 12 the next apparently doesn't make for a good sleeping pattern. :cool:

I'm starting it again though from tomorrow onwards and hopefully I'll stick with it this month. Will try to be up before 9 on weekends too. I <3 studying... :P

finality

I'm usually not in bed before 2am, get up at 7.30. Study (if any) gets done after 10pm in general. Used to stay up til 3 or 4 in transition year, I'm gradually improving.

I definitely think I work best at night.

Canard

5/6 hours sleep, how do you guys not fall asleep / crash?! :eek:

Does coffee help? :pac:

Togepi

I always get 8 hours sleep, 11 on weekends.

kayleigh01

I get about 6 hours sleep at most too. I cannot for the life of me study in the morning. I get all my best study done from 8-12. I get to sleep at about 1 usually and then get up at 7.45...

Don't really drink coffee but I do consume copious amounts of sugar. :rolleyes:

Mysteriouschic

Lately I haven't got to sleep until like about 2/3am . Trying to sleep from 11 from now on. I really shouldn't sleep after school. School is just so tiring but when I have less sleep I feel more awake when I have the right amount of sleep I'm more tired :S. I might take the half days of school off like tomorrow and just study at home see how much work I get done. A few people in my school stay home to study now. I need to go in for things like english and maths.

I've been on bluebear for the past few days or coffee if I don't got to the shop berocca boost is another good drink but healthier it really wakes you up gives you energy but it doesn't have sugar in it .

partyatmygaff

finality wrote: »

I'm usually not in bed before 2am, get up at 7.30. Study (if any) gets done after 10pm in general. Used to stay up til 3 or 4 in transition year, I'm gradually improving.

I definitely think I work best at night.

Are you... me? :P

Stalin and rugby

Sleep is for the weak, I have not slept since September, this is the Leaving Cert year people. Pulls yourselves together

Canard

School started back in August you slacker :mad:

fizzyorange

+1 for Berroca boost.

I think I'm slowly slipping back into consuming around 300mg+ of caffeine a day to try and keep me going. Going to head to bed now and get up early for some LCVP study tomorrow.

I love the Leaving Cert.

Togepi

Stalin and rugby wrote: »

Sleep is for the weak, I have not slept since September, this is the Leaving Cert year people. Pulls yourselves together

That's September 2010 you're on about, right? Awks if you've slept since then... :pac:

IRLConor

Getting up early didn't ever work for me. I'm not really a morning person. I always prefer to work later rather than get up in the morning.

Don't skimp on sleep. Sleep deprivation affects your memory and your ability to concentrate. You can't clearly perceive the impairment while you're sleep deprived either, so just because you think you feel fine doesn't mean you are.

partyatmygaff

IRLConor wrote: »

Don't skimp on sleep. Sleep deprivation affects your memory and your ability to concentrate. You can't clearly perceive the impairment while you're sleep deprived either, so just because you think you feel fine doesn't mean you are.

My A1 in Biology obtained after only one hour's worth of sleep in two days begs to differ :P

biohaiid

I don't understand how some of you people do it
These seem like obscene hours for me :L
I think if I tried to start any earlier than 9 or any later than 10 it would be completley invaluable.
I'd rather get fewer hours done and use them wisely than stare at a book/cram and waste my time.

Togepi

partyatmygaff wrote: »

My A1 in Biology obtained after only one hour's worth of sleep in two days begs to differ :P

True, I'm sure what he said is true for most people though. For example I always make the stupidest mistakes in Maths if I'm even just a little tired.

Canard

Oh yeah I used to have berocca, forgot about those
apt username btw, fizzyorange :P

partyatmygaff

Togepi wrote: »

True, I'm sure what he said is true for most people though. For example I always make the stupidest mistakes in Maths if I'm even just a little tired.

I'd never dream of doing that for Maths. I only ever did it for my chemistry/biology exams as I found them fairly easy.

IRLConor

partyatmygaff wrote: »

My A1 in Biology obtained after only one hour's worth of sleep in two days begs to differ :P

Meh. Biology's a fluff subject anyway. Plus they've made the courses easier since I did them. GET OFF MY LAWN!

I've been messing with my sleep patterns for school, college and work for years now. Sometimes you can get away with it, sometimes you can't.

Togepi

partyatmygaff wrote: »

I'd never dream of doing that for Maths. I only ever did it for my chemistry/biology exams as I found them fairly easy.

I was thinking it wouldn't work for every subject! :P I don't think I'd manage it for any subject really, I'd make too many mistakes in the languages and I need my wits about me for the other subjects.

Plus I'd never manage to study for that long, even under pressure. Usually if I've done nothing close to an exam I just think 'what's the point?' and don't really get anything done.

finality

partyatmygaff wrote: »

Are you... me? :P

I think it's quite likely really.

fizzyorange wrote: »

+1 for Berroca boost.

Pretty sure berroca boost is the devil

QueenOfLeon

My sleeping pattern was fine all through LC but it has been completely corrupted since! I do all my study at night, usually staying up til 3/4ish. For my exam today, I studied til 5am and got up at 8.

Getting 2/3 hours sleep before an exam doesn't affect me for the first few, but it isn't sustainable if there's a few days in a row. For the Christmas exams I had 5 days in a row of 9.30am exams so my sleeping pattern was 2 sets of naps, one from 5-8am, one from 1-4pm ...I'm a crazy person.

I wouldn't do the 2 hours sleep before an exam for the first time for a Leaving Cert exam though! I think you get used to it but you wouldn't want to try it out on a day like that :P