Easy tips that will help you stay awake while studying
What's the story
Feeling tired and sleepy when you have lots of pending assignments and study material to go through, is an undesirable situation to be in.
In such scenarios, fighting away the drowsiness is a war by itself and there is a constant mind battle of "to sleep or not to sleep."
However, following these tips can help you stay productive and keep sleep at bay.
Tip #1
Designate a separate study area away from your bedroom
Studying in your bedroom or on your bed can make you drowsy.
Dedicate a well-lit study desk in your home away from your bedroom.
You can also try studying in cafes or college libraries if you live in a hostel or dormitory.
Keeping the studying and sleep areas separate also helps to turn off the brain when it's bedtime.
Tip #2
Keep sympathetic nervous system active, sit upright, avoid lethargic postures
You might be tempted to lie down or sit comfortably while studying for long hours.
However, that would certainly make you sleepy.
A study shows that sitting upright while studying has a positive impact on participants as opposed to those who lie down.
This is because sitting upright is associated with sympathetic nervous system activity that helps you stay alert and focused.
Tip #3
Use active study techniques to absorb information effectively
Going through long pages of notes can get boring after a while.
Using active study techniques can, however, help you remember the topics and is a great way to absorb information.
For this, you can opt to transfer information to a visual map, cue card or graph.
Reading out loud or teaching the material to a classmate is another effective method of active study.
Tip #4
Keep moving to boost your energy levels
Taking short breaks to walk between study sessions can help you stay awake and improve your ability to focus better.
A study conducted on students in 2018 shows that 10 minutes of walking significantly improved their memory and concentration.
Hence, you should take short breaks every half an hour to drink water and move around to stay alert.