Four hours of sleep is not sufficient. According to health experts, students require a lot more sleep. For example, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends 8 to 10 hours of sleep per night for teenagers aged 13 to 18 years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also provide the same recommendations: children aged 6 to 12 years require 9 to 12 hours of sleep .Young adults above 18 years require 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night.
Sleep deprivation symptoms
Sleeping only four hours a night can cause problems very quickly. Many people have experienced headaches, feeling tired, and having “brain fog” after only two nights of very little sleep. Research has shown that headaches and migraines are strongly associated with poor sleep. People who do not get enough sleep are much more likely to have migraines, and even tension headaches can be caused by lack of sleep.
If you get very little sleep, your moods can turn quickly.In one study, teens who didn’t sleep for 36 hours reported feeling sadder, angrier, more anxious, confused, and very tired.In real life, students who get only 4 to 5 hours of sleep often feel irritable, have trouble concentrating, and feel depressed.Young children and teens who don’t get enough sleep can also act very hyper, have trouble staying focused, and have behavior problems.
Importance of sleep during exams
Sleeping is very essential during the days of exams because it enables your brain to function properly. When you sleep properly, your brain retains all that you have been studying, and as such, you will be able to answer questions easily in the exam. When you don’t sleep properly, you might feel tired, stressed, forget things, make silly mistakes, and even get headaches.
How Sleep Helps You Remember
Sleep is also helpful because your brain is using this time to store what you have learned. When you are studying, the information is first stored in your short-term memory, which is like a scratch note. During sleep, your brain is going over this information, and it is being transferred from short-term to long-term memory, where it will stay longer.
Why Tiny Sleep Breaks Are Dangerous in Exams
Micro-sleeps are short moments of sleep that last for a few seconds, and they can occur when you are very tired. Your brain will shut down for a moment without you even realizing it. During this time, you might miss a question, read something incorrectly, or make foolish mistakes such as answering incorrectly or missing an entire page.
The Myth of the “Caffeine Cure”
Students believe that coffee or energy drinks can be an alternative to sleep during exams, but that is not the case. Caffeine may give you the feeling of being alert for some time, but it does not give your brain actual rest. It only temporarily hides the sensation of tiredness. Your brain is still slow, your memory is still weak, and you may still make mistakes.
Sleep has some very important functions that caffeine cannot perform. When you sleep, your brain stores what you have learned, fixes tired brain cells, and flushes out stress hormones. Coffee cannot perform any of these functions. That’s why, even after consuming coffee, you may feel jittery, nervous, and confused, and you may also forget the answers to questions in the exam.
How Much Sleep Do You Need During Exams?
You should have at least 7-8 hours of sleep before the exam, and the minimum is 6 hours. If you have less than 6 hours of sleep, it can affect your memory, concentration, and processing speed, and your performance in the exam can go down
Can I sleep only 4 hours a night for 4–5 days during exams
It is not a good practice to sleep only for four hours at night for four to five days during exams. Although you will get more time to study, your brain will be too tired to remember things. Sleeping less can cause poor concentration, headaches, stress, irritability, and silly mistakes in the exam. It is generally recommended that most students need to sleep for seven to nine hours at night to think clearly and perform their best. It is better to sleep well, study for short focused periods, and take a nap if needed, since sleeping well helps you remember more and perform better in exams.
Recommended Sleep Duration by Age
| Age Group | Sleep Needed Each Day |
|---|---|
| Babies (4–12 months) | 12–16 hours, including naps |
| Small kids (1–2 years) | 11–14 hours, including naps |
| Preschool kids (3–5 years) | 10–13 hours, including naps |
| School kids (6–12 years) | 9–12 hours |
| Teenagers (13–18 years) | 8–10 hours |
There are some simple sleepexercises that can help you fall asleep faster.
- Cognitive shuffling involves thinking of random words from one letter and picturing them in your mind.
- Slow breathing involves inhaling 5 seconds and exhaling 5 seconds for a few minutes to relax your body.
- Military body shutdown involves relaxing your face, shoulders, arms, and legs slowly while thinking of one peaceful scene.
Conclusion:
Sleeping is not a waste of time when you are taking exams—it is one of the most essential tools for success. Staying up all night studying, getting only a few hours of sleep, can be detrimental to your memory, concentration, mood, and performance during exams. Coffee or energy drinks may give you a temporary boost to stay awake, but they cannot substitute the actual benefits of sleep. Sleep helps your brain retain what you have learned, stay calm, and think clearly.
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