Feeling tired, hard to concentrate, or just simply sleepy when it comes to studying? You’re definitely not alone.
We all have had those days where our brains feels numb and drained, only to remember that we still have more studying to do. Joy.
So here are 14 tried-and-tested, practical yet sustainable ways on how to focus when studying, no matter how tired you feel.
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Setting up the right environment is your first step to effective study sessions.
The type of light matters. Studying in a room with natural light sources (e.g. near a window) does wonders on keeping you focused and alert, even in the afternoon. Studies have shown that people that had exposure to day light (vs. artificial light) in the day tend to stay alert for longer in the evening.
For night time studying, make sure your environment is sufficiently bright, and don’t just rely on one lone light source, if possible.
Getting too comfortable is a recipe for drowsiness, not something you want when learning new concepts!
Here are a couple of easy ways to minimize that:
While it isn’t necessary to wear suits or office clothing, it is harder to fall asleep in them vs. your comfy sleeping attires. Eliminate digital distractions:
Remove yourself from potential family-related distractions, if you can:
Studying in a group can be a double-edged sword, as it can quickly descend into a chatting session with zero productivity.
That said, studying with another person with the same goal could be useful for motivation and keeping each other going, just like a gym buddy.
It can be tough to find the right study partner, but if you do find one, it can work wonders on your concentration to see someone else working as hard to achieve their goals. Make sure you continue to evaluate your ability to focus if you decide to join a group.
A common mistake people make is to think that drinking coffee helps perk them up to keep working. It doesn’t.
It gives you that very short term one-off boost and sends your productivity crashing later: not a great long term solution. Water is what your body really needs when you’re tired, as dehydration forces your body to work harder, gives you pounding headaches and increases your mental exhaustion.
So drink up! You’d be surprised how little you drink only when you try to match up to the daily 1.5-2 litre recommendation. I find the easiest way to implement this is to have a large bottle near me full of water that I sip as the day goes along whenever I feel like a break for a minute or two.
While you’re at it, washing your face, brushing your teeth or having a quick shower will work wonders in refreshing you from your sleepy state, so you can keep going. Plus they are completely natural and good for you too!
By now you’d have known that we’re huge proponents of eating proper food for best performance.
Avoid highly processed food such as sugary cereals, sodas and instant noodles. Remember not to have heavy meals before studying, it’s a recipe for sleepiness!
Fuel your body and mind with natural, nutritious food balanced with protein, carbohydrates, vegetables and healthy fats for sustained energy throughout the day. You are what you eat.
Pro tip: remember to bring along revision friendly healthy snacks (e.g. apple, granola bar, unsalted nuts, water etc) so you can keep your brain energy levels steady and maintain focus.
Study when you’re most alert: Our bodies run on roughly a 24-hour internal clock called circadian rhythm, which regulates feelings of sleepiness and wakefulness over a 24-hour period.
On average, most of us show the following pattern in energy levels (with a few exceptions):
Therefore, for most of us, if you’re studying in weekdays with a full time job, it may makes sense to get up earlier to get 1-2 hours of studying done before heading to work.
For night time study, exercise moderately for 10 min beforehand: This refreshes the body and mind so you can stay focused for the next few hours. Yet, it doesn’t over stimulate you such that it affects your night time sleep. Time to whip out those dusty kettle bells, perhaps? Or simple jumping jacks will do. Not a 30 min run though.
Remember to take regular study breaks: Specifically a 10-15 min break after a 45-50 min study cycle. Many studies have shown that productivity increases when students take frequent breaks. It keeps you motivated and have something to look forward to, while giving your brain a quick rest. Go for a walk (see #8), do some chores, have a snack, or just to chill out and listen to music for a bit – take your pick.
Getting some fresh air and sunlight outside will make you feel more energetic and less moody.
The benefits of a walk goes beyond simply being more effective at studying. Walking for 30 minutes a day is equivalent to taking a “magic pill” that combats ageing, relieves depression and prevents early death.
It also improves the ability to think and reason, increases energy levels and reduces fatigue.
It sounds counterintuitive, but exercising actually boosts energy and focus. Instead of sitting there forcing yourself to work/study more when you know your focus isn’t there, take a little break by during some stretching and light exercises by your desk for 10 minutes – it’s all about studying efficiently anyway.
A great plus about exercise is that they help you sleep better too.
Studies have shown that chewing gum while studying or during exam improves your memory and concentration.
Now that’s way better than using stimulants like coffee, with no negative impact on your sleep quality and keeps your internal body clock in check (see #7). And mind you, I’m saying this as someone who enjoys coffee, a lot (see #8).
Coffee (or any other caffeinated drinks) can be extremely effective if used sporadically, not a daily habit.
Too much caffeine has long term negative impacts: More than 400mg, or 4 cups of brewed coffee a day is likely to cause insomnia, inability to focus, increased anxiety, headaches and fatigue that can disrupt your body’s natural circadian rhythm (see #7).
Limit caffeine to mornings only, if you must have them daily: This ensures that the caffeine has sufficient time to go through your body and not impact your sleep quality at night.
Avoid energy drinks (and alcohol) for studying: Energy drinks have increasingly become a source of caffeine overdoses. Too much of these stimulants and chemicals can cause dependence, dehydration, insomnia, heart palpitations and/or an increased heart rate. I think the reasons for alcohol are more obvious 🙂
When you’re feeling tired, and nothing has been entering your brain for the last 15 minutes, it may be worth switching to an easier task or topic to keep the studying momentum going.
With an easier topic to absorb, this maintain your productivity and keeps you on track with your study plan. Save the trickier chapter for next morning, when you should naturally be at your peak level of concentration.
I am a big advocate of power napping, specifically 20-30 minutes at maximum. It is my secret productivity weapon. I used this technique frequently after lunch when studying for the CFA exams on the weekend, in addition to a full time job.
I feel completely refreshed and ready to go for a minimum time investment – much better than caffeine, in my view.
This observation is supported by many studies that have found that power naps boost memory, cognitive skills, creativity, and energy level. You’ll need to practice this, as you may find yourself a little groggy and wanting more sleep the first few times.
It’s not worth it. No matter what.
Studies have shown that the effects of lack of sleep have been compared to being as dangerous as drinking alcohol. Sleep deprivation is just bad for you and definitely not sustainable.
Nor is it effective in the long run, as it will take you at least more than 1 day to feel normal again (messing up your internal body clock, remember?). That math alone tells you it’s a bad decision.
The amount of sleep each of us needs varies, but age is a big factor. As a general guide, adults aged 18-64 generally need 7-9 hours according to National Sleep Foundation.
If you’ve tried out all the previous 13 tips and strategies in vain to improve your study focus and stay awake, it may be time to question whether you have had enough sleep in the first place. If you do have 7 hours sleep and still feel exhausted, it’s time to audit your sleep quality and how you can sleep better.
Like good diet and exercise (see #6 and #8), sleep is a critical component to overall health. It’s worth evaluating the bigger picture and craft a sustainable long term approach to your studies to improve your chances of success.
And that starts by taking care of yourself.
Which strategy do you find most effective in increasing your study focus? Do you have more tips to add? Share with us in the comments below!
Meanwhile, you may find these related articles useful:
Studying isn’t always stimulating — especially after a long day in class or at work, when your brain feels ready to shut down.
If simply staying awake while studying seems harder than quantum physics, try one of the following nine strategies to help you be alert and focused.
Movement is a well-documented energy booster. In addition to helping you stay awake, it may also help relieve exam-time stress and improve your ability to actually remember what you study.
A 2018 study of students of all ages — ranging from elementary school to college — found that 10 minutes of walking outdoors significantly improved students’ performance with memory, feature detection, and mathematical problem-solving tasks.
Aim to take a short break every 30 to 50 minutes to walk, dance, or do a few jumping jacks.
Our bodies are attuned to respond to environmental signals such as light and darkness. While the relationship between light and sleep is indirect — it’s possible to fall asleep in a well-lit room or to stay awake in darkness — light is a cue that can help promote wakefulness.
According to a 2017 study of zebrafish, this tendency may come down to a protein that’s activated when we’re exposed to light.
When it comes to studying, try to mimic a daytime environment with plenty of light. If it’s dark outside, a single lamp or overhead light might not be enough to keep you alert.
It might be tempting to get comfortable while studying, but it won’t help you stay awake.
Lying down is associated with increased activity in the parasympathetic nervous system, known for its role in functions such as “rest and digest.”
In contrast, sitting upright is associated with sympathetic nervous system activity. The sympathetic nervous system controls functions such as alertness.
A 2014 study analyzed whether sitting upright or lying down affected performance on a test of working memory.
The authors reported that when participants were lying down for the test, their self-reported sleep quality negatively affected their performance. Sleep quality didn’t affect performance when participants were sitting upright.
How does this relate to studying? If you’re feeling tired, sitting up may help you stay focused and alert.
You may also want to try standing up instead of sitting while you’re studying. Standing and moving around from time to time may help boost your blood circulation. This, in turn, may prevent you from getting sleepy.
If you live in a dorm room or shared apartment, the most convenient place to study might also happen to be the place where you usually sleep.
But it’s best to avoid studying in any place that you associate with sleep, which could leave you feeling drowsy.
When possible, study somewhere else, such as a library, coffee shop, or a dedicated, well-lit area of your home away from your bedroom.
By keeping studying and sleep areas separate, you’ll also be making it easier to turn off your brain when it’s time to go to bed.
Fatigue or sleepiness is sometimes a sign of dehydration. But dehydration won’t just drain your energy — it may also disrupt cognitive functions, making studying difficult.
A 2010 review examined dehydration, including its effects on brain function.
The authors reported that mild to moderate levels of dehydration might impair short-term memory, concentration, mathematical ability, alertness, and perception.
To ensure that you don’t doze off while studying, stay hydrated throughout the day. This is especially important if you’re physically active or live in a warm climate.
While how much you should drink varies from person to person, aim for around half a gallon per day.
What and how much you eat affects your energy levels.
While it may be tempting to treat yourself while studying, it won’t help you stay awake. Sugary snacks and junk food can make your blood sugar spike and then crash, leaving you feeling sluggish.
On the other hand, if you forget to eat or eat too much, you might find yourself dozing off.
Instead, aim for a diet of small but frequent meals. Make sure each meal contains protein, a complex carbohydrate, and a source of healthy fat. Some examples include:
Reading and rereading class notes or a textbook might not be enough to keep you awake, let alone absorb information.
Keep yourself awake — and get the most out of your study sessions — by using active study techniques. To do this, try one or more of the following:
Avoid nodding off by talking through the material with a classmate, friend, or study group.
Not only is social studying more motivating and stimulating, it can also offer new perspectives and interpretations of class materials. Ask someone to explain a confusing concept to you, or solidify your own understanding by teaching the material to a peer.
If you prefer to study individually, you might find that simply studying in the presence of other people makes it easier to avoid falling asleep.
Sleep plays an important role in mood, attention, motivation, and memory — all of which affect learning.
It’s no surprise then that poor sleep is associated with poor academic performance.
In fact, making sleep a priority — both in the short- and the long-term — might be the most effective way to stay alert when you’re studying.
In a 2019 study, students were presented with detailed factual information over 5 hours. Midway through the 5-hour period, they either took a 1-hour nap, watched a film, or crammed the information. They were tested on the material 30 minutes after the end of the learning period and 1 week after the end of the learning period.
The researchers found that after 30 minutes, students who had either crammed or napped were able to recall the information better than students who had watched a film. However, after 1 week, only the students who had napped maintained better recall of the information.
Make time for naps, and stick to a regular sleep schedule to help make studying easier.
Staying alert and focused can be challenging when you need to study, especially at the end of a long day.
But there are ways to boost your wakefulness and avoid nodding off in the middle of a study session.
The key is to adopt healthy habits, like staying hydrated, eating regular balanced meals, getting exercise, and prioritizing your sleep whenever possible.
Other strategies that may help include studying with friends in a well-lit area, avoiding your bedroom, and using active learning techniques.
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Hola, querida. I know, I know: the school year is a mini-version of hell, but it’s definitely not worth scoring lessons. What to do if there is no strength left? First, get some rest, because your health is not iron, and then use these super-useful tips that will definitely make you an excellent student.
Did you think it would be something like “drink more water, start everything in the morning”? Maybe if this article was written by Nadia, but you are dealing with the best student of Las Encinas, so get ready to receive new information.
American psychologist Howard Gardner has developed seven learning styles, and to get better at it, you need to find yours. Now I will quickly talk about each, and you think which one suits you best.
Visuospatial . Suitable for those who most of all like to work with images and graphics. If you're one of those, try taking notes using visual methods, like a mind map that represents ideas through images.
Kinestatic . It is easiest for such people to learn by doing something at the same time. They need to touch things, act out scenes and keep moving. If you have noticed this in yourself, then the best thing for you to learn is by walking and listening to podcasts. And if you need to read something, then do it while walking around the room.
Musical . Rhythm helps people with this type of intelligence learn. Play quiet music in the background - if it helps you focus and work better, then you hit the bull's-eye.
Intrapersonal . Method for true introverts. If you are the type of person who generates energy by reading books, then you are just lucky :)
Interpersonal . This one is for extroverts. Such people (surprisingly, but true!) in their studies are helped by communication. In this case, just do your homework in a group with friends or chat with someone alone in parallel.
Linguistic . For those who are good with words. To memorize large amounts of information, it is enough for them to read aloud, and then all the necessary facts fit into the head on the shelves. Try it - maybe this is just your case.
Logical and mathematical . These are logical and rational people who love to solve problems and puzzles (note: at the same time, it is very important for them that a clear answer awaits them at the end; they do not want to solve something just like that).
If this description fits you, then focus on "logical" things: for example, try to think about how much what you are studying has value in real life.
What distracts you the most while studying? Of course, social media. Believe me, I also update Instagram (an extremist organization banned in Russia) 256 times a day, but when I sit down to do my homework, I prefer to block it for a while so as not to scroll through a bunch of messages in the ever-bursting direct. Fortunately, there are now many useful blockers that do all the work for us, so willpower does not have to be trained.
Guzman is ideal, but not everyone in this world is so lucky.
Anyway, social interaction will help you get a second wind when you feel squeezed out of your studies. After all, you must admit, sometimes it happens that you feel exhausted, and then you come to a party or any social event and immediately feel this obscure energy flashing inside?
There is a scientific explanation for this (very simple, actually). Social interaction releases oxytocin, which reduces cortisol levels, and from there comes a reduction in stress levels. Less stress means more opportunities to learn new information. But here are some more perks for you:0003
You will hear a different point of view and maybe it will lead you to a couple of interesting thoughts.
Your study buddy might have heard some info in class that you missed for some reason.
When you study with someone, you formulate your ideas out loud, and they immediately become clear.
You can act as a teacher for your homework partner and we all know that the best way to learn is to teach ;)
Set the ideal temperature for studying You won't believe it, but this exists. If you start to fall asleep while doing your homework, then you should check the temperature of the room you are in. A curious study was conducted a couple of years ago: when high school students wrote tests, they adjusted the temperature and looked at how their scores correlated with this. And the results are very interesting!
It turned out that students perform better on assignments when the temperature in the classroom reaches 22 degrees Celsius. Compare:
16 degrees Celsius: the student’s average score was 76%
22 degrees Celsius: the student’s average score was 90%
27 degrees Celsius: the average score of students was 72%
Conclusion: if you are tired of studying, try setting the temperature to 22 degrees in your room. Maybe it will work for you too?
That's it, enough research.
The main advice, dear: this is your life, and no one knows better than you what to do. Sometimes studies can get stuck because of stupid comments or people around you who don't believe in you, but trust me, they're not worth it. Listen to your heart and don't be afraid of anything - if you want, you can move any mountains.
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If a student experiences a high study load, weekends are often not enough. When strength is running out, it is worth taking an extra day of rest. We tell you how to do it wisely.
Most high school students have difficulty waking up in the morning.
Even those who were larks in kindergarten and elementary school often turn into owls over the years. Oxford University professor Paul Kelly found that the biological rhythms of schoolchildren do not coincide with the mode of study on the first shift. According to the researcher, high school students should start their lessons no earlier than 10:00, when their body is ready for productive mental work. The performance of schoolchildren who, as part of the experiment, began to study at 10:00, increased by 19%. It is possible that you are experiencing chronic sleep deprivation.
If a high school student does well in the first shift, this does not always mean that he is comfortable getting up early. Perhaps such a student earns fives at the cost of his health. Even if the student does not admit that he is tired or is so accustomed to a tough regime that he does not notice fatigue, a break will do good.
It is not always possible to have a good rest from studies and get enough sleep on weekends, especially for graduates.
Courses, tutors and Olympiad training often take place in the morning on Saturday and Sunday. The only way to regain strength and recover is to skip school. And it’s better to do it voluntarily in the form of a small day off, until the body decides to take a full-fledged “vacation” with a temperature.
Visiting a large diverse team every day is already stressful for the psyche. Even the most sociable person sooner or later gets tired of the noise, the need to communicate, be polite and patient. Spending a day in solitude is an opportunity to miss society a little and recharge.
It is not always possible to establish friendly or neutral relations with peers and teachers. A student can become a victim of bullying: constant nagging, ridicule or even threats from other students and teachers. At some point, it becomes unbearable to even think about school - this is a serious reason not to go to school, but to talk with parents or other close adults.
Distinguishing innocent banter from abuse can be difficult, especially if the student is insecure. The main sign of the abnormality of the situation is the subjective feeling “I feel uneasy”, “I feel uncomfortable”, “I feel bad, but I cannot explain what is wrong.” The feeling of discomfort signals that it is time to seek help.
During the day, the student perceives not only facts and opinions, but also emotional assessments. The brain processes information from all the senses and additionally deciphers the meaning of looks, smiles, jokes, hints. School is a space of communication in which you need to learn and manage to build relationships with others.
Perceiving lectures of teachers, conversations with students, chats and correspondence is very energy-consuming. Therefore, from study and contacts with others, rest is also needed.
Being evaluated throughout the day is a serious test.
The administration checks the compliance of the student's appearance with the accepted standard, subject teachers evaluate the quality of oral and written answers, peers observe each other's actions. It is useful at least occasionally to give yourself the right not to meet anyone's norms and expectations, but to be yourself: put on your favorite clothes, not answer anything and not rush anywhere.
Groundhog Day can be fun in the movies, but boring in real life. If every day you have to go somewhere or drive, you want to stay at home. If there are always a lot of people around, sometimes you want to retire. If at school you need to sit at a desk, and at home at the table to do homework, there is a desire to move. After a series of noisy everyday life, a craving for silence appears.
Getting out of the habitual life cycle is good for the brain - new experiences stimulate the activity of neurons. A sudden day off is best spent in the fresh air, for example, go for a long walk.
Any student can deliberately not go to school if the parents know about it. It happens that forces leave suddenly in the morning. In this case, you need to honestly tell your parents about your condition and make a decision together.
It is good to agree at the beginning of the school year on the right to miss school several times at will.
To restore strength, first of all, you should sleep and have breakfast without haste. You can read books for half a day or clean up things and papers that have long needed attention. It happens that you don’t feel like going out at all, but if you make a little effort on yourself, you will be grateful to yourself for a walk. Before going to bed, it is worth taking a bath, especially if there is usually not enough time for this.
Drawing, music, dancing and other types of creativity help to throw out the accumulated tension.
Favorite needlework and cooking will allow you to tune in to a calm mood and recharge your batteries. An unexpected day off should be devoted to activities that bring pleasure.
When the main load is intellectual, the body receives less stimuli. Quality rest in this case is an active movement. Choose the degree of load and novelty yourself: swimming and running or trampolining and skiing. Alternatively, you can remove your clothes from your parents' exercise bike or take a yoga mat out of the closet to work out with video tutorials.
You can even take a break from school while studying. Fascinating olympiad tasks, for which there is often not enough time, interesting and understandable online lessons according to the school curriculum - you can also devote a day off to this.
1. In case of any fatigue: from noise, information, communication, inactivity, assessments and lack of sleep, it is necessary to compensate for the lack of silence, rest, movement or sleep.
