Does anyone else get extremely tired while reading textbooks?

Nursing Students General Students

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I am in my second and last year of my associate degree nursing program and am currently taking Medical Surgical Nursing for Adults and Children II and Nursing Skills. When I read the Med-Surg text, I get SOOO extremely sleepy! Is this common or is there something wrong with me? If this happens to you, what do you do to prevent yourself from just going to bed and going to sleep? (Other than your exam grade and strong desire to pass that NCLEX...)

Thanks!

Sarah Hay

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Specializes in Cardiac.

have you had your vision checked??

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Yes, I had to have a full examination upon entry of the program last August. In fact, the nurse administering the vision exam had her mouth open because I was able to read every line. I don't get dizzy or get headaches while reading - it just seems as if I downed 5 Tylenol PMs and it's just hard for me. ]=

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Specializes in LTC.

Its probably the material.... Some information is monotonous....

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Yes, I'm beginning to believe that may be it but it seems every time I sit down to read ... I want to go to sleep. I've yet to read something that doesn't do that to me.

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Does it happen when you try light reading or something you enjoy reading just for fun?

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Hmm. I haven't had time to read anything other than nursing texts but if I recall correctly, I did get sleepy but not as tired as this. It just may be the fact that I have to learn all this information and soon (we have an exam every week) tires me out. It may even be stress.

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well, if its because the material is boring, which is probably the case, u need start reading out loud. That works for me to keep me awake.

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Sorry, reading nursing texts is like taking two Darvocet for me! : ) I am completely zoned out within an hour! But as soon as I put the book down, and lay down to sleep, I come back to life. Weird.

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I'll try the reading aloud thing but that'll slow me down. That may be a plus in helping me learn the information though.

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who gets sleepy! [=

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Specializes in Med-Surg/Ortho, Telemetry.

Maybe you need a change of environment. I do a lot of reading for fun in bed, so my usual routine is to read in bed til I get really sleepy. If I tried to study in my room or sitting on bed, I would get sleepy. I would do most of my studying in the living room with the TV on or some music on low. The best place was to study at the school library because I wouldn't dare fall asleep there. My favorite way to study was to walk on the treadmill and read. I could get a lot done and I got my exercise!

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I have this super huge desk in my bedroom near the bed and that may be a reason why I get sleepy. I heard on a radio show that one shouldn't do other activities in the bedroom other than sleep and other bedroom activities. I tried studying in bed once and I actually fell asleep with a pen in my hand, so that's out of the question. I don't like to study in the living room because we don't have a table in there (no food or drinks allowed) and the kitchen chairs are uncomfortable and they are the high, bar seat kinds.

I wish I had a treadmill...

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