Sleep Habits & Evening Routine: The Impact on Exam Revision

Contents: 

1. The importance of sleep and bedtime routine 

2. Are teenagers regularly getting a good night's sleep?  

3. Are exam concerns affecting students' ability to get a good night's sleep? 

4. Are students aware of how screen time before bed can affect their sleep? 

5. What are teenagers choosing to do before going to bed? 

6. How can students revise most effectively at night? 

7. Is it bad to revise late at night? 

8. Summary of findings 

9. Methodology

According to research published in the National Library of Medicine (opens in a new tab), sleep plays a crucial role in strengthening memories and integrating new information with existing knowledge.

Researchers (opens in a new tab) in the UK and China also found in 2025 that adolescents who go to bed early and sleep longer have sharper mental skills and score better on cognitive tests. 

As students continue their exam preparation ahead of the summer, a new Save My Exams survey involving over 1,000 UK-based students has revealed how sleep habits and evening routines could be affecting revision. 

Are teenagers regularly getting a good night's sleep? 

The NHS recommends (opens in a new tab) 8-10 hours as a healthy sleep duration for teenagers aged between 13 and 18 years old. Our research suggests that 9 in 10 (92%) teenagers are sleeping less than the recommended guidance on an average school night. 

Only 9% of teens said that they sleep for more than 8 hours on a typical school night. 

Almost two in five students (37%) said that they sleep for 7-8 hours, and 34% reported sleeping an average of 6-7 hours. Over one in six (17%) say they sleep for 5-6 hours. 

Are exam concerns affecting students' ability to get a good night's sleep? 

Almost three-quarters (72%) of teenagers report sleeping less during exam and revision periods. 

Half (50%) of students say that they sleep ‘slightly’ less than normal during exam or revision periods, and over one in five (22%) report getting ‘significantly’ less sleep. 

More than 9 in 10 (94%) teenagers also say that worries about exams or school impact their ability to fall asleep. One in three (31%) report ‘often’ struggling, and two in five (40%) say that worries ‘sometimes’ impact their ability to fall asleep. 

Are students aware of how screen time before bed can affect their sleep?  

Over half (56%) of students admit that they are aware that using screens before bed can negatively affect their sleep, but that it doesn’t change their habits. 

However, over a third (36%) say that they are aware, and therefore actively take steps to reduce their screen time each evening. 

In a typical evening after school, a third of students (33%) say that they consume 2-3 hours of screen time, increasing to 3-4 hours amongst one in five (20%), and over four hours for one in six teens (15%). 

What are teenagers choosing to do before going to bed? 

One in three teenagers (31%) said they spend 30-60 minutes on their phone before going to sleep,  but one in 20 students (5%) concerningly reported using their phone for more than two hours. 

Over one in five (21%) say that they don't use their phone before bed, and a further one in three (31%) say that they use it for less than 30 minutes. 

Just one in seven (13%) reported reading a book before going to bed, with scrolling social media (22%), watching TV/videos (21%), and revising (20%) being the three most popular activities before going to sleep. 

How can students revise most effectively at night? 

• Avoid screens or heavy mental stimulation immediately after studying.

  • Give your brain time to wind down before sleep, which helps with memory consolidation.

• Use calming revision methods like flashcards, summarisation, or reading through notes.

  • Save the intense problem-solving for morning sessions.

• Review lighter or creative content rather than dense, new material.

  • This could be essay planning, revision of material you've already learned, or making mind maps.

• Keep your study space well-lit.

  • Dim lighting signals to your body that it's time to sleep, which can make concentration harder. 

  • Bright light helps maintain alertness.

• Set a firm finish time.

  • Late-night cramming that cuts into your sleep does more harm than good. 

Is it bad to revise before bed? 

No, there's solid scientific evidence for this. When you study before sleep, your brain processes and consolidates that information during the night. 

Research published by PubMed Central (opens in a new tab) found that sleep after learning helps to consolidate memories. Those who learned information before sleeping remembered it better than those who learned the same information and stayed 

awake.

Evening revision works particularly well for straightforward memorisation – vocabulary, dates, formulas, or key facts. However, there's a catch: you need to actually get good sleep afterwards. If you study right before bed but then lie awake worrying or scrolling on your phone, you lose the benefit.  

Summary of findings 

Save My Exams’ survey emphasises the importance of educating teenagers on adopting a holistic approach to revision and exam preparation. By properly taking into consideration things such as sleep and evening routines, students can take steps to enhance their overall outcomes.

Methodology

Save My Exams surveyed 1,016 UK-based secondary school students in March 2026 about their sleep habits and evening routine ahead of exam season. 

Sources 

1. Memory and Sleep: How Sleep Cognition Can Change the Waking Mind for the Better (opens in a new tab)

2. Adolescents who sleep longer perform better at cognitive tasks (opens in a new tab)

3. Sleep (older children) (opens in a new tab)

4. The Timing of Learning before Night-Time Sleep Differentially Affects Declarative and Procedural Long-Term Memory Consolidation in Adolescents (opens in a new tab)