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Don’t Let Studying in Bed Sabotage Your Sleep

If you had the choice between spending the morning studying in bed or heading to the library – which would you choose? Yeah, we would choose the first option, too. Cozy time is the best time, right? Well, not always.

Unfortunately, trying to accomplish anything other than sleep in bed – like studying or working – can interfere with your sleep quality and more. In fact, there are many reasons why studying in bed vs. a desk can work against you, and we’re sharing five of them next. However, we know there are times when reality works against us – and the bed wins. So, we’re also including some pro-sleep tips for studying in bed when you just need some cozy study time.

And before you post-graduates click-away, everything we discuss here also applies to working – so stick around if you regularly work from bed.

Top 5 Reasons for NOT Studying in Bed.

If you are wondering why studying in bed is not ideal, get ready for some education! Although studying in bed may seem like a dream, it may be creating some avoidable problems. 

Sleep Quality

Do you ever find yourself getting sleepy while studying in bed? Since our bodies typically associate “bed” with “sleep”, it’s not surprising when this happens. However, if you regularly study in bed, you may be inadvertently retraining your mind to associate your bed with studying. So what happens when you crawl into bed to sleep? Your brain thinks it’s time to study! 

Sleep quality affects everything in our daily lives, and your body needs adequate sleep to stay healthy, retain new information (studying!), handle stress, and perform at its best each day. 

Although laying in bed is the ultimate in comfort, sitting in bed isn’t always as comfortable. Sitting in an uncomfortable position applies pressure to your back, which can lead to spine problems over time. It’s a sneaky disadvantage to studying in bed, but it’s important to consider for the long-term.

Even if you think you are comfortable sitting or laying on your side or stomach to study, doing so for too long can create stiffness in your neck and back. Also, beds are inherently uneven, so even if you think you are sitting up straight, it’s not the same kind of straight a chair provides.

Productivity

It’s hard enough to focus on school materials as it is, but studying in bed can actually really sabotage your productivity. There are several things working against you in this situation – not enough room to spread out and nowhere to take notes (if you still favor pen and paper). Not to mention, the poor sleep quality you’re probably also experiencing is a real productivity zapper.

There’s hygiene related to cleanliness and sleep hygiene , and we’ll talk about both. First is cleanliness. Not to gross you out, but did you know that we shed thousands of skin cells every night? Studying in bed during the day just adds to that mess! Not to mention any drinks or food you may spill during your horizontal studying.

What about sleep hygiene? These are the practices and habits that contribute to a good night’s sleep, and guess what one of them is NOT? Studying. As we mentioned before, studying in bed is subtly rewiring your brain to associate your mattress with activities other than sleep, which can make it difficult to sleep at night when you should be resting and recharging.

Everything we have mentioned so far circles back to mood. All of it can affect your mood: lack of sleep, lack of productivity, achy back, and dirty sheets. Our beds should be places of sanctuary, not stress. Studying in bed may bring stress into your sanctuary and sabotage not just your focus, but likely your sleep as well.

Pro-sleep Tips for Studying in Bed 

Ok, if you skipped right to this section, then you are probably never going to give up your bed studying habits – and that’s ok, you do you! Although we highly recommend only sleep and sex for the bed, reality is a rule bender sometimes. So, here are some tips for how to be comfortable studying in bed if a desk isn’t working or appealing.

Blue Light Blocking Lenses

There are clear lenses that protect against the high end of the blue light spectrum or yellow or amber lenses that block all blue light. Blue light, a type of light on the color spectrum that has higher energy, is emitted by cell phones, computers, and television screens. That higher energy light isn’t doing your eyes or your sleep any favors.

Invest in a Reading Pillow

That achy back we mentioned earlier? It’s posture related and happens from sitting in an uncomfortable position for too long, either hunched over your computer screen or propped on your elbow. A reading pillow can help you study more comfortably in bed by supplying the correct support for your back. We’re not saying it will prevent all the aches earned from studying in bed, but it can certainly help. 

Use a Lap Desk or Portable Study Table

Like the pillow, a lap desk or portable study table will encourage better posture while studying in bed by positioning your screen and books for better access. Plus, having a small desk to work on – even in bed – can help keep you organized, which is a productivity booster. Every little bit helps. If you’re really committed to studying in bed (or just have no other places to do homework), a lap desk and reading pillow are the ultimate combo to ensure your posture is on point.

Take Breaks

Our bodies weren’t made for sitting or sleeping all day. Daily movement keeps us healthy and strong. So if you’re hunkered down for a major study session, try the pomodoro technique to keep your mind active and your limbs refreshed. 

It’s simple – just take a break every 25 minutes and get out of bed, even if it’s just to walk to the bathroom. If you are still working after four breaks, start to stretch out your breaks a little longer with each subsequent 25 minute break. Your body and mind will thank you!

Set a Hard Stop

If you are studying in bed all day, it’s important to set a hard stop time if it stretches into the evening. Your chances of falling asleep later will be improved if you take an hour or more to disassociate your bed with studying. That means getting up and leaving the room. Take a walk outside, take a shower, make dinner, whatever you like – as long as it’s not near or in your bed.

When you return to bed for sleeping, do not bring your phone, tablet, or laptop with you. Your sleep deserves your undivided attention!

Ready for more tips for better sleep? Bookmark our blog to learn about emerging sleep trends, expert analysis, and more. Our website also has a wealth of information and resources about sleep and how to conquer it. 

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Oct 1, 2016 9:00:00 AM | online class Never Do Homework In Bed: 3 Reasons Why | achs.edu

Where you decide to do homework plays a role in how much work you get done. And what’s the worst place to try to be productive? Your bed.

Some students will even map out the specific times they’re going to work each day in their planner. That’s a smart move; I’m for it.

However, have you gone so far as to plan where you’re going to get your work done?

Because most people have the mindset that it doesn’t matter where you work, it’s a non-factor.

I’m here to tell you that where you decide to do homework plays a significant role in how much work you get done, especially as an online student. And what’s the worst place to try to be productive? Your bed. 

Here are three reasons why you’d be better off studying anywhere other than your bed : 

1. Studying in bed limits focus.

Think about all the reasons why you love your bed. The comfort of warm covers, soft pillows, and putting off responsibility by pressing “Snooze” are highly persuasive on their own, but even more so when compared to focusing on your homework. 

Because your bed will tempt you to stop working and sleep, it’s best you don’t put yourself in a position to fail from the start. If you don’t change scenery, you may easily allow the comfort of your bed to suck away your focus. Trust me, I’ve been a victim of this before I wised up. 

And if your bed doesn’t make you lose focus, the other things in your room probably will. Your television, smart phone, or laundry will pull for your attention and offer an avenue to procrastinate.

When you’re looking to focus, a chair and desk is the better choice. The wisest choice is a standing desk, but not everyone has one available. Then, after you’ve done your work, you can relax in your bed feeling accomplished. 

2. Studying in bed decreases productivity.

Even if you can manage to focus in your bed, it’s not a productive place to get work done.

First, the lack of space to spread out your research for a paper or study material for an exam is a concern. You’ll waste time and valuable energy going through papers to find what you’re looking for. At a long desk, you can better assemble and organize your materials.

Second, you have no opportunity to get the productivity boost from standing when you’re laying on your bed for hours working. I’m a big supporter of standing when I work because standing sends fresh blood and oxygen to the brain, which promotes optimal brain function. [1] Your body isn’t designed to sit all day.

Before you think you need to spend hundreds of dollars for a standing desk, try putting your laptop on your dresser, propped up on books or a shelf, or get creative by putting your desk on risers (just be sure it’s safe and sturdy!). You now have a “standing desk” without breaking the bank.

3. Studying in bed hurts sleep.

I’ve already discussed how working in a place your body associates with sleep can make you lethargic and unable to focus. But on the flip side, working in your bed makes going to sleep harder. Working in your bed is double trouble! 

Because you’ve trained your body to associate your bed as a place to study or get homework done, once you lay in bed to call it a night your mind will continue to think. Studying in bed earlier in the day can actually rob you of rest.

Your body needs adequate sleep to stay healthy , retain new information, handle stress, and perform at its best each day. I wish sleep deprivation on no one. 

So, to protect your focus, productivity, and sleep, now you know not to study in your bed (or even your bedroom, if possible). Since your study space is important, making an effort to find a quiet place where you’re comfortable—but not too comfortable—can be the secret to success.

And don’t forget to try standing to get the most for your mind and body!

This article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or prevent disease. This article has not been reviewed by the FDA. Always consult with your primary care physician or naturopathic doctor before making any significant changes to your health and wellness routine.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a guest blogger for American College of Healthcare Sciences, the Institution that publishes this blog. However, all opinions are my own. This blog may contain affiliate links. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” 

[1] Behrens, L. (1990). An upright way to improve thinking. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved from http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1990-10-07/features/9003250339_1_brain-power-standing-stimulation

Written By: Brian Robben

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Why You Shouldn’t Study in Bed: Tips for Better Habits

As a student, I know how tempting it can be to study in bed. It’s cozy, comfortable, and convenient. However, after some research and personal experience, I’ve come to realize that studying in bed is not the best idea. In this section, I will explore the reasons why and provide some tips for better study habits. I will cover some of the reasons why you shouldn’t study in bed for instance, importance of proper posture while studying, distractions in bed while studying and also the advantages of a well-lit study area, productivity tips for studying and study environment tips.

Firstly, studying in bed can negatively impact your productivity and focus. Your mind associates your bed with rest and relaxation, making it difficult to concentrate on studying. Additionally, lying down can make you feel sleepy and reduce your motivation to study.

Secondly, studying in bed can lead to distractions. Your bed is associated with comfort and leisure, making it tempting to check your phone, watch TV, or even take a nap. These distractions can interrupt your study flow and reduce your overall productivity.

Key Takeaways:

• Studying in bed can reduce productivity and focus.
• Your bed is associated with rest and relaxation, making it difficult to concentrate on studying.
• Studying in bed can lead to distractions, such as checking your phone or watching TV.

Why You Shouldn’t Study in Bed

Creating a separate study space.

One of the most effective ways to improve your study habits is by creating a separate study space. When you study in bed, your brain associates your sleeping area with work and productivity, which can cause restlessness and hinder your sleep quality. By dedicating a specific area in your home for studying, your brain can better differentiate between work and leisure time, making it easier for you to focus and relax.

To create a dedicated study space, start by choosing a location that is away from distractions, such as the TV or high-traffic areas. You can set up a small desk and chair in a corner of your room, or even designate a specific room in your home as your study area.

When creating your study space, it’s important to ensure that the area is well-lit and comfortable. You can add a lamp or two to provide adequate lighting and ensure that your chair and desk are at the appropriate height and distance to reduce strain on your eyes, neck and back.

Having a separate study space also allows you to customize the area to your needs. You can add motivational posters or plants to create a relaxing atmosphere, and keep all your study materials organized and within easy reach.

By creating a separate study space, you can improve your study habits and set yourself up for success. Not only will it boost your productivity and focus, but it will also help you achieve a better work-life balance.

Benefits of Studying at a Desk

When I switched from studying in bed to studying at a desk, I noticed a significant improvement in my focus and productivity. Here are some reasons why:

Additionally, having a desk can provide a space for all your study materials and tools, making them easily accessible and organized. This can help save time and reduce distractions as you won’t need to search for items or use your bed as a makeshift workspace.

Overall, the benefits of studying at a desk over studying in bed are numerous, including better posture, increased focus, and improved productivity. If you are currently studying in bed, consider setting up a designated study space to see the positive effects for yourself.

Distractions in Bed While Studying

Studying in bed can lead to a plethora of distractions that may hinder your ability to focus. The comfort of the bed can make it challenging to maintain concentration, and the relaxed environment can cause you to lose track of time. Additionally, electronics such as your phone or television can easily divert your attention away from your studies, leading to reduced productivity.

Another issue that arises when studying in bed is the lack of physical boundaries between work and relaxation. It can be challenging to separate the two when completing school work in the same space where you typically relax and unwind. This can lead to a decreased ability to switch off at night and make it difficult to get a good night’s sleep.

It is important to have a designated space for studying to minimize distractions and ensure a productive environment. Consider creating a separate study area with a desk and chair to promote focus and productivity. By separating work from rest, you can establish a clear boundary and improve your ability to concentrate.

Distraction-Free Study Tips:

• Use noise-canceling headphones to block out external noise and promote focus
• Remove any electronics, including your phone or television, from your study space
• Implement time management techniques, such as the Pomodoro Technique, to ensure effective breaks and minimize distractions

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.” – Steve Jobs

Importance of Proper Posture While Studying

One of the main reasons why studying in bed is not recommended is due to the negative impact it can have on your posture. When studying in bed, it is easy to adopt a slouched or hunched position, which can lead to back, neck, and shoulder pain.

Proper posture is important for maintaining good health and preventing long-term injuries. When studying at a desk, it is easier to maintain good posture by adjusting the chair height, sitting with feet flat on the floor, and keeping the back straight. This is not possible when studying in bed.

Did you know? According to a study conducted by the American Chiropractic Association, up to 80% of people can expect to experience back pain at some point in their lives due to poor posture.

Furthermore, prolonged periods of poor posture can lead to more serious issues such as spinal deformities, breathing difficulties, and digestive problems.

It is important to prioritize your posture while studying to avoid these potential health issues. This can be achieved by studying at a desk, investing in an ergonomic chair, and taking regular breaks to stretch and move around.

By prioritizing your posture while studying, not only will you reduce your risk of long-term injuries and health issues, but you will also improve your focus and productivity.

Advantages of a Well-Lit Study Area

When it comes to creating a productive study environment, lighting plays a crucial role. Adequate lighting can help reduce eye strain, minimize distraction, and improve focus. On the other hand, studying in poorly lit areas can lead to reduced concentration and even headaches.

Studying in bed may not provide adequate lighting, resulting in eye strain and fatigue. This is because the light source often comes from above or behind, casting shadows and making it difficult to read text.

By studying at a desk with a well-positioned lamp, you can significantly reduce eye strain and improve your focus. A well-lit study area can also help minimize distractions and keep you motivated to continue studying.

So, the next time you’re tempted to study in bed, consider the benefits of studying in a well-lit area instead. Your eyes and your productivity will thank you.

Establishing a Study Routine

One of the key factors in becoming a successful student is establishing a study routine that works for you. This routine should take into consideration your personal needs, preferences, and schedule. When I first started studying, I struggled with consistency and found myself studying at odd hours of the night or trying to cram for exams at the last minute. However, once I established a study routine that worked for me, I found that I was able to better focus, retain information, and achieve better grades.

Studying in bed can disrupt your study routine and make it difficult to establish consistency. Your bed is traditionally associated with relaxation and sleep, which can make it challenging to switch gears and focus on studying. Additionally, studying in bed can lead to distractions from electronics, comfort, and lack of boundaries.

Instead, consider creating a separate study space that is tailored to your needs. This space should be well-lit, equipped with comfortable and ergonomic furniture, and free from distractions. By having a designated study space, you can establish a routine and train your mind to associate this space with focus and productivity.

When establishing your study routine, it is important to consider your schedule and workload. Set aside a consistent time each day for studying and stick to it. Use a planner or calendar to map out deadlines and prioritize tasks. By incorporating regular study breaks and movement, you can increase focus and productivity, and avoid burnout.

Remember, consistency is key when it comes to establishing a study routine. By avoiding studying in bed and creating a designated study space, you can maximize your productivity and achieve academic success.

Avoiding Associating Bed with Work

One of the biggest downsides of studying in bed is that it can make it difficult to separate your work and relaxation spaces. When you associate your bed with work, it can negatively impact your quality of sleep and overall well-being.

As someone who wants to create a productive study environment, it’s important to avoid associating your bed with work as much as possible. Instead, try to reserve your bed for sleeping and relaxing only.

You can do this by establishing a separate study space, as we discussed earlier, and sticking to a consistent study routine. By doing this, you can maintain a clear separation between your work and relaxation time, which will help you to stay productive and focused when you need to be.

“When you associate your bed with work, it can negatively impact your quality of sleep and overall well-being.”

Ultimately, by avoiding studying in bed, you can help to create a healthy, productive, and sustainable study environment that will set you up for success in the long term. So, next time you feel tempted to study in bed, remember the negative effects it can have and try to resist the urge.

Minimizing Distractions and Maximizing Focus

Studying requires focus and concentration, and distractions can hinder your ability to retain information. To minimize distractions and maximize focus, I recommend implementing the following tips:

• Use noise-canceling headphones: Listening to music or white noise can help drown out any distracting sounds.
• Turn off electronics: Switch off your phone or any other electronic devices that may grab your attention.
• Implement time management techniques: Use the Pomodoro Technique or other time management strategies to increase productivity and maintain focus.

By applying these techniques, you can reduce distractions and increase your ability to focus and retain information.

It’s also important to take regular breaks and move your body to avoid feeling stagnant. When studying, I recommend taking a break every hour and stretching or going for a short walk to refresh your mind and body. Incorporating movement and breaks into your study routine can help you stay focused and productive.

Utilizing Ergonomic Study Tools and Furniture

When creating a dedicated study space, it’s important to consider the ergonomic aspects of your environment to maximize your productivity and prevent discomfort or injury. Ergonomic study tools and furniture can help you maintain proper posture, reduce strain on your muscles and joints, and improve your overall well-being.

Using ergonomic study tools and furniture ultimately leads to a more comfortable and efficient study experience, helping you achieve your best work.

Incorporating Breaks and Movement

As I’ve mentioned earlier in this article, taking breaks and incorporating movement into your study routine is crucial for maintaining focus and productivity. However, it can be challenging to do so when studying in bed.

When studying at a desk, it’s easier to get up, stretch, and take a short walk around the room. You can also schedule your study breaks and incorporate movement-based activities such as yoga or stretching. These activities can help increase blood flow and improve your mood, leading to better concentration and retention of information.

In contrast, when studying in bed, it’s tempting to lie down for a short nap or scroll through social media during your study breaks. This can lead to reduced productivity and a lack of motivation.

Therefore, I recommend establishing a routine that incorporates regular breaks and movement, especially when studying at a desk. You can set a timer for every hour or two and use that time to take a quick walk, stretch, or do some light exercises to keep your body and mind fresh.

Remember, studying for long hours without breaks can be counterproductive and lead to burnout, so it’s essential to take care of yourself by incorporating movement and breaks into your study routine.

After exploring the negative effects of studying in bed, it’s clear that creating a separate study space is essential for better study habits and productivity. Sitting at a desk has numerous benefits, including improved focus, posture and productivity, and can help minimise distractions, particularly those that come with studying in bed.

To maximise your focus and productivity, it’s important to establish a study routine that is consistent and minimises distractions. This can include incorporating regular study breaks and movements, utilising ergonomic study tools and furniture, and maximising natural and artificial lighting.

Furthermore, avoiding associating your bed with work can help improve your sleep quality and relaxation, essential for a healthy and productive lifestyle.

Overall, by implementing these tips for better study habits, you can greatly improve your productivity and focus during study sessions and set yourself up for success.

Q: Why shouldn’t I study in bed?

A: Studying in bed can have negative effects on your productivity and focus. It can make it harder to separate work and relaxation, disrupt your study routine, and lead to distractions and poor posture.

Q: Why is it important to create a separate study space?

A: Having a dedicated study space helps to establish boundaries between work and relaxation. It can enhance focus and productivity, and provide a conducive environment for learning.

Q: What are the benefits of studying at a desk?

A: Studying at a desk improves focus and productivity. It also promotes better posture, which is important for overall health and reduces the risk of musculoskeletal issues.

Q: What distractions can arise when studying in bed?

A: Studying in bed can lead to distractions such as comfort, electronics, and lack of boundaries. These distractions can hinder your concentration and impact the quality of your study session.

Q: Why is proper posture important while studying?

A: Maintaining proper posture while studying ensures optimal spinal alignment and reduces the risk of back and neck pain. Studying in bed can lead to poor posture, which can have long-term health consequences.

Q: What are the advantages of a well-lit study area?

A: Studying in a well-lit area improves concentration and reduces eye strain. Studying in bed may not provide adequate lighting, which can negatively affect your ability to focus.

Q: Why is establishing a study routine important?

A: Establishing a study routine helps to create consistent study habits and promotes productivity. Studying in bed can disrupt this routine and lead to inconsistency in your study schedule.

Q: How can avoiding studying in bed prevent associating it with work?

A: Avoiding studying in bed helps to maintain the psychological separation between your bed and work. This can improve sleep quality and ensure your bed remains a place of relaxation and rest.

Q: What are some tips for minimizing distractions and maximizing focus while studying?

A: Practical tips for minimizing distractions and maximizing focus include using noise-canceling headphones, implementing time management techniques, and creating a distraction-free study environment.

Q: Why is ergonomic study tools and furniture important?

A: Ergonomic study tools and furniture promote proper posture and reduce the risk of discomfort and pain. They are more easily accessible when studying at a desk rather than in bed.

Q: Why is it important to incorporate breaks and movement into your study routine?

A: Incorporating regular breaks and movement helps to prevent fatigue and maintain focus. Studying in bed may make it more difficult to take effective study breaks, leading to reduced productivity.

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Harvard Study Says It's OK to Stay Up Late and Sleep In (so Long as You Do This)

Researchers tracked students' sleeping habits for a month. here's what they found..

Do you believe that the earlier you go to bed and the earlier you get up, the healthier, happier, and more productive you'll be? Many people do, and many websites, including this one , offer lots of advice about how to be a morning person and why it's so important to be one.

Well, maybe it isn't so important after all. A new study from Harvard traced the sleep habits of 61 students over 30 days and correlated those habits with the students' grades. It found that students who got regular sleep--that is, who went to bed and woke up about the same time every day--did better in school than those who slept irregular hours. You might expect that much to be true, but here are some more surprising findings:

1. You don't have to wake up at 5 a.m. after all.

The study did find that students were better off if they slept during "nighttime" hours, but it defined those hours as 10 pm to 10 am. As Charles Czeisler, M.D., chief of the Sleep and Circadian Disorders Division at Brigham and Women's Hospital told CNN, "The results of this study are not suggesting everybody has to be a goody-two-shoes. So if you go to bed at 2 and get up at 9, that's fine. You just have to consistently do the same thing."

2. Getting enough sleep won't help you if you sleep irregular hours.

The researchers expected to find that the irregular sleepers who stayed up till all hours were sleeping fewer hours than their regular-sleeping counterparts. But no--both groups were sleeping about the same number of hours in total because the irregular sleepers were napping during the day. Their grades still suffered, proving what most of know by instinct: A nap can be nice but it's no replacement for a good night's sleep.

3. Sleeping irregular hours can make you fat.

Irregular sleepers had delayed circadian rhythms compared to regular sleepers. Both phenomena have been shown to be related to weight gain in earlier studies, the researchers note. If that information isn't enough to make you stop pulling all-nighters, I don't know what is.

4. Irregular sleep could be a symptom of something else.

One thing the study didn't do is measure the things that might cause someone to become an irregular sleeper, and how they might affect academic performance. For example, if you're someone who goes to bed at precisely 10 pm every night and wakes up at precisely 5 am every morning, chances are you're a highly disciplined sort, which means you might also have the discipline to get all your homework done early. Conversely, irregular sleep can be a symptom of depression, and depression could certainly affect one's academic performance.

More study is needed to better understand these factors, the researchers say. In the meantime, if you're a late riser stop beating yourself up about it. Concentrate on getting up at the same late hour every morning instead.

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The Art of Doing Homework in Bed

If you search “doing homework in bed” online, you’ll find about a million articles explaining why you shouldn’t. The internet will shower you with studies about everything from not being able to sleep at night to potential psychological problems. However, as a professional bed studier (and fantastic sleeper), I can say with complete certainty: doing homework in bed is the best way to do it! Here’s why.

It’s the comfiest place on campus.

First of all, your bed is your body’s own personal heaven. It’s the comfiest place you can find not just on campus, but anywhere. If you had the choice of sitting in a soft, plush sofa or a hard, wooden chair, why in the world would you sit in the chair? That would be just as crazy as working at a hard desk instead of your cozy bed!

You don’t have to walk up a bajillion flights of stairs just to get to a library.

Boston College has a lot of stairs. That’s a known fact. Why would you put yourself through 30 minutes of a gruesome calf workout and exposure to the freezing wind and snow just so you can study in a library? You could spend those extra 30 minutes of torture studying (or watching an episode of Friends) in your warm, cozy bed.

You can wear anything you want.

You don’t have to worry about putting a bra or pants on when you’re studying in your bed. You could literally wear anything and no one would know or care!

You can play music out loud in the background.

Some people can’t focus with music, but for those who can, working in your bed is perfect for it! You can play whatever you want without having to worry about wearing earphones, your music being too loud, or people judging you for dancing along. It will also prevent you from falling asleep!  

Moral of the story: start doing your homework in bed!

Tips for Doing Homework In Bed:

Invest in a good bedrest pillow so you have the proper back support.

My life was significantly changed for the better after getting on of these. You can find these basically anywhere, in any color, and for pretty cheap. Target has great plush ones for under $20. Some even have little pockets on the sides!

Keep the main light on! And if that isn’t enough, get another one!

Keeping the main light on will keep you focused and awake. Good lighting also reduces eye strain and mental fatigue!

Get some snacks to hold you over.

Before going back to my room to study I ALWAYS grab a snack to hold me over until I finish studying. I would recommend an apple, popcorn, or crackers!

Sit on top of your made bed. If you’re cold, put a blanket over you.

Whatever you do, DO NOT go under the covers. This is the reason lots of people will fall asleep while studying. If you make your bed and work on top of it, you’ll be just as comfy and will stay awake. If you are cold, just put a blanket over you!

Happy studying!

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Should I study or should I go (to sleep)? The influence of test schedule on the sleep behavior of undergraduates and its association with performance

Ignacio estevan.

1 Programa de Neuropsicología y Neurobiología, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay

Romina Sardi

Ana clara tejera.

2 Laboratorio de Neurociencias, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay

Bettina Tassino

3 Sección Etología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay

Associated Data

Data are available from the project Open Science Framework database ( https://osf.io/g7xfw/ ).

Sleep is crucial for college students’ well-being. Although recommended sleep duration is between 7–9 hours per day, many students do not sleep that much. Scholar demands are among the causes of observed sleep deprivation in youth. We explored the influence of having a school test on previous night sleep in first-year students and the association of sleep duration and test performance. We ran two surveys in freshman students of the Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay: 1) 97 students of the School of Sciences who took the test at the same time; and 2) 252 School of Psychology students who took the test in four successive shifts. More than 1/2 of the participants (survey #1) and almost 1/3 (survey #2) reported short regular sleep duration (< 7h). In both samples, the sleep duration of the night before the test was reduced with respect to regular nights (survey #1: 2.1 ± 0.2 h, p < 0.001; survey #2: between 1.7 ± 0.4 h and 3.6 ± 0.3 h, all p < 0.001), with more than 10% of the students who did not sleep at all. In survey 2, sleep duration increased in later shifts ( F (3,248) = 4.6, p = 0.004). Using logit regressions, we confirmed that sleep duration was positively related to test scores in both samples (survey #1: exp B = 1.15, p < 0.001; pseudo- R 2 = 0.38; survey #2: exp B = 1.03, p < 0.001; pseudo- R 2 = 0.25). Delaying test start time may prevent the reduction in sleep duration, which may also improve school performance. In addition, educational policies should include information for students about the impact of sleep on learning and of the consequences of reduced sleep duration.

Introduction

There is a consensus that adults should sleep between 7–9 hours per day [ 1 , 2 ]. Chronic short sleep duration is associated with an increase in several risk factors [ 3 ], and with an increase in the relative risk for multiple-cause mortality [ 4 ]. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [ 5 ], more than 30% of American young adults report short sleep duration (i.e. < 7h), and a recent meta-analysis showed a mean sleep duration among medical undergraduate students of 6.3 h per night [ 6 ].

It is well documented that biological and psycho-social changes during adolescence along with social pressures strongly influence high-school students’ short sleep duration [ 7 – 9 ]. In particular, the compromise between the natural trend of adolescents towards Eveningness and their early school schedule has been pointed out as a key factor affecting sleep duration and quality [ 10 , 11 ]. Young college undergraduate students still exhibit a delayed chronotype [ 12 ], and display a shorter sleep duration when attending morning classes with respect to evening classes [ 13 ].

Sleep is related to students’ well-being and mental health [ 14 – 17 ]. Moreover, students’ sleep duration, sleep pattern, and daytime sleepiness have been proved to affect their academic performance [ 18 – 21 ]. Comparing sleep problems to other factors influencing academic performance, Hartman & Prichard [ 22 ] found that sleep problems have similar influence in school retention and grades than other factors that receive more attention such as binge drinking or drug consumption.

Despite the relevance of sufficient sleep duration, there is some evidence that students reduce their sleep during exam periods and the night before a test [ 23 ]. An actigraphy study with final-year high school students showed a reduction in sleep duration, quality, and efficiency [ 24 ]. It has been interpreted that the increase in psychological distress and anxiety typical of exams periods affect both sleep duration and quality [ 23 – 27 ]. In addition to anxiety, using a survey with undergraduate students, Hartwig & Dunlosky [ 28 ] showed that more than half the participants often do all their study in one session previous to the test, and most of them also “cram” lots of information in this previous night sacrificing sleep hours with no benefits in their performance. In a study with American college students, almost 60% of them reported engaging at least once in all-night study sessions, which hampered their test performance [ 29 ]. Orzerch et al. [ 30 ] also found better grades among students not reporting all-night study sessions. However, other studies did not find an association between long night study sessions and test scores [ 31 , 32 ].

Although the positive association of sleep duration and academic performance seems to be well established, the influence of tests on sleep is not yet fully understood, and studies about the consequences of an acute sleep reduction previous to a test are scarce. In this study, we took advantage of the highly populated freshman University courses of the Universidad de la República, Uruguay, that require students to take tests in different shifts. We aimed to clarify how students modify their sleep habits the night before they take a test and to evaluate the association between sleep duration and academic performance.

Materials and methods

We ran two surveys in freshman students of the Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay. We used a short computer-based questionnaire to ask about students’ sleep pattern (bedtime, sleep latency, sleep end) on regular nights and the night before a mid-term test that was applied immediately after students finished the test. Questionnaire also included some items about socio-demographic information.

Statistical analyses were performed in R [ 33 ] using RStudio as an integrated development environment [ 34 ]. Throughout the text sample statistics are reported as Mean ± Standard Deviation, while estimated differences are reported as Mean ± Standard Error. All procedures were approved by the Ethics Committee of the School of Psychology, Universidad de la República, and complied with the principles outlined by the Declaration of Helsinki [ 35 ]. All participants gave their informed consent to participate using a digital form.

Undergraduate students of the first year semi-annual course of General Biology of the School of Sciences, Universidad de la República, were invited to participate in this study after finishing the mid-term test in May 2019. Ninety seven students agreed to participate ( Table 1 ), representing the 33.5% of the students who took the test. The number of correct answers for each participant in the 20 multiple-choice questions test was provided by the course teachers. Test score represent 1/3 of the final grade.

Note: In each case, time of test attendance is indicated. Discrete variables are presented as Number (Percentage); numeric variables are presented as Mean ± Standard Deviation.

a Test consisted of 20 multiple choice questions.

b Test consisted of 60 true/false questions.

Undergraduate students of the Psychology School, Universidad de la República, who took the mid-term test of Neurobiology course in June 2019 were invited to participate in this study. Neurobiology is a first year semiannual course, and almost 2200 students (74.2% females) began their grade studies in Psychology in 2019 [ 36 ]. As 1358 students took the test, they were randomly distributed in four different shifts (see schedule in Table 1 ). Each one of the four test versions consisted of 60 similar true/false questions. Two hundred fifty two students agreed to participate ( Table 1 ), representing the 18.6% of the students who took the test. In survey #2, a question inquiring about the total time spent studying previous to the test was added (“How many hours do you spend studying adding up yesterday and today hours previous to the test?”). The number of correct answers of each participant was provided by the course teachers. Test score represent 1/2 of the final grade.

Survey #1 sample was sex-biased towards females among participants ( Table 1 ; χ 2 = 8.7, p = 0.003). Mean age was 21.0 ± 5.9. Regular reported sleep duration was 6.6 ± 1.5 h, and most participants reported regular sleep duration < 7h (56.7%). Sleep duration and pattern were modified the night before taking the General Biology test ( Table 1 , Fig 1A ). Sleep duration was reduced in 2.1 ± 0.2 h ( paired-samples t -test = 9.4, p < 0.001), with 13 students (13.4%) being all-nighters. There was a moderate correlation between regular sleep duration and sleep duration before the test (r = 0.40, p < 0.001). Among sleepers, sleep onset was delayed in 1.0 ± 0.2 h ( paired-samples t -test = 6.2, p < 0.001), and sleep end was advanced in 0.5 ± 0.1 h (paired t = 4.1, p < 0.001). The delay in sleep onset was generated by an estimated delay of 1.1 ± 0.2 h in the bedtime ( paired-samples t -test = -7.5, p < 0.001), while sleep latency remained unchanged ( paired-samples t -test = 0.0, p = 1.0). A logit regression was used to study the association between the correct answer rate and sleep duration. Regular sleep was associated with the ratio of correct answers, and an hour increase in sleep duration was associated with a 10.8% increase in the odds ratio of correct answers ( z = 3.3, p < 0.001; Cragg-Uhler pseudo- R 2 = 0.11). Sleep duration before the test was also a significant predictor, and an hour increase in sleep duration was associated with a 15.0% increase in the odds ratio of correct answers ( z = 6.8, p < 0.001; Cragg-Uhler pseudo- R 2 = 0.38). The predicted correct answer rate was 52.3% for an all-nighter and 77.1% for a student who slept 8 h.

Sleep pattern among students that reported sleeping before the test from a) School of Science (survey #1); b) four test shifts in School of Psychology (survey #2).

Sleep patterns are represented from Mean sleep onset to Mean sleep end (red lines represent the Standard Deviation) for regular-days sleep (red) and for the night before the test (white). Gray and white areas indicate photoperiod calculated from sunrise and sunset on the day before the test. Start time of the test is indicated below.

Survey #2 sample was also biased towards females (87.3%; χ 2 = 140.3, p < 0.001), across shifts ( χ 2 = 0.8, p = 0.8). Mean age was 23.8 ± 7.7 years. Mean sleep duration on regular nights was 7.7 ± 1.6 h, with no differences between shifts ( F (3,248) = 1.1, p = 0.4; Table 1 ). Among participants, 31.7% reported short regular sleep duration (< 7 h), with no difference between shifts ( χ 2 = 5.3, p = 0.15). Regular sleep pattern was also similar between shifts (mean sleep onset was 0:29 ± 1:23; mean sleep end was 8:10 ± 1:36), as no difference was found in either sleep onset ( F (3,248) = 0.2, p = 0.9, Fig 1B ) or sleep end ( F (3,248) = 0.7, p = 0.5, Fig 1B ). The night before the test sleep duration was reduced: sleep in 8:00 shift was reduced in 3.6 ± 0.3 h ( paired-samples t -test = 10.9, p < 0.001), in 9:45 shift sleep was reduced in 3.0 ± 0.3 h ( paired-samples t -test = 9.1, p < 0.001), in 11:30 shift was reduced in 2.3 ± 0.4 h ( paired-samples t -test = 6.6, p < 0.001), and in 13:15 shift reduction was in 1.7 ± 0.4 h ( paired-samples t -test = 4.3, p < 0.001). A small correlation between regular sleep duration and sleep duration before was observed (r = 0.09, p = 0.032). Sleep duration before the test was different between test shifts ( F (3,248) = 4.6, p = 0.004; Table 1 ), as last shift students slept more than the first shift students (Tukey post-hoc t = -3.8, p < 0.001). All-nighters were 14.7% of participants, with no difference between test shifts ( χ 2 = 1.7, p = 0.64). Moreover, sleep reduction was different between test shifts ( F (3,248) = 4.9, p = 0.002), and Tukey post-hoc test showed significant differences between students in 8:00 vs 11:30 shift ( t = 2.6, p = 0.048), and between students in 8:00 vs 13:15 shift ( t = 3.6, p = 0.003). Sleep pattern was also modified the night before the test ( Fig 1B ). Sleep onset the night before the test was similar between test shifts ( F (3,211) = 0.9, p = 0.7), and was delayed compared to regular nights an estimated 1.3 ± 0.1 h ( paired-samples t -test = -12.6, p < 0.001), with no difference between shifts ( F (3,211) = 0.5, p = 0.7). This delay in sleep onset emerged from a delay in the bedtime of 1.3 ± 0.1 h ( paired-samples t -test = -11.9, p < 0.001), similar between shifts ( F (3,211) = 0.6, p = 0.6), as no difference was observed in the sleep latency compared to regular days ( paired-samples t -test = -0.5, p = 0.6). Sleep end was dependent on the test start time ( F (3,211) = 39.0, p < 0.001; Fig 1B ): Sleep end was delayed as test start later with all Tukey post-hoc paired comparisons significant (all p < 0.035). Sleep end difference between regular nights and the night before the test varied with test shift ( F (3,211) = 18.2, p <0.001): Sleep end was advanced 1.6 ± 0.2 h when test started at 8:00 ( paired-samples t -test = 8.0, p < 0.001) and 1.1 ± 0.2 h when test started at 9:45 ( paired-samples t -test = 5.3, p < 0.001), while no difference was observed in the other two shifts.

The association between the correct answer rate with the sleep duration and the test shift was studied using a logit regression model. Regular sleep duration did not predict test performance ( z = -1.45, p = 0.15). However, an hour increase in sleep duration before the test was associated with a 3.8% increase in the odds ratio of correct answers ( z = 5.7, p < 0.001; Cragg-Uhler pseudo- R 2 = 0.12). When the test shift was added it resulted in a significant predictor and model fit increased (Cragg-Uhler pseudo- R 2 = 0.25). Paired comparisons using Tukey adjustment showed a significant increase in the odd of correct answers in 9:45 shift (19.9%, z = 4.1, p < 0.001), 11:30 shift (22.3%, z = 4.3, p = 0.001) and 13:15 shift (36.3%, z = 5.9, p < 0.001) compared to 8:00 shift. The predicted correct answer rate was 56.7% for an all-nighter who attended the first shift and 69.0% for a student who slept 8 h and attended the fourth shift. Mean number of hours spent studying before the test was 8.0 ± 5.0 h, with no difference between test shifts ( F (3, 248) = 2.25, p = 0.08). Number of hours spent studying did not correlate with sleep before the test ( r = -0.10, p = 0.3) nor with test performance ( r = 0.03, p = 0.6).

In this study, we present data to evaluate the influence of tests on freshman college students’ sleep behavior and the influence of sleep on their academic performance. Although these issues have been addressed in previous reports [ 23 , 24 , 31 , 32 ], this is the first study to explore how sleep patterns of the night before the test change when the test is taken at different times (survey #2). Overall (survey #1 and #2), most students delayed their bedtime the night before the test, reducing their sleep duration, and more than 10% did not even sleep at all the night before. Even when the test started as late as 13:15, the sleep duration of the night before was shorter than in regular nights, and 10% of the students stayed awake all night. In addition, sleep duration was positively correlated with the number of correct answers in the test, and therefore with school grades. When analyzing these effects across shifts (survey #2), we found that sleep duration and academic performance improved as test start times were delayed.

High rate of short regular sleep was found in both surveys, with more than 1/2 (survey #1) and almost 1/3 of students (survey #2) who reported sleep duration <7 h in average per night. The rate of students with short regular sleep was higher and mean sleep duration was shorter in students of School of Science (survey #1) than in students of the Psychology School (survey #2), probably because the former were younger than the latter [ 37 ]. Similar values of sleep deprivation were previously reported in Uruguayan university students [ 38 ], and this should be a matter of concern based on the multiple consequences of chronic inadequate sleep [ 14 – 17 ].

Taking the test had a strong influence in the night before sleep behavior of students, a pattern that has been previously described using both actigraphy data and questionnaires in young students [ 23 , 24 ]. As stated by Hartwig & Dunlosky [ 28 ], sleep reduction seems to be a consequence of giving up hours of sleep to obtain more study hours prior to the test. We confirmed this general pattern in the present study as students of both surveys delayed their time to go to bed the night before the test in about 1 h, regardless of test start times.

Several previous studies reported a positive association between regular sleep duration and grades [ 32 , 39 – 42 ], while others highlight the importance of regular sleep quality, rather than duration, on academic performance [ 39 , 40 , 43 , 44 ]. We observed an association of regular sleep duration and test performance only in survey #1, as the odds ratio of correct answers increased with sleep duration. Sleep duration on the night before the test did predict test performance in survey #2, and was a better predictor of performance in survey #1 compared to regular sleep. In Uruguay, grades use a non-linear scale from 0 to 12. The fair lowest passing grade is 3 and corresponds to 60% achievement, while 90% achievement corresponds to grade 10. This complexity of the Uruguayan grading system prevented us from using grades in regressions. However, in both surveys when predicted correct answer rate was converted to grades 8 h-sleepers obtained a passing grade while all-nighters did not. Scullin [ 45 ] found a similar result using actigraphy data and showing that long-sleep students outperform short-sleep students in tests scores. The difference between surveys in regression coefficients and explained deviance may be related with the different type of questions (true/false vs multiple choice) employed in both courses, as the probability of answering correctly at random is higher in true-false type questions.

School and test shifts, an obligated solution to the insufficient universities’ infrastructure to deal with the progressively increasing number of students in many countries [ 46 ], can also be seen as an opportunistic tool to deepen the study of the influence of test start time on sleep and performance [ 47 – 49 ]. In survey #2, we found that the sleep duration of the night before the test increased as test start time was delayed. A previous study in Brazilian undergraduate students attending school in different shifts found a similar pattern [ 13 ]: sleep duration was longer in students of the afternoon-shift with respect to morning-shift ones. We also found that students’ performance was significantly higher in later shifts with respect to early ones. The enhanced performance of late-shift students is more likely due to their longer sleep duration and not to the time spent studying the day before the test, which was not significantly different across shifts. In addition to longer sleep durations, chronotype-associated differences in performance may also contribute to the differences observed between shifts [ 50 , 51 ]. To address this issue in the future, we plan to add the assessment of Morningness-Eveningness in students of the Psychology School taking tests in different shifts.

Our study has several limitations. Self-report questionnaires may overestimate sleep duration compared to objective measures [ 52 ], and short sleep prevalence may be even higher than reported among Uruguayan college students. Although data were collected immediately after the test to prevent memory blurring, future studies should include more objective measures to confirm our results. A previous study using actigraphy data found a similar pattern of sleep reduction during exam period [ 45 ]. Sleep disturbance and reduced performance may be both associated with the high levels of anxiety prior to a test [ 53 ]. However, we did not observe an increase in sleep latency before the test, a measure that has been related to anxiety levels [ 14 , 54 ]. Nevertheless, the analysis of personality-linked variables could help to get a better understanding of the interaction between students’ sleep behavior and study practice before a test.

In this study, we show that many college students reported not getting enough sleep. In addition, we found that taking a test influences students’ sleep behavior, and that the sleep duration of the night before the test is associated with test performance. Given the relevance of adequate sleep, it appears as a cost-efficient way to improve student’s academic performance and well-being [ 21 , 55 ]. Although delaying school (and tests) start times has been related to longer sleep duration and better academic performance, it seems not enough. These evidence should inspire educational policies and promote an open communication of the impact of sleep on learning and of the consequences of reduced sleep duration.

Acknowledgments

We thank everyone who participated in this study. We thank Álvaro Cabana for his suggestions for analysis.

Funding Statement

IE was supported by a 2020-2023 Scholarship from Comisión Académica de Posgrado, Universidad de la República, Uruguay. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Data Availability

• PLoS One. 2021; 16(3): e0247104.

Decision Letter 0

27 Nov 2020

PONE-D-20-18113

Should I study or should I sleep?

Dear Dr. Estevan,

Thank you for submitting your manuscript to PLOS ONE. After careful consideration, we feel that it has merit but does not fully meet PLOS ONE’s publication criteria as it currently stands. Therefore, we invite you to submit a revised version of the manuscript that addresses the points raised during the review process. The reviewers has raised some concerns especially regarding the effect size and its significance which we wish to address in the revised version.

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Reviewer #1: This is an interesting study of university students and their sleep habits prior to a mid-term examination. the authors show that the sleep time the night before an exam is less than their habitual sleep and that grades correlated with the sleep time.

My main concern is that the size of the effect is small; in survey 1, 1 hour more sleep meant 5% increase in correct answers and in survey 1, 1 hour more sleep was only associated with 1.4% increase in correct answers. These numbers may not be significant to change the overall grade for the subject. Do the authors have data instead on whether more students failed if got less sleep? Or if the overall grade (ie, A to B, B to C) was effected because of less sleep?

Lines 185 and 186: not sure that 'short sleep ratio' is previously defined; would find different wording.

Reviewer #2: This is an important topic considered by the authors and studied in an ingenious manner i.e. in the group of students being offered exams in four different shifts. This allows the opportunity to test the effect of sleep duration and timing on outcomes of the test performance.

The manuscript is well written.

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Author response to Decision Letter 0

22 Dec 2020

Please ensure that your manuscript meets PLOS ONE's style requirements, including those for file naming.

The manuscript has been revised according to the journal style requirements.

Please consider changing the title so as to meet our title format requirement

We extended the title with a description of the aims of the study.

Please clarify (on line 228) whether you can conclude about students' lack of sleep or their reported lack of sleep.

Thank you for the observation. We modified the expression to better describe our findings (line 241).

Please provide additional details regarding participant consent. In the ethics statement in the Methods and online submission information, please ensure that you have specified whether consent was informed.

The use of informed consent was included in line 90.

We note that you have stated that you will provide repository information for your data at acceptance. Should your manuscript be accepted for publication, we will hold it until you provide the relevant accession numbers or DOIs necessary to access your data.

The information was included in the Cover Letter.

Reviewer #1

Thank you for this observation. We did again the analyses using logistic regressions to explain the correct answers rate. The results did not change, but these new analyses explain a greater proportion of the deviance, better modeling the association between sleep and performance (lines 124-131 and 168-177 in Results, table 1, and lines 208-211 in Discussion). The abstract was modified accordingly (lines 32-34).

In Uruguay, grades are given in figures on a scale from 0 to 12.The fair lowest passing grade is 3 and corresponds to 60% achievement, while 91% achievement corresponds to grade 10. This complexity of the Uruguayan grading system prevented us from including the grades. Instead, we estimated the correct answer rate for extreme sleep durations of 0h and 8h (lines 130-131 and 176-177). The smaller change in survey #2 is now discussed in lines 213-216.

The expression was replaced (lines 194-195).

Submitted filename: MS.v2-Responses.docx

Decision Letter 1

PONE-D-20-18113R1

Should I study or should I go (to sleep)? The influence of test schedule on the sleep behavior of undergraduates and its association with performance.

Thank you for submitting your manuscript to PLOS ONE. After careful consideration, we feel that it has merit but does not fully meet PLOS ONE’s publication criteria as it currently stands. Therefore, we invite you to submit a revised version of the manuscript that addresses the points raised during the review process. Please amend the discussion with needed explanations.

Please submit your revised manuscript by Feb 18 2021 11:59PM. If you will need more time than this to complete your revisions, please reply to this message or contact the journal office at gro.solp@enosolp . When you're ready to submit your revision, log on to https://www.editorialmanager.com/pone/ and select the 'Submissions Needing Revision' folder to locate your manuscript file.

1. If the authors have adequately addressed your comments raised in a previous round of review and you feel that this manuscript is now acceptable for publication, you may indicate that here to bypass the “Comments to the Author” section, enter your conflict of interest statement in the “Confidential to Editor” section, and submit your "Accept" recommendation.

Reviewer #1: All comments have been addressed

2. Is the manuscript technically sound, and do the data support the conclusions?

3. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously?

4. Have the authors made all data underlying the findings in their manuscript fully available?

5. Is the manuscript presented in an intelligible fashion and written in standard English?

6. Review Comments to the Author

Reviewer #1: The authors have better explained the grading system in Uruguay and why they cannot provide 'grades' per se. This explanation would also be helpful to other readers and therefore my final recommendation is that the sentences written to me about grading be added to the Discussion. I think important as clearly the predicted grades on line 131 represent 'failure' v. 'passing.'

7. PLOS authors have the option to publish the peer review history of their article ( what does this mean? ). If published, this will include your full peer review and any attached files.

Author response to Decision Letter 1

29 Jan 2021

As suggested, sentences describing the grading system in Uruguay were included in the discussion.

Submitted filename: MS.v3-Response to Reviewers.docx

Decision Letter 2

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Homework Struggles May Not Be a Behavior Problem

Exploring some options to understand and help..

Posted August 2, 2022 | Reviewed by Abigail Fagan

• What Is Anxiety?
• Take our Generalized Anxiety Disorder Test
• Find a therapist to overcome anxiety
• Mental health challenges and neurodevelopmental differences directly affect children's ability to do homework.
• Understanding what difficulties are getting in the way—beyond the usual explanation of a behavior problem—is key.
• Sleep and mental health needs can take priority over homework completion.

Chelsea was in 10th grade the first time I told her directly to stop doing her homework and get some sleep. I had been working with her since she was in middle school, treating her anxiety disorder. She deeply feared disappointing anyone—especially her teachers—and spent hours trying to finish homework perfectly. The more tired and anxious she got, the harder it got for her to finish the assignments.

One night Chelsea called me in despair, feeling hopeless. She was exhausted and couldn’t think straight. She felt like a failure and that she was a burden to everyone because she couldn’t finish her homework.

She was shocked when I told her that my prescription for her was to go to sleep now—not to figure out how to finish her work. I told her to leave her homework incomplete and go to sleep. We briefly discussed how we would figure it out the next day, with her mom and her teachers. At that moment, it clicked for her that it was futile to keep working—because nothing was getting done.

This was an inflection point for her awareness of when she was emotionally over-cooked and when she needed to stop and take a break or get some sleep. We repeated versions of this phone call several times over the course of her high school and college years, but she got much better at being able to do this for herself most of the time.

When Mental Health Symptoms Interfere with Homework

Kids with mental health or neurodevelopmental challenges often struggle mightily with homework. Challenges can come up in every step of the homework process, including, but not limited to:

• Remembering and tracking assignments and materials
• Getting the mental energy/organization to start homework
• Filtering distractions enough to persist with assignments
• Understanding unspoken or implied parts of the homework
• Remembering to bring finished homework to class
• Being in class long enough to know the material
• Tolerating the fear of not knowing or failing
• Not giving up the assignment because of a panic attack
• Tolerating frustration—such as not understanding—without emotional dysregulation
• Being able to ask for help—from a peer or a teacher and not being afraid to reach out

This list is hardly comprehensive. ADHD , autism spectrum disorder, social anxiety , generalized anxiety, panic disorder, depression , dysregulation, and a range of other neurodevelopmental and mental health challenges cause numerous learning differences and symptoms that can specifically and frequently interfere with getting homework done.

The Usual Diagnosis for Homework Problems is "Not Trying Hard Enough"

Unfortunately, when kids frequently struggle to meet homework demands, teachers and parents typically default to one explanation of the problem: The child is making a choice not to do their homework. That is the default “diagnosis” in classrooms and living rooms. And once this framework is drawn, the student is often seen as not trying hard enough, disrespectful, manipulative, or just plain lazy.

The fundamental disconnect here is that the diagnosis of homework struggles as a behavioral choice is, in fact, only one explanation, while there are so many other diagnoses and differences that impair children's ability to consistently do their homework. If we are trying to create solutions based on only one understanding of the problem, the solutions will not work. More devastatingly, the wrong solutions can worsen the child’s mental health and their long-term engagement with school and learning.

To be clear, we aren’t talking about children who sometimes struggle with or skip homework—kids who can change and adapt their behaviors and patterns in response to the outcomes of that struggle. For this discussion, we are talking about children with mental health and/or neurodevelopmental symptoms and challenges that create chronic difficulties with meeting homework demands.

How Can You Help a Child Who Struggles with Homework?

How can you help your child who is struggling to meet homework demands because of their ADHD, depression, anxiety, OCD , school avoidance, or any other neurodevelopmental or mental health differences? Let’s break this down into two broad areas—things you can do at home, and things you can do in communication with the school.

Helping at Home

The following suggestions for managing school demands at home can feel counterintuitive to parents—because we usually focus on helping our kids to complete their tasks. But mental health needs jump the line ahead of task completion. And starting at home will be key to developing an idea of what needs to change at school.

• Set an end time in the evening after which no more homework will be attempted. Kids need time to decompress and they need sleep—and pushing homework too close to or past bedtime doesn’t serve their educational needs. Even if your child hasn’t been able to approach the homework at all, even if they have avoided and argued the whole evening, it is still important for everyone to have a predictable time to shut down the whole process.
• If there are arguments almost every night about homework, if your child isn’t starting homework or finishing it, reframe it from failure into information. It’s data to put into problem-solving. We need to consider other possible explanations besides “behavioral choice” when trying to understand the problem and create effective solutions. What problems are getting in the way of our child’s meeting homework demands that their peers are meeting most of the time?
• Try not to argue about homework. If you can check your own anxiety and frustration, it can be more productive to ally with your child and be curious with them. Kids usually can’t tell you a clear “why” but maybe they can tell you how they are feeling and what they are thinking. And if your child can’t talk about it or just keeps saying “I don't know,” try not to push. Come back another time. Rushing, forcing, yelling, and threatening will predictably not help kids do homework.

Helping at School

The second area to explore when your neurodiverse child struggles frequently with homework is building communication and connections with school and teachers. Some places to focus on include the following.

• Label your child’s diagnoses and break down specific symptoms for the teachers and school team. Nonjudgmental, but specific language is essential for teachers to understand your child’s struggles. Breaking their challenges down into the problems specific to homework can help with building solutions. As your child gets older, help them identify their difficulties and communicate them to teachers.
• Let teachers and the school team know that your child’s mental health needs—including sleep—take priority over finishing homework. If your child is always struggling to complete homework and get enough sleep, or if completing homework is leading to emotional meltdowns every night, adjusting their homework demands will be more successful than continuing to push them into sleep deprivation or meltdowns.
• Request a child study team evaluation to determine if your child qualifies for services under special education law such as an IEP, or accommodations through section 504—and be sure that homework adjustments are included in any plan. Or if such a plan is already in place, be clear that modification of homework expectations needs to be part of it.

The Long-Term Story

I still work with Chelsea and she recently mentioned how those conversations so many years ago are still part of how she approaches work tasks or other demands that are spiking her anxiety when she finds herself in a vortex of distress. She stops what she is doing and prioritizes reducing her anxiety—whether it’s a break during her day or an ending to the task for the evening. She sees that this is crucial to managing her anxiety in her life and still succeeding at what she is doing.

Task completion at all costs is not a solution for kids with emotional needs. Her story (and the story of many of my patients) make this crystal clear.

Candida Fink, M.D. , is board certified in child/adolescent and general psychiatry. She practices in New York and has co-authored two books— The Ups and Downs of Raising a Bipolar Child and Bipolar Disorder for Dummies.

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Don’t Study in Bed

November 8, 2017 by Carolina Pinto

Graphic by Nate Barton

It’s very important that students find a good place where they can study and be productive. Some people like the library, others like their rooms. However, research has found that studying in bed can be unhealthy.

Some of the reasons why studying or getting work done in bed could be disadvantageous for college students include: focus limitation, decreased productivity and sleep issues, according to Brian Robben’s article “ Never Do Homework In Bed: 3 Reasons Why, ” published Oct. 1, 2016 by American College of Healthcare Sciences.

Working or doing homework in bed will reduce one’s focus because most people tend to associate their beds with comfort and sleep. Doing such activities in bed can lead to a deviation of the brain to become more lazy and possibly fall asleep. “The comfort of warm covers, soft pillows, and putting off responsibility by pressing ‘Snooze’ are highly persuasive on their own, but even more so when compared to focusing on your homework,” according to Robben’s article.

Avoiding studying in bed could lead to a better and more profound sleep. “Keeping computers, TVs, and work materials out of the room will strengthen the mental association between your bedroom and sleep,” according to the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School’s article “ Twelve Simple Tips to Improve Your Sleep, ” published Dec. 18, 2007.

Studying in bed can be detrimental to one’s productivity, because it is not efficient to have paperwork and books on a surface that is not flat and solid. Furthermore, studying in bed does not allow the proper blood flow to the brain, which “sends fresh blood and oxygen to the brain, [promoting] optimal brain function,” according to Robben’s article.

Sitting in bed to do schoolwork can be very harmful to one’s health, especially posture. “Slouching can be bad for your back, due to lack of lumbar support. A neck bent too sharply can also negatively affect your posture and cause pain,” according to Hilary Lebow’s article “ 5 Reasons To Get Your Desk Out Of Your Bedroom, ” published Aug. 5, 2016, by Alternative Daily.

For more focus, productivity and sleep, it is crucial that college students are aware of the disadvantages of studying in bed. Instead, students should find a desk, go to the library, or a classroom. This will allow students to sit up straight and have their thoughts organized, as they are not in the comfort of their beds.

_________________

Follow Carolina Pinto on Twitter: @caroli_mmp

The Science Behind Why We Should Never Work From Bed

Head of Communications & Content @ Buffer

There is a lot of imagery that comes to mind when someone says “working from home.” A quick Google Search yields results that are anything from someone working on the floor surrounded by pets, to people holding babies during calls, to someone working in pajamas.

Source: Ray Wenderlich

A lot of these things (the pajamas and family at least) are things you can’t always do at a regular office. Sometimes the pets as well, but I know plenty of offices that are becoming dog-friendly recently.

What these images represent isn’t that working from home is like working from a comfortable zoo (although sometimes it is) it means that when people think of remote work they tend to associate it with freedom. The freedom to wear what you want to work, the freedom to spend more time with family, and the freedom to have a zoo at home if that’s your cup of tea.

In a lot of ways, I do think that remote work does allow a lot more freedom than a traditional office. But from another perspective, to work smarter and healthier, it helps to adopt a level of self-control and a set of boundaries when working remotely. This is especially important if you’re working from your own home, versus a coworking space or cafe where you might still have some work and home separation.

Working from your own home means it would be effortless to spend all day in bed (often the comfiest place in the house.) According to one study, that’s precisely what some people do. This study found that 80% of young professional admit to working from bed. Who can blame them, right?

Well, while I agree that beds are the best, working from bed is something I’ve actively avoided throughout my career. When I started working 100% remotely at Buffer, I set the rule for myself that I would never work from bed. In this post, I want to go over the three reasons why let’s dive in!

Photo by Annie Spratt

Three Reasons I Never Work From Bed

1. the bedroom isn’t as relaxing.

There is something about having separate spaces in your home. It’s nice to eat in a place where you don’t relax and sleep in an area that you don’t work. These mental associations can be complicated to maintain, though.

At one point I was living and working from a bachelor apartment. I still managed to create different spaces for eating, working, and sleeping, even though it would have been a lot easier just to work and eat from my bed.

The Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard backs up the idea that work shouldn’t happen where you sleep, too. They say , “Keeping computers, TVs, and work materials out of the room will strengthen the mental association between your bedroom and sleep.”

Meaning that if you’re working from bed, it can become more difficult to fall asleep since your brain will think you’re in a place of work.

2. Separation Between Work and Home

Unless you leave home to go to a coffee shop or coworking space, working from home can mean it’s tough to separate work from your regular life because you both relax and work in the same place. It’s easy to start mixing the two, but it’s best not to.

According to the Harvard Business Review’s Guide to Being more Productive, they mention : “Unless you are careful to maintain boundaries, you may start to feel like you’re always at work and losing a place to come home to.”

Being “always at work” doesn’t sound like anyone’s idea of a balanced lifestyle. This is another reason to stay out of bed while working, but also have a space dedicated to work and another dedicated to relaxing.

3. Quality of Sleep will Decrease

If I’m working from bed, it would mean bringing a laptop, or sometimes my cell phone, into bed, and I’m sure the same is true for many others. This can be bad for a person’s quality of sleep, though.

Working right before going to sleep, and looking at a bright screen, reduces the melatonin you need to fall asleep. This means it will be more challenging to get a better quality of sleep, which will affect your productivity the next day. Not only does this not sound relaxing at all, but it seems like something that affects both your work and your relaxation, a lose-lose situation.

Photo by Lauren Mancke

What To Do Instead of Work From Bed

Just like there are plenty of reasons not to work from bed, there are also plenty of things we can all do to avoid working from bed, get a better night’s sleep, feel comfortable in our own homes, and be more productive the next day. Here are the main two:

• Keep your devices far away from your bed

Creating that space for your bed and bedroom to be primarily for sleep goes a long way. This means not bringing devices into bed so that you can’t work there. Not only will this help you sleep better, but it’ll also help create that divide between home and work, so it doesn’t feel like you’re always working.

• Create a separate space for work

Since work shouldn’t happen in bed, it should have its own space. A space for work might be a specific table or an area of your home. If that’s tough for you, maybe you can check out a local coffee shop or coworking space to try and create that divide.

More Remote Work Tips

This post was put together in association with Trello’s Guide: How To Embrace Remote Work . Give it a read if you can’t get enough remote work strategies like this one.

Over To You

Getting a good night’s sleep means being more productive and alert the next day, which helps us all do our best work. Plus, for people who want to work remotely from home long term, it’s essential to maintain that physical and mental break between work and rest.

I’d love to hear your take on this! Have you ever worked from bed? Which space do you most enjoy working from in your home?

Cover photo by Mia Baker

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If You Absolutely Must Work From Your Bed, Posture Pros Say This Is a Must-Read

While any chiropractor, physical therapist, or posture specialist will tell you that working from bed is  not a good idea (in fact, they rank it as one of the worst possible places you can park yourself for hours on end), it's pretty hard to resist the allure of spending your day lounging on top of a plush pillow top. Plus, for anyone without a dedicated workspace, it may be the only option.

• Kelli Pearson, DC , Spokane, WA-based chiropractic physician and author of Eight Minutes to Ageless
• Tami Bulmash , Tami Bulmash is a posture pro who specializes in the Alexander Technique, a process that helps to retrain habitual patterns of movement and posture.

Before you take your next Zoom meeting snuggled up with your duvet, there are a few things pros want you to know about why you should maybe think twice about doing it.  “When you're working from the bed, it doesn't offer the same kind of support that a harder surface, like a wooden chair, would offer, so you sink into it,” says  Tami Bulmash , a posture pro. “The further you sink into the softer surface, the less feedback you have about how you're managing your body.” This feedback, she explains, gives you the tools you need to understand what your spine is doing, so you can tell when you start to slouch, tense up, or curve forward. Because of this, you’re more likely to feel aches and pains from spending time sitting on a mattress—meaning that the comfort it offers in the short term tends to be misleading.

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But if you, like me, are strictly #teambed (despite what literally every expert says), there are a few things you can do to make your go-to workspace slightly kinder on your body.

1. Firm up your mattress

When it comes to working from a mattress, the general rule is “the firmer, the better,” since softer surfaces offer less support. If you don’t want to swap out your pillow top for something more solid, Bulmash suggests putting a piece of plywood on top (which is uncomfortable, but effective). “If you can create a flatter, harder surface, then that would at least be giving your body more feedback and more support,” she explains.

2. Adjust your sitting position

While leaning up against your throw pillows may be comfortable, it's certainly not the best position for your body in the longterm. "If you can sit criss-cross applesauce, place a small pillow below your low back and snuggle up against the backboard," says Kelli Pearson, DC, a chiropractic physician. "When we sit, we should be able to keep a mild forward curve in the lowest part of the lumbar spine, and when we sit with our legs straight out in front of us in bed, that healthy curve is completely removed, putting the discs at great risk for being irritated."

Crossing your legs and giving your back some support will help mitigate the problem. If that's not an option, you can keep your legs straight, but place a small pillow under your knees to take some of the slack out of your hamstrings. You can also try lying on your stomach with your laptop out in front of you, which can offer your spine some relief.

3. Pile on the pillows

In addition to firming up what's  under your body (by way of your mattress), you'll also want to give yourself enough back support. Be sure to place some steady pillows—or even a partner-style pillow —behind your back so that you have something solid to lean on.

4. Get up and move around

It’s never a good idea to stay seated for hours on end, and if you’re working from your bed it’s extra important to get up and move around every 30 minutes. Aside from taking a walk around the block (or at the very least, the house), Bulmash also recommends spending 15 to 20 minutes a day lying flat on the floor with a book under your head to allow your spine to reset, and counteract some of the negative effects your bed working has had on your posture. You can also break to sit on a stool or coffee table (or any other surface that doesn’t have back support) to work your core strength.

5. Invest in a bed desk

The worst possible way to sit, according to Bulmash, is with your body in a C-shape rounded over your laptop. To combat this, try bringing a bed desk— like this one, which you can get on Amazon —into the mix, which will allow you to raise your computer to eye level and cross your legs underneath it so that your back is straight.

Need a little extra stretch after all those hours in bed? Follow along with the video below. 

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How should you study in bed- 4 Tips that can work

Are you getting bored or feeling sleepy or tired while studying in bed?

If yes and still want to study in bed without facing these problems then make sure you read this article till the end.

Because in this article, I have 4 simple tips and some guides that will make your study easy in bed and you’ll have a better focus while studying in bed.

Is it good to study in bed?

If you think, Is it good to study in bed? Or, Is it healthy to study in bed? then let me first answers your questions.

Well, many blogs or people will recommend you to don’t study in bed and use a study table and chair instead. Somewhere they are right also.

Because some research has found that studying in bed can be unhealthy. Working or doing homework in bed  will reduce one’s focus because most people tend to associate their beds with comfort and sleep.

You must have also realized that studying in bed can make you feel sleepy and lazy and you may want to leave your study.

Well whatever it is you, now you better know what you should do.

Read also: 17+ Useful things that every college student can use

So regardless of the reasons why you want to study in bed, let’s dive into the tips and guides that will surely help you to study in bed in the right way .

The first two tips will be helpful to make a good position and body posture, and it will also give you a healthy way to study in bed. And the last two tips can make your study effectively without getting bored and feeling sleepy in bed.

1: Don’t study while lying

Your position and body posture really matters when you study in bed. And, I will never recommend you to study while lying in bed because when you study like this you must feel sleepy or tired.

So instead of studying like this, use a study desk for your bed or a book stand that will give you a perfect body posture. And if you can afford more then also use a reading pillow that will keep you away from back or neck pain.

Here are the best things that I’m talking about:

• Study Table for study in bed

• A Bookstand for reading in bed

Read also: 19 Books for College Students that they must read!

• A reading pillow for a better position in the bed

These all things are necessary to sit and study comfortably in bed or we can say to turn your bed into a perfect study place.

Read also: Dorm Kitchen Essentials You Must Have

2: Light for Study

As your position matters while studying in bed similarly light also matters for study. Good light for study not only can reduce your eye strain even it can improve your mood to study.

Read here : How to choose the best lighting for the study desk?

Brief guide: If you study in the daytime then daylight is best for your study. And when you study at night or in a dark room then general lighting (ambient lighting) can provide smooth and radiant illumination to your study area. This type of lighting enhances your sense of well-being, which can increase your productivity and reduce your stress.

Never study in dim light; It can affect your eyes and make you feel sleepy while studying.

You can also use a desk lamp, table lamp, or floor lamp for a better study in bed but make sure, to place the desk lamp on the opposite side of your dominant hand so the light sweeps across the study area without creating shadows.

3: Make your study Interesting

Have you ever tried to make your study interesting?

When you make your study interesting then not only you can retain your focus while studying even you won’t get bored too while studying in bed.

But, how can you make your study interesting while studying in bed?

Well, here I have two tips that you can try while studying:

1: Study with music

Studying with music in bed not only can make your study fun but even give you better concentration.

It’s a scientifically proven fact studying while playing music improves your concentration but the condition is that music (not song) should be different from your genre and have a repetitive pulse.

So while studying in bed, try to listen to music and keep some snacks close to you.

2: Study with flashcards or color-coded notes

To make your study interesting (not bored) in bed, make flashcards or color-coded notes. These two are the best ways to study and learn something quickly and not forget it easily . And when you’ll make flashcards by yourself it will also improve your creativity.

So must try these study techniques when you study in bed.

4: Take breaks

Studying continuously in bed or sitting with one subject is not too good and you can’t stay focused . And that’s why you want to procrastinate your study.

So never study continuously for long hours in bed. And mix up your studies with different subjects.

Try to study in bed for short durations and every half-one hour, take breaks for 10-15 minutes. And don’t use your phone while studying (use in breaks). After a break takes other subjects to enjoy your study.

It’s very important to take breaks with one subject while studying in bed to refresh your mind.

My views and points:

Studying in bed is a challenging thing but possible with proper guidance. And if you have a study desk, bookstand, and a reading pillow then you must be able to study in bed.

I hope you enjoyed my tips and guides on how to study in bed.

Now I want to hear from you:

How did you find this article and are you gonna try all tips from now on?

Tell me in the comment, I am curious.

2 thoughts on “How should you study in bed- 4 Tips that can work”

Thank you so much for answering some of our questions! My mom always told me studying in bed is bad, and I have this to prove it to her.

the data you have provided is productive. it can enhance the study way

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How to Do Homework: 15 Expert Tips and Tricks

Coursework/GPA

Everyone struggles with homework sometimes, but if getting your homework done has become a chronic issue for you, then you may need a little extra help. That’s why we’ve written this article all about how to do homework. Once you’re finished reading it, you’ll know how to do homework (and have tons of new ways to motivate yourself to do homework)!

We’ve broken this article down into a few major sections. You’ll find:

• A diagnostic test to help you figure out why you’re struggling with homework
• A discussion of the four major homework problems students face, along with expert tips for addressing them
• A bonus section with tips for how to do homework fast

By the end of this article, you’ll be prepared to tackle whatever homework assignments your teachers throw at you .

So let’s get started!

How to Do Homework: Figure Out Your Struggles 

Sometimes it feels like everything is standing between you and getting your homework done. But the truth is, most people only have one or two major roadblocks that are keeping them from getting their homework done well and on time. 

The best way to figure out how to get motivated to do homework starts with pinpointing the issues that are affecting your ability to get your assignments done. That’s why we’ve developed a short quiz to help you identify the areas where you’re struggling. 

Take the quiz below and record your answers on your phone or on a scrap piece of paper. Keep in mind there are no wrong answers! 

1. You’ve just been assigned an essay in your English class that’s due at the end of the week. What’s the first thing you do?

A. Keep it in mind, even though you won’t start it until the day before it’s due  B. Open up your planner. You’ve got to figure out when you’ll write your paper since you have band practice, a speech tournament, and your little sister’s dance recital this week, too.  C. Groan out loud. Another essay? You could barely get yourself to write the last one!  D. Start thinking about your essay topic, which makes you think about your art project that’s due the same day, which reminds you that your favorite artist might have just posted to Instagram...so you better check your feed right now. 

2. Your mom asked you to pick up your room before she gets home from work. You’ve just gotten home from school. You decide you’ll tackle your chores: 

A. Five minutes before your mom walks through the front door. As long as it gets done, who cares when you start?  B. As soon as you get home from your shift at the local grocery store.  C. After you give yourself a 15-minute pep talk about how you need to get to work.  D. You won’t get it done. Between texts from your friends, trying to watch your favorite Netflix show, and playing with your dog, you just lost track of time! 

3. You’ve signed up to wash dogs at the Humane Society to help earn money for your senior class trip. You: 

A. Show up ten minutes late. You put off leaving your house until the last minute, then got stuck in unexpected traffic on the way to the shelter.  B. Have to call and cancel at the last minute. You forgot you’d already agreed to babysit your cousin and bake cupcakes for tomorrow’s bake sale.  C. Actually arrive fifteen minutes early with extra brushes and bandanas you picked up at the store. You’re passionate about animals, so you’re excited to help out! D. Show up on time, but only get three dogs washed. You couldn’t help it: you just kept getting distracted by how cute they were!

4. You have an hour of downtime, so you decide you’re going to watch an episode of The Great British Baking Show. You: 

A. Scroll through your social media feeds for twenty minutes before hitting play, which means you’re not able to finish the whole episode. Ugh! You really wanted to see who was sent home!  B. Watch fifteen minutes until you remember you’re supposed to pick up your sister from band practice before heading to your part-time job. No GBBO for you!  C. You finish one episode, then decide to watch another even though you’ve got SAT studying to do. It’s just more fun to watch people make scones.  D. Start the episode, but only catch bits and pieces of it because you’re reading Twitter, cleaning out your backpack, and eating a snack at the same time.

5. Your teacher asks you to stay after class because you’ve missed turning in two homework assignments in a row. When she asks you what’s wrong, you say: 

A. You planned to do your assignments during lunch, but you ran out of time. You decided it would be better to turn in nothing at all than submit unfinished work.  B. You really wanted to get the assignments done, but between your extracurriculars, family commitments, and your part-time job, your homework fell through the cracks.  C. You have a hard time psyching yourself to tackle the assignments. You just can’t seem to find the motivation to work on them once you get home.  D. You tried to do them, but you had a hard time focusing. By the time you realized you hadn’t gotten anything done, it was already time to turn them in. 

Like we said earlier, there are no right or wrong answers to this quiz (though your results will be better if you answered as honestly as possible). Here’s how your answers break down: 

• If your answers were mostly As, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is procrastination. 
• If your answers were mostly Bs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is time management. 
• If your answers were mostly Cs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is motivation. 
• If your answers were mostly Ds, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is getting distracted. 

Now that you’ve identified why you’re having a hard time getting your homework done, we can help you figure out how to fix it! Scroll down to find your core problem area to learn more about how you can start to address it. 

And one more thing: you’re really struggling with homework, it’s a good idea to read through every section below. You may find some additional tips that will help make homework less intimidating. 

How to Do Homework When You’re a Procrastinator  

Merriam Webster defines “procrastinate” as “to put off intentionally and habitually.” In other words, procrastination is when you choose to do something at the last minute on a regular basis. If you’ve ever found yourself pulling an all-nighter, trying to finish an assignment between periods, or sprinting to turn in a paper minutes before a deadline, you’ve experienced the effects of procrastination. 

If you’re a chronic procrastinator, you’re in good company. In fact, one study found that 70% to 95% of undergraduate students procrastinate when it comes to doing their homework. Unfortunately, procrastination can negatively impact your grades. Researchers have found that procrastination can lower your grade on an assignment by as much as five points ...which might not sound serious until you realize that can mean the difference between a B- and a C+. 

Procrastination can also negatively affect your health by increasing your stress levels , which can lead to other health conditions like insomnia, a weakened immune system, and even heart conditions. Getting a handle on procrastination can not only improve your grades, it can make you feel better, too! 

The big thing to understand about procrastination is that it’s not the result of laziness. Laziness is defined as being “disinclined to activity or exertion.” In other words, being lazy is all about doing nothing. But a s this Psychology Today article explains , procrastinators don’t put things off because they don’t want to work. Instead, procrastinators tend to postpone tasks they don’t want to do in favor of tasks that they perceive as either more important or more fun. Put another way, procrastinators want to do things...as long as it’s not their homework! 

3 Tips f or Conquering Procrastination 

Because putting off doing homework is a common problem, there are lots of good tactics for addressing procrastination. Keep reading for our three expert tips that will get your homework habits back on track in no time. 

#1: Create a Reward System

Like we mentioned earlier, procrastination happens when you prioritize other activities over getting your homework done. Many times, this happens because homework...well, just isn’t enjoyable. But you can add some fun back into the process by rewarding yourself for getting your work done. 

Here’s what we mean: let’s say you decide that every time you get your homework done before the day it’s due, you’ll give yourself a point. For every five points you earn, you’ll treat yourself to your favorite dessert: a chocolate cupcake! Now you have an extra (delicious!) incentive to motivate you to leave procrastination in the dust. 

If you’re not into cupcakes, don’t worry. Your reward can be anything that motivates you . Maybe it’s hanging out with your best friend or an extra ten minutes of video game time. As long as you’re choosing something that makes homework worth doing, you’ll be successful. 

#2: Have a Homework Accountability Partner 

If you’re having trouble getting yourself to start your homework ahead of time, it may be a good idea to call in reinforcements . Find a friend or classmate you can trust and explain to them that you’re trying to change your homework habits. Ask them if they’d be willing to text you to make sure you’re doing your homework and check in with you once a week to see if you’re meeting your anti-procrastination goals. 

Sharing your goals can make them feel more real, and an accountability partner can help hold you responsible for your decisions. For example, let’s say you’re tempted to put off your science lab write-up until the morning before it’s due. But you know that your accountability partner is going to text you about it tomorrow...and you don’t want to fess up that you haven’t started your assignment. A homework accountability partner can give you the extra support and incentive you need to keep your homework habits on track. 

#3: Create Your Own Due Dates 

If you’re a life-long procrastinator, you might find that changing the habit is harder than you expected. In that case, you might try using procrastination to your advantage! If you just can’t seem to stop doing your work at the last minute, try setting your own due dates for assignments that range from a day to a week before the assignment is actually due. 

Here’s what we mean. Let’s say you have a math worksheet that’s been assigned on Tuesday and is due on Friday. In your planner, you can write down the due date as Thursday instead. You may still put off your homework assignment until the last minute...but in this case, the “last minute” is a day before the assignment’s real due date . This little hack can trick your procrastination-addicted brain into planning ahead! 

If you feel like Kevin Hart in this meme, then our tips for doing homework when you're busy are for you. 

How to Do Homework When You’re too Busy

If you’re aiming to go to a top-tier college , you’re going to have a full plate. Because college admissions is getting more competitive, it’s important that you’re maintaining your grades , studying hard for your standardized tests , and participating in extracurriculars so your application stands out. A packed schedule can get even more hectic once you add family obligations or a part-time job to the mix. 

If you feel like you’re being pulled in a million directions at once, you’re not alone. Recent research has found that stress—and more severe stress-related conditions like anxiety and depression— are a major problem for high school students . In fact, one study from the American Psychological Association found that during the school year, students’ stress levels are higher than those of the adults around them. 

For students, homework is a major contributor to their overall stress levels . Many high schoolers have multiple hours of homework every night , and figuring out how to fit it into an already-packed schedule can seem impossible. 

3 Tips for Fitting Homework Into Your Busy Schedule

While it might feel like you have literally no time left in your schedule, there are still ways to make sure you’re able to get your homework done and meet your other commitments. Here are our expert homework tips for even the busiest of students. 

#1: Make a Prioritized To-Do List 

You probably already have a to-do list to keep yourself on track. The next step is to prioritize the items on your to-do list so you can see what items need your attention right away. 

Here’s how it works: at the beginning of each day, sit down and make a list of all the items you need to get done before you go to bed. This includes your homework, but it should also take into account any practices, chores, events, or job shifts you may have. Once you get everything listed out, it’s time to prioritize them using the labels A, B, and C. Here’s what those labels mean:

• A Tasks : tasks that have to get done—like showing up at work or turning in an assignment—get an A. 
• B Tasks : these are tasks that you would like to get done by the end of the day but aren’t as time sensitive. For example, studying for a test you have next week could be a B-level task. It’s still important, but it doesn’t have to be done right away.
• C Tasks: these are tasks that aren’t very important and/or have no real consequences if you don’t get them done immediately. For instance, if you’re hoping to clean out your closet but it’s not an assigned chore from your parents, you could label that to-do item with a C.

Prioritizing your to-do list helps you visualize which items need your immediate attention, and which items you can leave for later. A prioritized to-do list ensures that you’re spending your time efficiently and effectively, which helps you make room in your schedule for homework. So even though you might really want to start making decorations for Homecoming (a B task), you’ll know that finishing your reading log (an A task) is more important. 

#2: Use a Planner With Time Labels

Your planner is probably packed with notes, events, and assignments already. (And if you’re not using a planner, it’s time to start!) But planners can do more for you than just remind you when an assignment is due. If you’re using a planner with time labels, it can help you visualize how you need to spend your day.

A planner with time labels breaks your day down into chunks, and you assign tasks to each chunk of time. For example, you can make a note of your class schedule with assignments, block out time to study, and make sure you know when you need to be at practice. Once you know which tasks take priority, you can add them to any empty spaces in your day. 

Planning out how you spend your time not only helps you use it wisely, it can help you feel less overwhelmed, too . We’re big fans of planners that include a task list ( like this one ) or have room for notes ( like this one ). 

#3: Set Reminders on Your Phone 

If you need a little extra nudge to make sure you’re getting your homework done on time, it’s a good idea to set some reminders on your phone. You don’t need a fancy app, either. You can use your alarm app to have it go off at specific times throughout the day to remind you to do your homework. This works especially well if you have a set homework time scheduled. So if you’ve decided you’re doing homework at 6:00 pm, you can set an alarm to remind you to bust out your books and get to work. 

If you use your phone as your planner, you may have the option to add alerts, emails, or notifications to scheduled events . Many calendar apps, including the one that comes with your phone, have built-in reminders that you can customize to meet your needs. So if you block off time to do your homework from 4:30 to 6:00 pm, you can set a reminder that will pop up on your phone when it’s time to get started. 

This dog isn't judging your lack of motivation...but your teacher might. Keep reading for tips to help you motivate yourself to do your homework.

How to Do Homework When You’re Unmotivated 

At first glance, it may seem like procrastination and being unmotivated are the same thing. After all, both of these issues usually result in you putting off your homework until the very last minute. 

But there’s one key difference: many procrastinators are working, they’re just prioritizing work differently. They know they’re going to start their homework...they’re just going to do it later. 

Conversely, people who are unmotivated to do homework just can’t find the willpower to tackle their assignments. Procrastinators know they’ll at least attempt the homework at the last minute, whereas people who are unmotivated struggle with convincing themselves to do it at a ll. For procrastinators, the stress comes from the inevitable time crunch. For unmotivated people, the stress comes from trying to convince themselves to do something they don’t want to do in the first place. 

Here are some common reasons students are unmotivated in doing homework : 

• Assignments are too easy, too hard, or seemingly pointless 
• Students aren’t interested in (or passionate about) the subject matter
• Students are intimidated by the work and/or feels like they don’t understand the assignment 
• Homework isn’t fun, and students would rather spend their time on things that they enjoy 

To sum it up: people who lack motivation to do their homework are more likely to not do it at all, or to spend more time worrying about doing their homework than...well, actually doing it.

3 Tips for How to Get Motivated to Do Homework

The key to getting homework done when you’re unmotivated is to figure out what does motivate you, then apply those things to homework. It sounds tricky...but it’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it! Here are our three expert tips for motivating yourself to do your homework. 

#1: Use Incremental Incentives

When you’re not motivated, it’s important to give yourself small rewards to stay focused on finishing the task at hand. The trick is to keep the incentives small and to reward yourself often. For example, maybe you’re reading a good book in your free time. For every ten minutes you spend on your homework, you get to read five pages of your book. Like we mentioned earlier, make sure you’re choosing a reward that works for you! 

So why does this technique work? Using small rewards more often allows you to experience small wins for getting your work done. Every time you make it to one of your tiny reward points, you get to celebrate your success, which gives your brain a boost of dopamine . Dopamine helps you stay motivated and also creates a feeling of satisfaction when you complete your homework !  

#2: Form a Homework Group 

If you’re having trouble motivating yourself, it’s okay to turn to others for support. Creating a homework group can help with this. Bring together a group of your friends or classmates, and pick one time a week where you meet and work on homework together. You don’t have to be in the same class, or even taking the same subjects— the goal is to encourage one another to start (and finish!) your assignments. 

Another added benefit of a homework group is that you can help one another if you’re struggling to understand the material covered in your classes. This is especially helpful if your lack of motivation comes from being intimidated by your assignments. Asking your friends for help may feel less scary than talking to your teacher...and once you get a handle on the material, your homework may become less frightening, too. 

#3: Change Up Your Environment 

If you find that you’re totally unmotivated, it may help if you find a new place to do your homework. For example, if you’ve been struggling to get your homework done at home, try spending an extra hour in the library after school instead. The change of scenery can limit your distractions and give you the energy you need to get your work done. 

If you’re stuck doing homework at home, you can still use this tip. For instance, maybe you’ve always done your homework sitting on your bed. Try relocating somewhere else, like your kitchen table, for a few weeks. You may find that setting up a new “homework spot” in your house gives you a motivational lift and helps you get your work done. 

Social media can be a huge problem when it comes to doing homework. We have advice for helping you unplug and regain focus.

How to Do Homework When You’re Easily Distracted

We live in an always-on world, and there are tons of things clamoring for our attention. From friends and family to pop culture and social media, it seems like there’s always something (or someone!) distracting us from the things we need to do.

The 24/7 world we live in has affected our ability to focus on tasks for prolonged periods of time. Research has shown that over the past decade, an average person’s attention span has gone from 12 seconds to eight seconds . And when we do lose focus, i t takes people a long time to get back on task . One study found that it can take as long as 23 minutes to get back to work once we’ve been distracte d. No wonder it can take hours to get your homework done! 

3 Tips to Improve Your Focus

If you have a hard time focusing when you’re doing your homework, it’s a good idea to try and eliminate as many distractions as possible. Here are three expert tips for blocking out the noise so you can focus on getting your homework done. 

#1: Create a Distraction-Free Environment

Pick a place where you’ll do your homework every day, and make it as distraction-free as possible. Try to find a location where there won’t be tons of noise, and limit your access to screens while you’re doing your homework. Put together a focus-oriented playlist (or choose one on your favorite streaming service), and put your headphones on while you work. 

You may find that other people, like your friends and family, are your biggest distraction. If that’s the case, try setting up some homework boundaries. Let them know when you’ll be working on homework every day, and ask them if they’ll help you keep a quiet environment. They’ll be happy to lend a hand! 

#2: Limit Your Access to Technology 

We know, we know...this tip isn’t fun, but it does work. For homework that doesn’t require a computer, like handouts or worksheets, it’s best to put all your technology away . Turn off your television, put your phone and laptop in your backpack, and silence notifications on any wearable tech you may be sporting. If you listen to music while you work, that’s fine...but make sure you have a playlist set up so you’re not shuffling through songs once you get started on your homework. 

If your homework requires your laptop or tablet, it can be harder to limit your access to distractions. But it’s not impossible! T here are apps you can download that will block certain websites while you’re working so that you’re not tempted to scroll through Twitter or check your Facebook feed. Silence notifications and text messages on your computer, and don’t open your email account unless you absolutely have to. And if you don’t need access to the internet to complete your assignments, turn off your WiFi. Cutting out the online chatter is a great way to make sure you’re getting your homework done. 

#3: Set a Timer (the Pomodoro Technique)

Have you ever heard of the Pomodoro technique ? It’s a productivity hack that uses a timer to help you focus!

Here’s how it works: first, set a timer for 25 minutes. This is going to be your work time. During this 25 minutes, all you can do is work on whatever homework assignment you have in front of you. No email, no text messaging, no phone calls—just homework. When that timer goes off, you get to take a 5 minute break. Every time you go through one of these cycles, it’s called a “pomodoro.” For every four pomodoros you complete, you can take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

The pomodoro technique works through a combination of boundary setting and rewards. First, it gives you a finite amount of time to focus, so you know that you only have to work really hard for 25 minutes. Once you’ve done that, you’re rewarded with a short break where you can do whatever you want. Additionally, tracking how many pomodoros you complete can help you see how long you’re really working on your homework. (Once you start using our focus tips, you may find it doesn’t take as long as you thought!)

Two Bonus Tips for How to Do Homework Fast

Even if you’re doing everything right, there will be times when you just need to get your homework done as fast as possible. (Why do teachers always have projects due in the same week? The world may never know.)

The problem with speeding through homework is that it’s easy to make mistakes. While turning in an assignment is always better than not submitting anything at all, you want to make sure that you’re not compromising quality for speed. Simply put, the goal is to get your homework done quickly and still make a good grade on the assignment! 

Here are our two bonus tips for getting a decent grade on your homework assignments , even when you’re in a time crunch. 

#1: Do the Easy Parts First 

This is especially true if you’re working on a handout with multiple questions. Before you start working on the assignment, read through all the questions and problems. As you do, make a mark beside the questions you think are “easy” to answer . 

Once you’ve finished going through the whole assignment, you can answer these questions first. Getting the easy questions out of the way as quickly as possible lets you spend more time on the trickier portions of your homework, which will maximize your assignment grade. 

(Quick note: this is also a good strategy to use on timed assignments and tests, like the SAT and the ACT !) 

#2: Pay Attention in Class 

Homework gets a lot easier when you’re actively learning the material. Teachers aren’t giving you homework because they’re mean or trying to ruin your weekend... it’s because they want you to really understand the course material. Homework is designed to reinforce what you’re already learning in class so you’ll be ready to tackle harder concepts later.

When you pay attention in class, ask questions, and take good notes, you’re absorbing the information you’ll need to succeed on your homework assignments. (You’re stuck in class anyway, so you might as well make the most of it!) Not only will paying attention in class make your homework less confusing, it will also help it go much faster, too.

What’s Next?

If you’re looking to improve your productivity beyond homework, a good place to begin is with time management. After all, we only have so much time in a day...so it’s important to get the most out of it! To get you started, check out this list of the 12 best time management techniques that you can start using today.

You may have read this article because homework struggles have been affecting your GPA. Now that you’re on the path to homework success, it’s time to start being proactive about raising your grades. This article teaches you everything you need to know about raising your GPA so you can

Now you know how to get motivated to do homework...but what about your study habits? Studying is just as critical to getting good grades, and ultimately getting into a good college . We can teach you how to study bette r in high school. (We’ve also got tons of resources to help you study for your ACT and SAT exams , too!)

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

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Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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Getting Better Sleep While Working Remotely

Danielle Pacheco

Staff Writer

Danielle is originally from Vancouver, BC, where she has spent many hours staring at her ceiling trying to fall asleep. Danielle studied the science of sleep with a degree in psychology at the University of British Columbia

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Table of Contents

Balancing Remote Work and Personal Life

Creating your home office, tips for better sleep when working from your bedroom.

Remote work has been gaining in popularity for several decades, but the COVID-19 pandemic spurred an even more rapid transition to remote work, when an additional 35% of the population shifted from commuting to working remotely.

Working from home might be here to stay. A survey conducted by Pew Research Center in October 2020 found that among people with a job that could be done from home, more than 50% Trusted Source Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes, and trends shaping the world. View Source said they would like to continue teleworking once the pandemic ends. However, teleworking also challenges the boundary between work and personal life, and bringing work into the bedroom may have serious effects on sleep.

Remote work offers many benefits, including greater flexibility with work hours and less time and money spent commuting – but the transition to a healthy work-life balance may not happen overnight. With some adjustments, you may find you can capitalize on the benefits of both the office and the home while working remotely. Some tips include:

• Find a Replacement for Your Commute : Adopt some strategies to teach your brain when you are working and when you’re relaxing. For example, at the start of the workday, you might make your bed, take a shower, and change into work clothes. At the end of the workday, it may help to put away your computer and work materials.
• Make a Schedule : To avoid letting work take over, set clear guidelines and schedule time into your day for exercise, proper meals, and personal time.
• Keep a Regular Bedtime : If you don’t like the nine-to-five time frame, remote work might present an opportunity to adopt a schedule that feels more natural to you. Just keep in mind that you’ll sleep better if you go to sleep and wake up around the same time every day Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source .
• Set Work Hours : Explain to your family that you may not be available at certain times because you need to work. Similarly, set limits with coworkers about not encroaching on family time, and try your best not to check emails after work hours.
• Take Breaks : Similar to when you’re working in the office, take the occasional mini-break to make a cup of tea, chat with your family, or take a short walk. These breaks can help you stay active and give your eyes a rest from the computer screen.
• Stay Healthy : Eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly are beneficial for your sleep and productivity.
• Practice Self-Care : If you’re feeling lonely or stressed, reach out to your support network and use mindfulness or other relaxation techniques to stay grounded.

If you’re struggling to adapt to remote work, you may find it helps to designate a clear physical distinction between your workspace and your personal space.

When creating a space to work from home, there are several considerations to take into account:

• Pick a Calm Place : Ideally, you’ll have a workspace that’s comfortable and separated from the rest of the house. If you share a space with other people, consider designating your work area with a curtain or a room divider.
• Factor in Ergonomics : Adjust your chair, desk, and computer monitor to a comfortable height. Consider investing in a keyboard, mouse, and laptop stand to reduce neck strain from looking at your laptop.
• Seek Quiet : Minimize distractions by turning off the television, phone notifications, and other sounds. If you’re bothered by noise from other members of the household, you might concentrate better with headphones or earplugs.
• Keep the Workspace Neat : Reduce stress by clearing clutter and keeping a clean, organized desk.
• Take Advantage of Natural Light : Having a properly lit workplace can help reduce eye strain and keep you alert. If you have access to a window and sunshine, natural light Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source can boost your mood during the day and help you sleep at night.

Using your bedroom as your office is not generally recommended when working from home. Working in the bedroom establishes unhealthy associations between your bed and work Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source , making it difficult to mentally disconnect when you’re trying to fall asleep. Additionally, the bed isn’t exactly an ergonomic workspace.

However, if you live in a studio apartment or a shared household, you may have to work in your bedroom.

If your bedroom is the only place available for remote work, follow these tips to minimize the impact on your sleep:

• Don’t Work in Bed : The more time you spend in bed awake, the harder it can be for your brain to shut off at night. If you’re short on space, consider reappropriating a shelf from your closet to make a standing desk. Rearranging your bedroom furniture into a work space and a home space may also help you draw a line between the two.
• Take Breaks in Another Room : Treat yourself to a change of scenery by taking your breaks in another room or going for a walk.
• Turn Off Screens One Hour Before Bedtime: Electronic devices with backlit screens give off blue light Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source that interferes with sleep, which is why sleep experts recommend keeping technology out of the bedroom . If you must bring work into the bedroom, try to stop working at least one hour before bed and switch to a non-screen activity, such as reading a book or listening to music.
• Follow a Bedtime Routine : Wind down with a simple bedtime routine, which could include brushing your teeth, changing into pajamas, and relaxing with a book or music.
• Practice Healthy Sleep Hygiene : When your bedroom doubles as your office, it’s especially important to optimize your bedroom for sleep at night. Take steps to create a bedroom environment that is calming and comfortable. This may include lowering the thermostat and minimizing any noise or distractions.

Sleep and working from home don’t have to be incompatible. By implementing some creative work-from-home office ideas, you can maintain healthy sleep hygiene and set yourself up to be more productive.

About Our Editorial Team

Danielle Pacheco, Staff Writer

References 6 sources.

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Parker, K., Horowitz, J. M., & Minkin, R. (2021). How the Coronavirus Outbreak Has – and Hasn’t – Changed the Way Americans Work. Pew Research Center’s Social & Demographic Trends Project.

Kaur, H., Spurling, B. C., & Bollu, P. C. (2020). Chronic Insomnia. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing.

Harb, F., Hidalgo, M. P., & Martau, B. (2015). Lack of exposure to natural light in the workspace is associated with physiological, sleep and depressive symptoms. Chronobiology International, 32(3), 368–375.

Altena, E., Baglioni, C., Espie, C. A., Ellis, J., Gavriloff, D., Holzinger, B., Schlarb, A., Frase, L., Jernelöv, S., & Riemann, D. (2020). Dealing with sleep problems during home confinement due to the COVID-19 outbreak: Practical recommendations from a task force of the European CBT-I Academy. Journal of Sleep Research, 29(4), e13052.

Bonmati-Carrion, M. A., Arguelles-Prieto, R., Martinez-Madrid, M. J., Reiter, R., Hardeland, R., Rol, M. A., & Madrid, J. A. (2014). Protecting the melatonin rhythm through circadian healthy light exposure. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 15(12), 23448–23500.

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