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Need a good night's sleep! Please help!

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Need a good night's sleep! Please help!

by beatthegmatinsept » Wed Sep 01, 2010 8:39 am
Hi All -

I try to study for about 2-3 hours everyday when I get back home from work, and put in about 6-7 hours each day on the weekends. My problem is that even when I sleep, I dream of answering questions. From what I can remember there is always a question with 5 answer choices that I am trying to figure out.

I wake up tired, and don't feel like I got any rest all night.

This morning I set an alarm for an hour earlier than usual, since I thought I'll put in 1 hour of studying before I head to work. But when the time came, I had no enery/motivation to study because I was apparently attempting questions all night long!

This has been going on for quite some days now, every other day, but its gotten worse now.

My concern is that it'll only get worse as I get closer to my test day, and I really cannot afford that happening.

Any suggestions on what I can do to fix this?

Please help!!

Thanks,
PT.
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by InkyBinky » Wed Sep 01, 2010 8:44 am
Ambien. I told my doctor that I was apprehensive about the GMAT and might not sleep well. He gave me a 10-pill prescription. Just be sure to try it out a few times before the exam to make sure that you don't have any side effects.
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by beatthegmatinsept » Wed Sep 01, 2010 8:48 am
InkyBinky wrote:Ambien. I told my doctor that I was apprehensive about the GMAT and might not sleep well. He gave me a 10-pill prescription. Just be sure to try it out a few times before the exam to make sure that you don't have any side effects.
I sleep right when I go to bed, im not tossing and turning trying to sleep.. BUT the dreams!!! It's like im studying the entire night.

Did you get that too? I am hesitant in taking sleeping pills because then I have the risk of not waking up on time for work.

P.S. the week before my exam, (since my exam is at 8 am), I have volunteered to work 6 am - 3 pm, that way I'll get my brain to function better and completely awake at that time of the day.
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by uwhusky » Wed Sep 01, 2010 8:49 am
Get few posters of Justin Bieber, so you can dream of him instead. =)

I had the same problem, but I think it's mostly due to the thought that I didn't do as much as I could. Perhaps you can try setting reachable daily goals with sufficient time to review mistakes so that you can attain a sense of accomplishment, and then maybe you will be able to ease your mind into comfortable and better sleep.
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by InkyBinky » Wed Sep 01, 2010 8:54 am
beatthegmatinsept wrote: I sleep right when I go to bed, im not tossing and turning trying to sleep.. BUT the dreams!!! It's like im studying the entire night.

Did you get that too? I am hesitant in taking sleeping pills because then I have the risk of not waking up on time for work.

P.S. the week before my exam, (since my exam is at 8 am), I have volunteered to work 6 am - 3 pm, that way I'll get my brain to function better and completely awake at that time of the day.
Ambien really knocks you out. I don't take it regularly, so I don't remember whether I had any disturbing dreams (although I have had the occasional GMAT dream otherwise). They also have a controlled-release version that supposedly keeps you in a deep state of sleep throughout the night, but I haven't tried that.

Another, probably better, idea is to get a lot of exercise the days before the exam so that you're physically tired and will be able to sleep well. If it's really only the dreams that are bothering you, I wouldn't worry about it. It's extra practice!
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by beatthegmatinsept » Wed Sep 01, 2010 10:19 am
Yeah I guess exercising would be a good idea, cuz all i am really doing the past 2 weeks is go to work, come back home, eat.. study.. and its like an infinite loop.. (hopefully it ends in 25 days) :)
I guess if I add something fun in my monotonous routine, I might feel better. Exercising seems like a good idea for now.

Thanks!
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by InkyBinky » Wed Sep 01, 2010 10:23 am
beatthegmatinsept wrote:Yeah I guess exercising would be a good idea, cuz all i am really doing the past 2 weeks is go to work, come back home, eat.. study.. and its like an infinite loop.. (hopefully it ends in 25 days) :)
I guess if I add something fun in my monotonous routine, I might feel better. Exercising seems like a good idea for now.

Thanks!
My wife makes me go to the gym 3 times/week and I think it helps to control stress. If you have an ipod touch or iphone, you can download some pretty good GMAT-related apps. Manhattan GMAT has flash cards and Veritas/Grockit/GMATClub each have free practice problem apps. I usually get in some GMAT prep while I'm on an exercise bike.
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by beatthegmatinsept » Wed Sep 01, 2010 10:43 am
InkyBinky wrote:
beatthegmatinsept wrote:Yeah I guess exercising would be a good idea, cuz all i am really doing the past 2 weeks is go to work, come back home, eat.. study.. and its like an infinite loop.. (hopefully it ends in 25 days) :)
I guess if I add something fun in my monotonous routine, I might feel better. Exercising seems like a good idea for now.

Thanks!
My wife makes me go to the gym 3 times/week and I think it helps to control stress. If you have an ipod touch or iphone, you can download some pretty good GMAT-related apps. Manhattan GMAT has flash cards and Veritas/Grockit/GMATClub each have free practice problem apps. I usually get in some GMAT prep while I'm on an exercise bike.
That's a good idea. I downloaded BTG flash cards a few weeks ago, hopefully the MGMAT ones are different. I'll download the ones you mentioned too.

Your test date is coming up soon! Howz the last few days' prep going for you?
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by nehs » Wed Sep 01, 2010 11:38 am
This sound just like me!! I keep getting thoughts and dreams of GMAT and application related stuff. This leaves me tired when I wake up the next day morning. The only difference between us is that I have take a whole month off.
Like it has been mentioned here, I did the same; I have downloaded some videos/flashcards and I take it with me on my iPhone. This way I feel connected to GMAT and I don't get the thought that I am wasting time. But, still it has not helped me to reduce my anxiety. I don't have any other suggestions :-(

All the best. I am taking the GMAT on Sept 25 too :D
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by InkyBinky » Wed Sep 01, 2010 11:39 am
beatthegmatinsept wrote:
InkyBinky wrote:
beatthegmatinsept wrote:Yeah I guess exercising would be a good idea, cuz all i am really doing the past 2 weeks is go to work, come back home, eat.. study.. and its like an infinite loop.. (hopefully it ends in 25 days) :)
I guess if I add something fun in my monotonous routine, I might feel better. Exercising seems like a good idea for now.

Thanks!
My wife makes me go to the gym 3 times/week and I think it helps to control stress. If you have an ipod touch or iphone, you can download some pretty good GMAT-related apps. Manhattan GMAT has flash cards and Veritas/Grockit/GMATClub each have free practice problem apps. I usually get in some GMAT prep while I'm on an exercise bike.
That's a good idea. I downloaded BTG flash cards a few weeks ago, hopefully the MGMAT ones are different. I'll download the ones you mentioned too.

Your test date is coming up soon! Howz the last few days' prep going for you?
So far so good. I have about 30 more questions in the OG 12's CR, and I'll have completed every sample question in the book. My practice tests look pretty good, overall (and I have taken plenty). My MGMAT average is exactly 700, with a standard deviation of just 10 points (but my breakdown has more variability). So, based on others' past performance, I think that puts me at about 730-740 +/- 10. My last GMAT Prep (test 2, first attempt) was a 750. I'm going to make a second attempt this weekend to see where I stand. I think that, as long as I don't let my nerves get the best of me, that I have a pretty good chance of hitting the 700 Club.

Of course, all my work may be all for naught. I only have Atlanta, part-time options available to me. And while Emory and Georgia Tech both have great programs, they're pretty expensive (especially Emory) and my wife fails to see any value in it. To her this is just my hobby and not anything that will have a real return. So, because of finances, Georgia State may be my only choice.... and their 90th percentile GMAT score is 680.
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by nehs » Wed Sep 01, 2010 11:53 am
InkyBinky wrote: So far so good. I have about 30 more questions in the OG 12's CR, and I'll have completed every sample question in the book..
InkyBinky, just an off-topic question: Does it help to solve each and every question in OG - 12? what can be the socre range that we can expect by doing this?
Alll the best for your test.
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by beatthegmatinsept » Wed Sep 01, 2010 12:07 pm
InkyBinky wrote:So far so good. I have about 30 more questions in the OG 12's CR, and I'll have completed every sample question in the book. My practice tests look pretty good, overall (and I have taken plenty). My MGMAT average is exactly 700, with a standard deviation of just 10 points (but my breakdown has more variability). So, based on others' past performance, I think that puts me at about 730-740 +/- 10. My last GMAT Prep (test 2, first attempt) was a 750. I'm going to make a second attempt this weekend to see where I stand. I think that, as long as I don't let my nerves get the best of me, that I have a pretty good chance of hitting the 700 Club.

Of course, all my work may be all for naught. I only have Atlanta, part-time options available to me. And while Emory and Georgia Tech both have great programs, they're pretty expensive (especially Emory) and my wife fails to see any value in it. To her this is just my hobby and not anything that will have a real return. So, because of finances, Georgia State may be my only choice.... and their 90th percentile GMAT score is 680.
well with 750ish score, you might even qualify for scholarships, though I believe part time programs offer less than full time. But worth a try. That's what I am going to do if I don't get a good enough score for Top 15 schools. My back up plan is a part time mba from ASU, but I got my Bachelors from there, so it doesnt sound half as exciting as getting an MBA from a Top 15 school.
I am done with OG12 Quant section, still have half of Verbal left though.
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by InkyBinky » Wed Sep 01, 2010 12:10 pm
nehs wrote:
InkyBinky wrote: So far so good. I have about 30 more questions in the OG 12's CR, and I'll have completed every sample question in the book..
InkyBinky, just an off-topic question: Does it help to solve each and every question in OG - 12? what can be the socre range that we can expect by doing this?
Alll the best for your test.
I really don't know how beneficial it is. I'm going through them all because I'm not rushed for time and because, at a minimum, it gives me good practice. I think it also exposes me to the different types of questions that are being posed, which will allow me to look at them at the appropriate angles of attack more quickly in a timed environment.

I time each question to make sure that I average less than two minutes overall. Depending on the sections, I am getting around 80%-90% right, with a slight decline as I progress towards the end of each section (because the questions get progressively harder).

But you should probably ask someone more experienced, because I haven't taken the test yet! For all I know, I could wind up with a score of 220.
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by money9111 » Wed Sep 01, 2010 12:14 pm
When is the last time you took a day off? Like literally no GMAT work not even reading anything... just watching tv all day long?
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by beatthegmatinsept » Wed Sep 01, 2010 12:16 pm
money9111 wrote:When is the last time you took a day off? Like literally no GMAT work not even reading anything... just watching tv all day long?
The weekend of August 7th, for full 2 days.. went out of town to the beach, relaxed, did absolutely nothing GMAT-related :)
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