Have you ever realized that homework is due tomorrow and you haven’t even started it yet? Do you wait until the last minute to do your homework because of what’s going on around you? This is known as ‘cramming’ and students do it to finish their homework they know should be done when they forget.

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Teachers often test students' knowledge over what they’ve discussed. However, most students wait until the last minute to study for the test. This causes most students to lose sleep, and this can cause them to be unable to think properly during the day and not focus on the test. “No one is suggesting that students shouldn't study,” says UCLA graduate student Andrew J. Fuligni, “but an adequate amount of sleep is also critical for academic success.”

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Cramming can also affect a student’s grades. Waiting to do homework until the last minute results in poor grades and lack of sleep. Students should have a specific time to study and get plenty of sleep the night before a test. “If you’re sacrificing your sleep time, that is actually not helpful. It seems like it’s associated with worst functioning the next day,” says UCLA graduate student Cari Gillen-O’Neel.

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  Students shouldn't cram their homework with their regular schedules. But the best way to be prepared for a test is to study and get plenty of sleep. This way all students have good grades and are able to do well in school.