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Sleep Issues

Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2010 7:41 pm
by Trequartista
For me, whenever I am having an important test/exam I find it hard to sleep and as a result I feel I under perform. Anyone else have the same problem? Fully active I can get 165+ in the PTs, but whenever I am a even a little sleep deprived my score sinks below to 160-163. I feel this could be a big problem on test day as well.

Re: Sleep Issues

Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2010 7:52 pm
by Knock
nael wrote:For me, whenever I am having an important test/exam I find it hard to sleep and as a result I feel I under perform. Anyone else have the same problem? Fully active I can get 165+ in the PTs, but whenever I am a even a little sleep deprived my score sinks below to 160-163. I feel this could be a big problem on test day as well.
Have you tried exercise/working out? I have sleep problems as well at times, but luckily for me it's pretty consistent even if I have a big test the next day. But yeah, this could be a significant issue, find some solution. Especially since the Oct. LSAT is at 8:30am.

Re: Sleep Issues

Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2010 8:11 pm
by inchoate_con
Get a 'script for Xanax. It will put you to sleep without the hangover feeling... stay away from ambien.

Re: Sleep Issues

Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2010 8:13 pm
by Knock
inchoate_con wrote:Get a 'script for Xanax. It will put you to sleep without the hangover feeling... stay away from ambien.
Why do you say stay away from ambien?

Re: Sleep Issues

Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2010 8:54 pm
by 2014
Knockglock wrote:
inchoate_con wrote:Get a 'script for Xanax. It will put you to sleep without the hangover feeling... stay away from ambien.
Why do you say stay away from ambien?
One could probably assume that it puts you to sleep WITH the hangover feeling.

If I ever am having a terrible time sleeping then taking a nighttime cold medicine knocks me right out, but overall I have no problem getting the sleep I want haha

Re: Sleep Issues

Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2010 8:57 pm
by whymeohgodno
Uh....try to go to sleep really early....

Re: Sleep Issues

Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2010 9:37 pm
by sophia.olive
Dont go to sleep on the 3rd or 4th day before the test and then pass out at about 8pm and wake up at 3am (so you are still tired and able to pass out at 8pm again). Then wake up at 3am. Go to sleep at 9pm and wake up at 5 for the test so comparatively you would have gotten extra sleep and you feel extra rested. When you wake up jog in place or have sex to kick the groggy feeling and get the blood going.

If you dont want to take drugs.

Re: Sleep Issues

Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2010 11:31 pm
by Trequartista
I'll probably take a pill. Probably best to practice it on a PT first and see how it goes. By the way will the test start at 8:30 or is that just the time when we are supposed to be at the test center.

Re: Sleep Issues

Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2010 11:32 pm
by Knock
nael wrote:I'll probably take a pill. Probably best to practice it on a PT first and see how it goes. By the way will the test start at 8:30 or is that just the time when we are supposed to be at the test center.
Just the time to be there. It won't start for an hour at least.

Re: Sleep Issues

Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2010 11:34 pm
by vanwinkle
Go buy sublingual 5mg melatonin at a vitamin store. (Sublingual means you put it under the tongue and let it dissolve there.) Take one about half an hour to an hour before you want to fall asleep. It'll help you fall asleep more easily; melatonin is a chemical that signals to the body that it's sleep time.

Re: Sleep Issues

Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2010 11:35 pm
by Knock
vanwinkle wrote:Go buy sublingual 5mg melatonin at a vitamin store. (Sublingual means you put it under the tongue and let it dissolve there.) Take one about half an hour to an hour before you want to fall asleep. It'll help you fall asleep more easily; melatonin is a chemical that signals to the body that it's sleep time.
^ My doctor recommended this to me as an over the counter alternative while he was prescribing me ambien.

Re: Sleep Issues

Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2010 11:40 pm
by revolution724
vanwinkle wrote:Go buy sublingual 5mg melatonin at a vitamin store. (Sublingual means you put it under the tongue and let it dissolve there.) Take one about half an hour to an hour before you want to fall asleep. It'll help you fall asleep more easily; melatonin is a chemical that signals to the body that it's sleep time.
I was going to suggest this also. It's cheaper and easier to get than Xanax and very gentle on your system. It works, too. Kava kava and valerian are other herbal remedies that makes some people sleepy.

Otherwise, lay off caffeine and alcohol, painful though it may be. Both interfere with your sleep. Alcohol may make you feel sleepy, but you tend to wake up in the middle of the night and don't get very restful sleep.

Re: Sleep Issues

Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2010 11:49 pm
by ArchRoark
Yah I will second the melatonin.


I actually had this problem on the night before my test. I remember trying to go to bed early the night before and just laying in bed awake till like 4am. Oddly enough I woke up at 9am and still felt incredibly refreshed. The combination of smoothies/super drinks, healthy foods, exercise, and the sleep surplus I had going into test week certainly helped me feel wide awake even though I only had a few hours of sleep that night.

Re: Sleep Issues

Posted: Sat Sep 11, 2010 12:07 am
by smokyroom26
sophia.olive wrote:Dont go to sleep on the 3rd or 4th day before the test and then pass out at about 8pm and wake up at 3am (so you are still tired and able to pass out at 8pm again). Then wake up at 3am. Go to sleep at 9pm and wake up at 5 for the test so comparatively you would have gotten extra sleep and you feel extra rested. When you wake up jog in place or have sex to kick the groggy feeling and get the blood going.

If you dont want to take drugs.

Re: Sleep Issues

Posted: Sat Sep 11, 2010 12:46 am
by inchoate_con
I've had sleeping issues all my life.

Obviously, whatever you chose you'll need a few "practice runs."

Melatonin creates wild dreams for some, others have severe nightmares. Unfortunately, mine usually end up as a lame 70s porn flick....

Ambiem works like magic, but the side effects are brutal. It's like flicking off the brain light switch, but the next day is hell. Use Google; the common side effect is amnesia, which I've experienced. I woke up in the middle of the night and took 15+ of them... no idea why or how. Anyhow, I still did not want to give it up because it worked so well.

Trazadone is another option, but it too has the hangover effect.

Xanax seems to work for me... it works really good after a couple of beers, or so I've heard.

If you don't use sleeping meds regularly, use what the others have mentioned. Kava or a couple of Tylenol PMs should do the trick. For me, the sleep problem had a major impact on my score.

Re: Sleep Issues

Posted: Sat Sep 11, 2010 12:55 am
by St.Remy
I love how TLS transforms into an advisory panel for drugs so easily. To OP, there are more than enough suggestions on this thread to get a good jump on your sleep issues. Be sure to consult your pharmacist/doctor before taking these medications, or at least before taking them regularly. Experimenting with over-the-counter sleep aids over the next month should allow you to find a pill that helps you to get a full night's sleep and wake up fully rested, ready for the LSAT.

Re: Sleep Issues

Posted: Sat Sep 11, 2010 12:56 am
by gdane
Work out 2 hours prior to sleep time, take a 5 mg Melatonin pill an hour before bedtime, go to bed and read a book in dim light and you'll fall asleep in no time. No TV, no computer, no touching yourself, do nothing that will excite you.

Re: Sleep Issues

Posted: Sat Sep 11, 2010 1:00 am
by Knock
gdane5 wrote:Work out 2 hours prior to sleep time, take a 5 mg Melatonin pill an hour before bedtime, go to bed and read a book in dim light and you'll fall asleep in no time. No TV, no computer, no touching yourself, do nothing that will excite you.
I heard it was better to work out early in the afternoon. Something about warming your body temperature before bed which helps you sleep.

Now that's see which LSAT preppers get that reference.
inchoate_con wrote:I've had sleeping issues all my life.

Obviously, whatever you chose you'll need a few "practice runs."

Melatonin creates wild dreams for some, others have severe nightmares. Unfortunately, mine usually end up as a lame 70s porn flick....

Ambiem works like magic, but the side effects are brutal. It's like flicking off the brain light switch, but the next day is hell. Use Google; the common side effect is amnesia, which I've experienced. I woke up in the middle of the night and took 15+ of them... no idea why or how. Anyhow, I still did not want to give it up because it worked so well.

Trazadone is another option, but it too has the hangover effect.

Xanax seems to work for me... it works really good after a couple of beers, or so I've heard.

If you don't use sleeping meds regularly, use what the others have mentioned. Kava or a couple of Tylenol PMs should do the trick. For me, the sleep problem had a major impact on my score.
Yeah, when I took ambien I kind of had little memory problems the next day. Small stuff but kind of annoying; definitely would not want to take the LSAT feeling like that.

Re: Sleep Issues

Posted: Sat Sep 11, 2010 1:02 am
by ArchRoark
Knockglock wrote:
gdane5 wrote:Work out 2 hours prior to sleep time, take a 5 mg Melatonin pill an hour before bedtime, go to bed and read a book in dim light and you'll fall asleep in no time. No TV, no computer, no touching yourself, do nothing that will excite you.
I heard it was better to work out early in the afternoon. Something about warming your body temperature before bed which helps you sleep.
I remember that question...

Re: Sleep Issues

Posted: Sat Sep 11, 2010 1:03 am
by gdane
Tiva wrote:
Knockglock wrote:
gdane5 wrote:Work out 2 hours prior to sleep time, take a 5 mg Melatonin pill an hour before bedtime, go to bed and read a book in dim light and you'll fall asleep in no time. No TV, no computer, no touching yourself, do nothing that will excite you.
I heard it was better to work out early in the afternoon. Something about warming your body temperature before bed which helps you sleep.
I remember that question...
It works for me. I work out from 9:15 to 10 pm. Hardcore. Cardio and weights. I make sure I build up a nice sweat. Then I walk my dog for about 30 minutes. I come back inside, take a shower and Im in bed by midnight at the latest and Im asleep no later than 1am. Tonight is an exception...

Re: Sleep Issues

Posted: Sat Sep 11, 2010 1:09 am
by Chris_cpb
I've found that even cheap solutions to insomnia do work. You can buy a bottle of natural sleep-inducing pills for something like $5 at Walgreens. I guess it could vary though depending on what you have planned the following morning.

Re: Sleep Issues

Posted: Sat Sep 11, 2010 1:10 am
by Knock
Chris_cpb wrote:I've found that even cheap solutions to insomnia do work. You can buy a bottle of natural sleep-inducing pills for something like $5 at Walgreens. I guess it could vary though depending on what you have planned the following morning.
I feel like those are placebos, i'm skeptical. No proof or anything but just my gut feeling.

Re: Sleep Issues

Posted: Sat Sep 11, 2010 1:14 am
by St.Remy
Knockglock wrote:
Chris_cpb wrote:I've found that even cheap solutions to insomnia do work. You can buy a bottle of natural sleep-inducing pills for something like $5 at Walgreens. I guess it could vary though depending on what you have planned the following morning.
I feel like those are placebos, i'm skeptical. No proof or anything but just my gut feeling.
A bottle of Port or Brandy never failed me. There are definitely cheap and effective sleep aids available, OP just needs to experiment (responsibly) with the methods available.

Re: Sleep Issues

Posted: Sat Sep 11, 2010 1:16 am
by Knock
St.Remy wrote:
Knockglock wrote:
Chris_cpb wrote:I've found that even cheap solutions to insomnia do work. You can buy a bottle of natural sleep-inducing pills for something like $5 at Walgreens. I guess it could vary though depending on what you have planned the following morning.
I feel like those are placebos, i'm skeptical. No proof or anything but just my gut feeling.
A bottle of Port or Brandy never failed me. There are definitely cheap and effective sleep aids available, OP just needs to experiment (responsibly) with the methods available.
Yeah, alcohol seems work well for me, but I definitely don't want to head down that road.

Re: Sleep Issues

Posted: Sat Sep 11, 2010 1:16 am
by Chris_cpb
Knockglock wrote:
Chris_cpb wrote:I've found that even cheap solutions to insomnia do work. You can buy a bottle of natural sleep-inducing pills for something like $5 at Walgreens. I guess it could vary though depending on what you have planned the following morning.
I feel like those are placebos, i'm skeptical. No proof or anything but just my gut feeling.
Hey knock, how's your night going? Anyway, I do have a strong feeling that it could vary from person to person. For me, I have found that if I drink a lot of caffeine or an energy drink after 4 pm I can still fall asleep within an hour after taking a couple of cheap sleep-inducing pills or a couple of beers. Obviously, this is just me but I do want to suggest that it may be unnecessary to take a strong pill such as xanax for common cases of insomnia.