How to Wake Up Early after Night NEET Study Sessions?

Hello future doctors. I’m sure almost all of you prefer studying late at night. It’s preferred by an entire generation, at this point. We are most effective in late night sessions and can’t help but study at night.

While there is no problem with studying at night, the problem arises when we talk about early morning classes. My coaching began at 7 AM, for which I had to wake up at 6 AM. I really had a tough time getting up on time in 11th grade.

So, I looked up some and also created some of my own methods that helped me get to class on time.

Here is the cheat code:

Keep Your Alarm Away From the Bed

Obviously, when the alarm is accessible to me, I just turn it off and go back to sleep. Sometimes, I even disable my alarms for the next 1 hour to steal more sleep.

So, I had to make sure that my alarm was not in easy access. To do this, I started keeping it on the study table. I now have to physically get up to shut off the alarm. And almost every time, I cannot go back to sleep even if I shut it off. 

Getting out of bed helps you wake up more than any alarm does. You can try this hack for yourself. You will be unable to fall asleep even if you lie down and try to. (Most times sks sks)

Morning Light Exposure

Don’t wear an eye mask. Don’t draw the curtains. Don’t stop light from reaching your eyes. Our circadian rhythm is aligned with light. The area called SCN (suprachiasmatic nucleus) is responsive to light in a way that it awakens the body when it senses light.

So, automatically around 6:30, when your alarm rings and you open your eyes, you will jolt awake.

Ask Someone to Wake You Up

This is an especially useful tip when you have siblings. You ask them to wake you up once, they won’t ever let you sleep.

Or you can ask your parents to wake you up. Or just ask a friend to call you. This tip is useful because not only will you have someone keep trying until you wake up, but also you might wake up early because of the guilt of wasting someone else’s time. Worked for me.

Try to Adjust Gradually

Aim for half an hour at a time. Don’t just try to wake up at 6 when you usually wake up at 12. It is a slow process. Give the body some time to adapt to the new routine.

11:30 tomorrow, 11:00 the next day, 10:30 next and so on. You will soon be getting up at 6. Just keep trust in yourself and listen to the alarm.

Stay Consistent

It takes 21 days to form a habit. Follow the routine thoroughly for 21 days and your body will become accustomed to waking you at 6 naturally.

Think of it this way, it won’t be a long struggle, it is just a 21 day challenge. You will feel much more motivation to follow the routine if you think of it like this.

Now, Talking Sleep.

One concern that I have in talking about the entire get-up-early thing is, how late are you actually sleeping? I can totally understand if you are a night owl. I am a person who’s more productive at night too. But then, I catch up with sleep by waking up late.

How are you catching up with your sleep time?

Are you catching up on yours? Are you getting enough sleep? By enough, I mean at least 6 hours.

We all know that the recommended number of hours is 8 hours. Being a former NEET aspirant and a current medico, I know how impossible that number is to achieve. So I’ve very realistically asked for only 6 hours.

6 hours on a stretch. This means that if you are supposed to wake up at 6 AM, you better sleep by 12 AM. If not, you get back from class at 1 PM and then take a good long nap till 7-8 PM. Wake up, get to work and work till the morning.

Rest is not to be compromised. Working at night and sleeping in the day isn’t entirely healthy either. But if that is the only way you will allow yourself sleep, then be it.

Shame Around Rest

I know that it is difficult to rest in such rigorous competitions. Especially, when your peers are talking about how they can pull all-nighters and study everyday. You feel the FOMO, you feel like you will miss out on the competition and that you will be left behind.

Mostly, you feel guilty for taking rest. When others claim that they do not need any, you feel weak and scared. 

I would really like to let you know that quality is much much more important than quantity. If you are studying with a tired mind for even 24 hours, you won’t make it far into the competition. 

If you study mindfully, focused and well-rested, even for 5 hours a day. You will have much much better outcomes.

Conclusion

Try to make the most of your potential. Study when you are comfortable but don’t do it at the expense of your rest and health. Be smart, think about the long term. I’m sure that your efficiency will increase if you allow yourself to rest properly.

That’s all for this article. All the best aspirants.