The Night Before NCLEX...

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Specializes in ICU.

My exam is at 8AM with about an hour travel time to the test site, so I have to be up early and ready to go. I'm trying to figure out how to get myself to relax the night before the NCLEX so I'm able to get a good night's sleep... I am worried I'll be tossing and turning, trying to remember lab values and mnemonics!!

Any suggestions? What do you plan to do?

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Hi There,

Good luck with your test and please update us all on your progress. I would take a muscle relaxer because with all the built up anxiety and tension that would be the only thing that would allow me to sleep. Good Luck!

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A muscle relaxer? Not a good idea, you might end up oversleeping. I know when I hurt my back and I took one (one of the more mild ones) I was comatose for hours after taking it. And i woke up feeling hung over. Not how I'd want to have to face the NCLEX.

If your like most of us, no matter what you do, you'll be tossing and turning all night, you'll dream of numbers, values, ABC;s..

Best advise, avoid caffine after about 6pm, do something that will somewhat relax you (bubble bath, reading a book, watching mindless tv, whatever), get to bed early and eat a good breakfast in the morning..DO NOT skip breakfast! And put down the NCLEX test questions book, if you haven't engrained it into your head, cramming the night before will not help. Just try to relax.

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I would take a muscle relaxer or antianxiety medication because I have a script for both and I know how they make me feel the next day, but if you do not, I would not suggest taking any pill that induces sleep even a Tylenol PM if you have never taken it before b/c they can make some people feel very groggy and out of it the next day. I cannot remember which book it was but I read some relaxation techniques in one of the nclex books, you could probably google natural remedies to induce sleep/reduce anxiety or something along those lines, that might help! Good Luck!

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Most people end up tossing and turning. If you can get your relaxation techniques to work well, you should be able to get sufficient rest.

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Specializes in NeuroICU/SICU/MICU.

I fell asleep pretty easily the night before, but I woke up every couple of hours. I relaxed by making sure I had everything I needed (paperwork in a folder by my purse, car full of gas, coffee ready in the pot, etc). That way my OCD brain didn't have any worries to stick to and keep me awake :)

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I am definitely taking a 0.25 Xanax... and I will pray, pray, pray.

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