Interview Jitters: Sleepless Night Before The Big Day

It's perfectly normal to feel nervous before a big interview, and it's common to experience difficulty sleeping as a result. If you're struggling to sleep the night before an interview, you might find it helpful to stick to a consistent sleep schedule, create a relaxing bedtime routine, avoid stimulating activities and substances before bed, and practice relaxation techniques. While it's important to prepare for your interview, try not to spend the whole day thinking about it. Instead, engage in activities that relax you and take your mind off the interview, such as spending time with loved ones, exercising, or pursuing a hobby. Remember, it's just an interview, and your life will go on no matter the outcome.

Relax your body and mind with the military method

It's completely normal to feel anxious before a big interview, and it's common to experience difficulty sleeping as a result. If you're struggling to relax before a big interview, you could try the military sleep method. This technique was developed by Bud Winter, an Olympic sprint coach, to help pilots fall asleep instantly when they need to rest, despite loud, stressful, or dangerous circumstances. The method involves the following steps:

Breathe deeply: Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Take slow, deep breaths.

Relax your face: Slowly relax all the muscles in your face, starting from your forehead and then moving downward over your cheeks, mouth, and jaw. Focus on one part at a time, breathing deeply and letting go of any muscle tension. Don't forget to relax your tongue and the muscles around your eyes.

Drop your shoulders and arms: Once your face is relaxed, work your way down to your neck, shoulders, and arms. Relax your neck and let go of any tension. Drop your shoulders and let yourself sink into the bed. Focus your attention on one arm and slowly work your way downward, relaxing your bicep, forearm, hand, and fingers. Repeat for the other arm.

Work your way downward: Once you've relaxed your shoulders and arms, slowly shift your focus to other parts of your body, relaxing them one at a time. Work your way down your chest, abdomen, and pelvis. Then focus on one leg, relaxing your thigh, knee, calf, ankle, foot, and toes. Do the same for the other leg.

Clear your mind: Once you've consciously relaxed every part of your body, focus on clearing your mind. You can do this by focusing on a calming image, such as picturing yourself lying in a meadow under the blue sky. If visualization doesn't work, say the words "Don't think" repeatedly in your mind for 10 seconds. If other thoughts distract you, put them aside and bring your attention back to your visualization or recitation.

Practicing this technique for six weeks in a row is supposed to help you master it, so you can fall asleep in under two minutes.

Get more natural light

Natural light plays a significant role in regulating our sleep-wake cycles, so getting more of it during the day can help you sleep better at night. Here are some tips to increase your exposure to natural light and improve your sleep:

• Get early morning sunlight: Aim to get outside and soak up some sunlight in the early morning. This helps to trigger your brain to halt the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep. Even on cloudy days, the blue light from the sun can still signal to your body that it's time to start the day.
• Take a walk in the afternoon: Sunlight in the afternoon can help combat sleepiness and boost your energy levels. A study found that exposure to blue light in the early afternoon improved sleepiness and enhanced memory in college students.
• Move your workspace near a window: If possible, move your desk or workspace to an area that gets plenty of natural light during the day. This can help improve your exposure to natural light while you're indoors.
• Exercise outdoors: Physical activity, especially outdoors, can improve your sleep quality. Aim for moderate aerobic exercise, but try to avoid strenuous workouts too close to bedtime, as this may interfere with your sleep.
• Maintain a consistent sleep schedule: Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day helps to regulate your body's sleep-wake cycle. This includes keeping the same schedule on weekends!
• Reduce blue light exposure before bed: Blue light from electronic devices and fluorescent lighting can disrupt your sleep. Dim the lights and avoid screens at least three hours before bedtime to help your body prepare for sleep.
• Create a relaxing bedtime routine: Incorporate relaxing activities before bed, such as reading, meditation, or listening to soothing music. This can help signal to your body that it's time to wind down and prepare for sleep.
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bed: Both caffeine and alcohol can interfere with your sleep. Caffeine is a stimulant that can keep you awake, while alcohol may disrupt your sleep later in the night.

Avoid screens and blue light

Blue light is a wavelength of light often emitted by electronic devices and artificial lights. During the day, blue light is beneficial as it improves alertness, reaction times, and mood. However, exposure to blue light at night can negatively impact sleep quality.

• Maintain a Fixed Sleep Schedule: Try to stick to consistent bed and wake-up times, even on weekends. This helps regulate your body's natural sleep-wake cycle, known as the circadian rhythm.
• Incorporate a Relaxing Bedtime Routine: Engage in soothing activities like reading, meditation, or listening to calming music before bed. Avoid stimulating activities, such as watching TV, using electronic devices, or vigorous exercise close to bedtime.
• Limit Caffeine and Alcohol: Both substances can interfere with sleep. Caffeine is a stimulant that promotes wakefulness, while alcohol may disrupt your sleep later in the night.
• Use Blue Light Filters or Amber Glasses: If you must use electronic devices before bed, consider using blue light filters or apps that reduce blue light emission. Alternatively, wear amber-tinted glasses to block blue light.
• Dim the Lights: Reduce the brightness of your screens or use the "night mode" feature, which adjusts the color temperature of your device's display to reduce blue light exposure.
• Set a Reminder: Make it a habit to turn off electronic devices two to three hours before bedtime. Set an alarm or reminder to ensure you stick to this routine.
• Choose Different Lighting: If you enjoy reading before bed, opt for a lamp that emits red or orange light instead of blue light. Red light has a lesser impact on disrupting the circadian rhythm and melatonin production.
• Improve Your Sleeping Environment: If there are light sources in your bedroom that you can't control, try using an eye mask to block them out once you're ready to sleep.
• Exercise Regularly: Physical activity can help you fall asleep faster and improve sleep quality. However, avoid strenuous exercise close to bedtime, as it may make it harder to fall asleep.

Remember, it's normal to feel anxious before an important event like an interview. Combining these strategies with relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing and visualization, can help calm your mind and body, improving your sleep quality.

Avoid caffeine

If you're struggling to sleep the night before an interview, it's best to avoid caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant that can keep you awake and disrupt your sleep. Even consuming caffeine in the afternoon can negatively impact your sleep, so it's recommended to cut off caffeine intake by 2 p.m. or 3 p.m. if you have a standard bedtime. This is because caffeine has a half-life of between 2 and 12 hours, and its effects can last up to 5 hours or longer.

Caffeine affects everyone differently, and individual factors such as nicotine use, pregnancy, and genetic makeup can influence how quickly you metabolize it. However, a study found that consuming 400 mg of caffeine even 6 hours before bedtime significantly reduced total sleep time by 41 minutes. Therefore, it's best to refrain from consuming substantial amounts of caffeine for at least 6 hours before bedtime to ensure better sleep quality.

If you're having trouble sleeping due to interview nerves, try incorporating relaxing activities into your bedtime routine, such as reading, meditation, or listening to soothing music. Regular physical activity can also help you fall asleep faster and sleep soundly, but avoid strenuous exercise close to bedtime. Additionally, limit your screen time at least an hour before bed, as the blue light emitted by electronic devices can negatively impact the production of the sleep hormone melatonin.

Be prepared

It's completely normal to feel nervous and anxious before a big interview, and it's common to experience difficulty sleeping as a result. Here are some tips to help you prepare and get a good night's rest:

• Stick to a sleep schedule: Try to maintain consistent bed and wake-up times, even on weekends. This helps regulate your body's natural sleep-wake cycle.
• Create a relaxing bedtime routine: Engage in calming activities like reading, meditation, listening to soothing music, or taking a warm bath.
• Avoid stimulants: Refrain from consuming caffeine and alcohol before bedtime, as they can disrupt your sleep.
• Limit screen time: Avoid using electronic devices at least an hour before bed. The blue light emitted by screens can negatively affect melatonin production, disrupting your sleep.
• Exercise regularly: Physical activity can help you fall asleep faster and improve sleep quality, but avoid strenuous workouts close to bedtime.
• Practice relaxation techniques: Try deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, or visualisation to calm your mind and body.
• Identify the worst-case scenario: Consider what will happen if you don't get the job. Realise that it's not the end of the world, and you will have other opportunities.
• Structure your calendar: Plan your preparation so that you can stop studying at least 24 hours before the interview. This will give you a sense of control and help you feel more relaxed.
• Spend time with loved ones: Connect with your support system, such as family and friends, to take your mind off the interview and relax.
• Visualise success: Instead of worrying about potential failures, visualise yourself confidently acing the interview. Positive visualisation can help reduce anxiety and improve performance.
• Avoid last-minute cramming: While it's important to prepare for the interview, avoid doing any last-minute cramming the night before. Give your mind a break and focus on relaxation instead.
• Treat yourself: Do something that makes you feel good, such as watching a movie, reading a book, or enjoying a nice meal. This can help take your mind off the interview and reduce anxiety.
• Stay positive: Remind yourself that a lack of sleep won't define your interview performance. Focus on staying calm, confident, and positive.

Frequently asked questions