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Sleep Deprivation?

Posted: Mon May 02, 2011 11:41 am
by Berkeley13
Over the past couple weeks, a sudden change in my work schedule and numerous other factors have completely thrown my sleep schedule out of rhythm and caused me to be sleep deprived. I've been averaging about 6.5 hours per night when i'm used to about 8.5.

Since I started having a horrible sleep schedule, i've had massive fluctuations in my preptests, mainly my LG scores. My last 7 are as follows:

PT
Regular Sleep Schedule
28 171 LR(-9) LG(-0) RC(-3)
29 177 LR(-3) LG(-2) RC(-1)
30 172 LR(-3) LG(-6) RC(-3)
Sleep Deprived about a week after PT 30
31 162 (I was so disgusted I ripped it up and threw it away)
33 166 LR(-6) LG(-9) RC(-5)
34 167 LR(-6) LG(-7) RC(-4)
35 162 LR(-5) LG(-13)RC(-6)

As you can see, it's been a real roller coaster. I'd never gotten more than -3 in RC, even in my diagnostic that included a comparative reading passage. Yet here I was getting -5 and -6. LG was suddenly a huge challenge and I was bombing whole games completely or not even getting to the last game. LR has always been my most erratic section.

I was wondering if anyone else has had this kind of experience. I don't know if it's really sleep deprivation or if LG (which is the main killer in my later PTs) just got more difficult. My poor performance has really shaken my confidence, which may be a contributing factor. My schedule will be like this for another 3 weeks or so and i'm not sure how to proceed in the meantime.

Re: Sleep Deprivation?

Posted: Mon May 02, 2011 11:46 am
by JamMasterJ
It's probably a combination of sleep deprivation and burn-out. I'm like you; I can't live on less than 7hrs and that's a stretch. You need to take a break, get some sleep. The LG has gotten easier if anything, you just need to relax. A ton of people have this type of issue

Re: Sleep Deprivation?

Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 2:44 pm
by Berkeley13
Ok, I will try to replace some of my current study time with nap time or something. Unfortunately, there's not much I can do about my work schedule, but I will probably do less full PTs for the time being.

Re: Sleep Deprivation?

Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 5:13 pm
by ladybug89
And the worst part of getting one score that's way below your PT average is that it shakes you for then on. I took a couple of days off after a string of bad scores (all caused by the first bad one, I think) so I could calm myself down, and then today went much better. So try not to freak out too much about the downswing. Though getting that little sleep definitely sucks too. Anyway, good luck!

Re: Sleep Deprivation?

Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 5:15 pm
by Ty Webb
6.5 hours of sleep described as "deprivation" - the life of a 0L. :evil:

Re: Sleep Deprivation?

Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 5:21 pm
by SchopenhauerFTW
Ty Webb wrote:6.5 hours of sleep described as "deprivation" - the life of a 0L. :evil:
:lol:

Re: Sleep Deprivation?

Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 6:39 pm
by gaud
I just experienced something similar; my scores have been constantly improving and I had been averaging 169-170 the past few tests and then BOOM and 163 when I was just exhausted from a lack of sleep.

I took day off and made sure that I was well rested and just scored back within my average even with having 30min sections vs the 35min.

Re: Sleep Deprivation?

Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 6:56 pm
by yngblkgifted
just get on as normal of a sleep schedule as you possibly can leading up to the test. You should be fine. Good Luck!

Re: Sleep Deprivation?

Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 9:16 pm
by JamMasterJ
SchopenhauerFTW wrote:
Ty Webb wrote:6.5 hours of sleep described as "deprivation" - the life of a 0L. :evil:
:lol:
One of my biggest concerns about going to law school...