How to Cater Your Studying Based on Your Most Productive Times of Day

Hey Friends,

Welcome back to another med school lifestyle tip - or just a good lifestyle tip for anyone who studying right now. This is one of those things that's taken me a LONG time to figure out. I am in the 18th grade, and I'm just now getting clarity on it. I'm still perfecting it honestly, but changing the times of day I study has made a world of a difference in my energy levels.

Like many students, I am a major victim of the afternoon sleepies. Up until this point, I've only tried forcing myself through my 'tired times of day', which results in me not absorbing what I'm learning as well, and taking much longer to do it. Lots of times, I would just throw in the towel, take a nap, and then be up far too late studying. That lead to feeling more exhausted, which only contributed to the problem. I was stuck in a bad cycle!

When I sat down to plan how I wanted to study for my second year of medical school, I got to strategizing my energy levels. It overall made me realize I wasn't utilizing the times of the day where I was alert and focused to do my work, and was instead doing it during times where I was more exhausted. I restructured my daily routine, and it's made a huge difference. I get my work done sooner in the day, I feel like I've gotten more out of it, and I'm not running my brain power ragged.

1. Set a Wake-Up & Bedtime that's sustainable

Students in general are awful at saying "oh yeah I'll be in bed by 11pm and get up at 7", then stay up till 3am studying and sleep in till 10:30. This is a really good way to burn out your brain power, and keep yourself feeling exhausted all during the day. If you're keen on developing a caffeine addiction - then you're right on track!

Sticking to a set wake-up/bedtime schedule is easier said than done. Trust me, this is coming from someone who has had a VERY bad habit of sleeping late and snoozing alarms. But, if you can get yourself in a sustainable routine, you can dramatically increase your energy all throughout the day.

The key word there is sustainable. I'm not asking you to suddenly be a 5am morning person if that's just not who you are. (It certainly isn't who I am). And I'm definitely not asking you to start going to bed when your wired. It's more about noticing patterns of when you feel your best. For me, if I wake up a little earlier than my snooze reflex wants to, I feel more awake & like I have more structured time in my day. Lots of the time I just love drinking my coffee in bed, listening to the birds outside, and cuddling my cats a little longer.

Getting up a little bit earlier, and getting to bed at a reasonable hour ensures I'm sleeping enough, and makes me feel like I'm getting more out of my day. A lot of times thats an 11pm bedtime for me and a 7am wake-up, but I do let it change if my body feels like it. Plus, like I mentioned, it gives me a chance to have a mindful morning, instead of rushing out of bed & off to class.

There's two important aspects to this. One, you can't sacrifice your sleep. It's so easy to want to stay up really late studying, but trust me, you're doing more harm than good. Prioritizing sleep & wellness is important for preventing burn-out, and remember: this is a marathon, not a sprint. Second, if you're a chronic snoozer like me, you need to really find a way to force yourself out of bed at that wake-up time. For me, it's putting my alarm all the way across my living room by my coffee machine. So I literally have to get up and walk over there to turn it off, so why not make my morning coffee too.

2. Identify your "tired times" in the day, and when you're more alert & energized

Time for the introspective part of this - do some reflecting on your energy levels in the day! Do you tend to be sleepy after lunch or get the 4pm crash like me? Are mid to late mornings exhausting for you? Is it right after waking up you feel most tired or in the evenings? Do meal times affect how alert you feel? Is there a certain time of day you feel extra energized & awake?

For me personally, I'm very alert in the morning & the evening. Late in the afternoon is when I tend to crash. The mid-day naps are very real in my life!

3. Adjust your studying around the "tired times" and use those moments for breaks

Now that you've identified when your brain is most active & when it isn't, use that information to strategize! For me personally, since my energy crash zone is in the late-afternoon / early-evening, I very intentionally do not do any studying during that time. If I try to force myself, I will literally be falling asleep at my computer.

Instead, I purposefully use that time to take a break & do what my body needs. Whether that's eating, exercising, doing something creative, or even napping. It's also vital that you don't sacrifice these break times. If you've studied all day up until that point, it's healthy & important for your energy levels to take a pause.

Since I know that time zone is my break, I intentionally study earlier in the day and later in the evening when I feel more alert. Sometimes I drink my coffee & do a lecture or two before I even get out of bed in the morning, and that works for me. Lots of evenings I'm plopped at my desk or on the couch getting in a few more hours before bed. Besides that, I really enjoy getting a straight chunk of studying in from mid-morning to early afternoon, in-between breakfast and lunch. I seem to be really productive during that 4 hour chunk!

Obviously, adjust this to your needs, but I hope this helps you formulate some ideas for re-organizing your daily study schedule.

4. Be mindful about when you're consuming caffeine

Knowledge is power, and knowing when you'll be tired and when you're naturally alert should inform how/when you consume energizing substances. Let yourself rest during your downtime. Don't chug caffeine right before your resting period to push through it! That's a really good way to feel mentally fatigued later in the day, or even the next day.

Not to mention, over caffeinating is a great way to decrease your sleep quality and continue a cycle of exhaustion. So this is my cautionary statement to be mindful about when you're consuming caffeine. Use it to build you up in your "go times" and not prevent yourself from resting in your down time!

5. Take care of yourself - stay nourished, hydrated, & have downtime

A huge percent of the 'sustaining your energy battle' is not sacrificing basic self-care. This can be a real challenge for students. A very natural response when you're slammed on work is to treat your body like garbage. Suddenly you're sleeping very little, drinking wayyyy too much caffeine, eating food that makes you feel sluggish because it's usually quick & available, and forgetting things like drinking water, moving your body, and even showering.

When I worked in a research lab as an undergraduate, one of the graduate students I loved talking with had a sign on her desk that said something to the affect of "you know you're busy when you need to put showering on your to-do list". Though this is extremely relatable for anyone pursuing higher education, it's a stark reminder that not doing basic things to take care of yourself will severely impact your energy levels. The Wall of China wasn't built by one person ~ and your energy cannot be sustained by timing your studying alone. You need all these things in tandem for your body to keep going & not get fatigued.

So be mindful of when you study, but also nourish your body, get enough sleep, drink enough water, move your muscles when you need to, breathe fresh air, and take care of yourself. Maintaining a consistent study routine that allows your brain to function clearly & take care of yourself at the same time isn't easy, but you will feel so much better than cramming all the time. Take it from me: I'm in medical school and the latest I've ever stayed up studying for an exam was 1am. I've consistently gotten 8 hours of sleep a night in med school, and that's something I'm very proud of.

6. Make your new routine enjoyable

I don't know about you, but if I stay in one place too long, I become very easily distracted. I somehow have a renewed motivation to study if I change up my location every once in a while. Even if it's moving from my desk to the couch, it renews me.

Find a way to make studying enjoyable for you. Whether that's finding a cozy corner at a coffee shop, making a snack cabinet by your desk, having a favorite library nook, or drinking a foamy latte ~ Make it fun. Studying all the time can be a real endurance test, and if you don't have things to get you excited and keep you going, it's going to get very hard, very quickly. So think about what brings you little moments of joy, and include them in your study routine!

7. Don't be afraid to adjust based on your body & needs

Last but not least, allow yourself to adapt and change. All sorts of things can change when you feel awake and how you want to study. Go with the flow and just focus on how your routine makes you feel.

I hope these tips can help you develop a mindful study routine that contributes to your wellness, instead of taking from it.

Realistically, sometimes we have obligations where we don't get the flexibility to move our schedule to our liking. But if you get the chance too, even just a couple days out of the week can really make a difference. I've found I'm finishing the weeks a lot more content with my learning than I was before, and I feel physically, mentally, and emotionally content too. As always, may your lattes be extra foamy, may your laptop hold a longer charge, may your sleeps be extra restful, and may the odds be ever in your favor!

Sincerely,

Natasha LaGrega