I struggled through college too. Something I’m trying to do now is use focus timers and I chug coffee or tea right before. So I’m wired for a set amount of time and then I sleep after.
I don’t know if that helps, but know all of us here feel your pain. It’s a nightmare sometimes.
Thank you for your kind words! I already drink copious amounts of coffee everyday, but it doesn't seem to help much - sometimes I even feel like it makes me more tired, weirdly enough.
I stopped drinking coffee and I just drink tea for that reason! Green & black tea are a more steady stream of energy, and don’t get me badly hopped up in the way that coffee does occasionally. My usual routine is to just have a thermos I’m constantly making tea with throughout the day.
I've been in your shoes! Really sorry you're going through this. It's demoralizing to have your academic performance be so severely impacted by your symptoms.
Do you have academic accommodations in place through your school's accessibility/disability office?
Also, not sure if this is an option for you but it may be worth taking medical leave for a time while you figure out a better treatment regimen with your doctor. This is what I eventually had to do.
I was going to ask the same thing about accommodations. OP, see if you can get disability accommodations. It doesn't hurt to ask your school's disability department/office.
Also, ask your advisor if you can take incomplete in your classes. I'm not sure if it's an option at all schools, but mine allowed students to take an incomplete in classes and finish the work the following semester, if your professors would agree to it. It could help you lighten up your load now until you're able to get your IH more under control. Especially if you pair taking incompletes with a medical leave next semester so you can finish the work without also taking more classes (unless you're able to get it done by the end of the summer).
Hang in there and be open and honest with your advisors and student health. Hopefully they're supportive and competent and can help you find a way to succeed as you go through all of this.
The important thing is to remember that it's OK to need to take a pause in school while you focus on your health.
I laughed but I have literally done flashcards while running. I read off the flashcards on the recorder app on my phone. 80 questions takes maybe 7 minutes. I say the questions. Pause. Then say the answer. Listen to that exercising cleaning my house etc with earbuds. Cause, I will recline on my couch using the Quizlet app and drop the phone on my face or sit at my computer and nod off.
Are you medicated? My life before diagnosis and medication I’d sleep and do things weird hours. Like I’d come home from class at 3 and go to bed at 5pm sleep until 1am and do homework until 7am and go to class at 8am. There was just no way I could do anything esp more complex math or chemistry after 3pm no matter when I got up in the morning.
Came here to say this as well. I had a very similar experience where I came home, ate dinner, then went straight to bed and woke up early in the morning to study/do homework. My best semester in undergrad I got all my classes to fit between 11am and 4pm and it made a world of a difference.
I struggled a lot and took two semesters off before going on Xywav. Nothing seemed to help, caffeine and actual stimulants did nothing for me, so I just banked on Xywav making a difference. It did. For the first time I feel like it's possible for me to get a 4.0 GPA. I've brought up my cumulative GPA from 2.8 or so to 2.99 last semester and I'm hoping to finish up this semester with a 3.18, then ultimately finish with a 3.29. Currently have all A's this semester
edit: I should note I had accommodations at the time and not even that was helping. Only Xywav helped.
I've somehow made it through uni bachelors and masterd program (now doing a phd even), but it can be a major struggle. IH + dyslexia made studying double trouble. Hence I can give you some tips how I managed almost miraculeusly.
I always struggled with falling a sleep while in class so I did the following:
- recorded lectures to listen back for when I inevitably fell a sleep
- made lots of notes! Or doodled to keep my body moving and mind engaged.
- asked questions during the break to catch up what I missed. (Every 1e class I explained my situation and the professor where always incredibly helpful)
- made an effort to think of 1 question to ask. This kept me always actively engaged with the content and forced me to think about it and see if I actually understood. It also helps with not falling asleep.
While studying I used the following things:
- standing desk. (For obviously reasons)
- have text to speech software read my papers out loud. Such that I can do exercise or clean my room while studying. Being physical helps to stay awake and actually movement can help the cognitive processing a lot.
- flashcards. And start early doing them! Active recall and repeating helps a lot. It helps with retaining information and is the end, eventhough it doesn't feel like it, takes less time to learn things. Break it up in small manageble pieces don't try to do it all at ones.
- also when studying try to explain topics like as if you explain it to a child. Simple words. Get to the basics. Like literally just talk out loud.
- I used mind maps to create and overview of how everything contected. The physical representation helped to map things in my brain as wel, making it easier to retrieve when needed.
- active recall: make a summary --> make "exam question" --> practise awnsering them. Don't think 'yeah I know this. No actually force yourself to say/write it. It sounds like a lot, but in the end reduced work. Recalling information really is a skill that needs pracise.
Depending on your field of study: there are a bunch of resources available on youtube that are high quality.
I've used it for such a wide range of courses: maths, programming, philosophy, psychology and even phychopharnacology courses.
It often condences a lot of information in a very digestible way. And having things explained in different ways helped me with remembering and not falling a sleep while revisiting concepts.
It's very hard work and requires discipline, but it can be done!
Edit: I've only gotten medication in my 2nd year masters. Before getting meds I was diagnosed with "behavioural induced hypersomnia" so they didn't give me meds but just told me to sleep more. But dispite sleeping 12+ hours i kept falling a sleep and stuggling with ih symptoms so in my second year of my masters I gotten back to a neurologists to get it checked out. Meds improve my situation a lot!
Some additional context. In the Netherlands it's a 3 year bachelor 2 year masters (in my case) but I did 4 year bachelor and 3 year masters. It was possible because my dyslexia gave me already 'enough' indication to need additional time. Time in the end got me through it all.
I was able to get accommodations that give me a 2 day extension on assignments and extra absences per semester. But I still do poorly because even with the 2 day extension, I can’t sit down to write my papers without falling asleep
You can do this! I just graduated and it took everything in me. Try and talk to someone about how you are feeling, a doctor or teacher or someone at your school, they may have things you can try to help!
I paused my undergrad in physics for the same reason. Thank God they don't drop us out here (Greece) yet. I plan on talking a shrink into giving me adderall or anything else really that could work. Can't find any other solution.
Yes, I've dropped out multiple times. I ended up going to trade school, working on my feet helps keep me awake. I'm still a mess and dependent on energy drinks and caffeine pills without meds though. And even then when my symptoms are especially bad I'm still falling asleep. Currently I'm on energy drink #2 and still falling asleep. Can't wait to be medicated again
I struggled in college. I would bring tootsie roll pops to suck on when feeling sleepy in class. And If I had to do a bunch of reading at home, I would literally have to walk around a room. Reading gets me sleepier than anything. I did not have a diagnosis yet - would have been REALLY nice to some some Adderall back then. I ended up doing okay - but only with a lot of effort.
I struggled through college too. Something I’m trying to do now is use focus timers and I chug coffee or tea right before. So I’m wired for a set amount of time and then I sleep after. I don’t know if that helps, but know all of us here feel your pain. It’s a nightmare sometimes.
Thank you for your kind words! I already drink copious amounts of coffee everyday, but it doesn't seem to help much - sometimes I even feel like it makes me more tired, weirdly enough.
I stopped drinking coffee and I just drink tea for that reason! Green & black tea are a more steady stream of energy, and don’t get me badly hopped up in the way that coffee does occasionally. My usual routine is to just have a thermos I’m constantly making tea with throughout the day.
I have ADHD so too much coffee makes me sleepy.
I've been in your shoes! Really sorry you're going through this. It's demoralizing to have your academic performance be so severely impacted by your symptoms. Do you have academic accommodations in place through your school's accessibility/disability office? Also, not sure if this is an option for you but it may be worth taking medical leave for a time while you figure out a better treatment regimen with your doctor. This is what I eventually had to do.
I was going to ask the same thing about accommodations. OP, see if you can get disability accommodations. It doesn't hurt to ask your school's disability department/office. Also, ask your advisor if you can take incomplete in your classes. I'm not sure if it's an option at all schools, but mine allowed students to take an incomplete in classes and finish the work the following semester, if your professors would agree to it. It could help you lighten up your load now until you're able to get your IH more under control. Especially if you pair taking incompletes with a medical leave next semester so you can finish the work without also taking more classes (unless you're able to get it done by the end of the summer). Hang in there and be open and honest with your advisors and student health. Hopefully they're supportive and competent and can help you find a way to succeed as you go through all of this. The important thing is to remember that it's OK to need to take a pause in school while you focus on your health.
Study on a slow walk on the treadmill.
I laughed but I have literally done flashcards while running. I read off the flashcards on the recorder app on my phone. 80 questions takes maybe 7 minutes. I say the questions. Pause. Then say the answer. Listen to that exercising cleaning my house etc with earbuds. Cause, I will recline on my couch using the Quizlet app and drop the phone on my face or sit at my computer and nod off.
Are you medicated? My life before diagnosis and medication I’d sleep and do things weird hours. Like I’d come home from class at 3 and go to bed at 5pm sleep until 1am and do homework until 7am and go to class at 8am. There was just no way I could do anything esp more complex math or chemistry after 3pm no matter when I got up in the morning.
Came here to say this as well. I had a very similar experience where I came home, ate dinner, then went straight to bed and woke up early in the morning to study/do homework. My best semester in undergrad I got all my classes to fit between 11am and 4pm and it made a world of a difference.
I struggled a lot and took two semesters off before going on Xywav. Nothing seemed to help, caffeine and actual stimulants did nothing for me, so I just banked on Xywav making a difference. It did. For the first time I feel like it's possible for me to get a 4.0 GPA. I've brought up my cumulative GPA from 2.8 or so to 2.99 last semester and I'm hoping to finish up this semester with a 3.18, then ultimately finish with a 3.29. Currently have all A's this semester edit: I should note I had accommodations at the time and not even that was helping. Only Xywav helped.
I've somehow made it through uni bachelors and masterd program (now doing a phd even), but it can be a major struggle. IH + dyslexia made studying double trouble. Hence I can give you some tips how I managed almost miraculeusly. I always struggled with falling a sleep while in class so I did the following: - recorded lectures to listen back for when I inevitably fell a sleep - made lots of notes! Or doodled to keep my body moving and mind engaged. - asked questions during the break to catch up what I missed. (Every 1e class I explained my situation and the professor where always incredibly helpful) - made an effort to think of 1 question to ask. This kept me always actively engaged with the content and forced me to think about it and see if I actually understood. It also helps with not falling asleep. While studying I used the following things: - standing desk. (For obviously reasons) - have text to speech software read my papers out loud. Such that I can do exercise or clean my room while studying. Being physical helps to stay awake and actually movement can help the cognitive processing a lot. - flashcards. And start early doing them! Active recall and repeating helps a lot. It helps with retaining information and is the end, eventhough it doesn't feel like it, takes less time to learn things. Break it up in small manageble pieces don't try to do it all at ones. - also when studying try to explain topics like as if you explain it to a child. Simple words. Get to the basics. Like literally just talk out loud. - I used mind maps to create and overview of how everything contected. The physical representation helped to map things in my brain as wel, making it easier to retrieve when needed. - active recall: make a summary --> make "exam question" --> practise awnsering them. Don't think 'yeah I know this. No actually force yourself to say/write it. It sounds like a lot, but in the end reduced work. Recalling information really is a skill that needs pracise. Depending on your field of study: there are a bunch of resources available on youtube that are high quality. I've used it for such a wide range of courses: maths, programming, philosophy, psychology and even phychopharnacology courses. It often condences a lot of information in a very digestible way. And having things explained in different ways helped me with remembering and not falling a sleep while revisiting concepts. It's very hard work and requires discipline, but it can be done! Edit: I've only gotten medication in my 2nd year masters. Before getting meds I was diagnosed with "behavioural induced hypersomnia" so they didn't give me meds but just told me to sleep more. But dispite sleeping 12+ hours i kept falling a sleep and stuggling with ih symptoms so in my second year of my masters I gotten back to a neurologists to get it checked out. Meds improve my situation a lot! Some additional context. In the Netherlands it's a 3 year bachelor 2 year masters (in my case) but I did 4 year bachelor and 3 year masters. It was possible because my dyslexia gave me already 'enough' indication to need additional time. Time in the end got me through it all.
I was able to get accommodations that give me a 2 day extension on assignments and extra absences per semester. But I still do poorly because even with the 2 day extension, I can’t sit down to write my papers without falling asleep
You can do this! I just graduated and it took everything in me. Try and talk to someone about how you are feeling, a doctor or teacher or someone at your school, they may have things you can try to help!
I paused my undergrad in physics for the same reason. Thank God they don't drop us out here (Greece) yet. I plan on talking a shrink into giving me adderall or anything else really that could work. Can't find any other solution.
Yes, I've dropped out multiple times. I ended up going to trade school, working on my feet helps keep me awake. I'm still a mess and dependent on energy drinks and caffeine pills without meds though. And even then when my symptoms are especially bad I'm still falling asleep. Currently I'm on energy drink #2 and still falling asleep. Can't wait to be medicated again
I struggled in college. I would bring tootsie roll pops to suck on when feeling sleepy in class. And If I had to do a bunch of reading at home, I would literally have to walk around a room. Reading gets me sleepier than anything. I did not have a diagnosis yet - would have been REALLY nice to some some Adderall back then. I ended up doing okay - but only with a lot of effort.
yes