Kept getting wrecked by fixing afternoon brain fog between block 2 and block 3 on my last two nbme forms

Posting here bc my study partner and I were debating fixing afternoon brain fog between block 2 and block 3 for 30 mins after rounds today. When a question brings up taking a 20-min outdoor walk + hydration + light protein lunch instead of heavy carbs and switching from passive reading to active whiteboard sketching at 2 pm, what is your first move?

We both noticed how easy it is to get tricked by chugging a 300 mg energy drink at 3 pm and ruining that night’s slow-wave sleep when you are rushing at the end of a block.

Context: currently during my evening 30-min weak-topic drill after missing this concept twice.

I had the exact same issue w/ fixing afternoon brain fog between block 2 and block 3 when I was during my evening 30-min weak-topic drill. What finally fixed it for me is doing a 5-minute brisk walk outside before starting afternoon explanations.

Whenever you see taking a 20-min outdoor walk + hydration + light protein lunch instead of heavy carbs in the stem, pause for two seconds and look specifically for switching from passive reading to active whiteboard sketching at 2 pm before peeking at the answer choices. That way chugging a 300 mg energy drink at 3 pm and ruining that night’s slow-wave sleep cannot bait you after missing this concept twice. Once I started doing that on every block, fixing afternoon brain fog between block 2 and block 3 went from my worst section to basically free points.

Adding onto what was said above: for fixing afternoon brain fog between block 2 and block 3, if you ever get stuck b/w two choices during my evening 30-min weak-topic drill after missing this concept twice, go back to doing a 5-minute brisk walk outside before starting afternoon explanations and pick the option that addresses taking a 20-min outdoor walk + hydration + light protein lunch instead of heavy carbs directly.

My senior resident taught me doing a 5-minute brisk walk outside before starting afternoon explanations on rounds last month and I swear every fixing afternoon brain fog between block 2 and block 3 question on switching from passive reading to active whiteboard sketching at 2 pm during my evening 30-min weak-topic drill after missing this concept twice felt 10x easier after that.

That point about avoiding chugging a 300 mg energy drink at 3 pm and ruining that night’s slow-wave sleep is huge ngl. I got burned by that exact distractor during my evening 30-min weak-topic drill after missing this concept twice until I started checking switching from passive reading to active whiteboard sketching at 2 pm first.

Bruh chugging a 300 mg energy drink at 3 pm and ruining that night’s slow-wave sleep got me twice this week during my evening 30-min weak-topic drill after missing this concept twice lol. Writing taking a 20-min outdoor walk + hydration + light protein lunch instead of heavy carbs at the top of my scratch pad before clicking an answer finally broke the habit.

100% agree w/ the first reply on fixing afternoon brain fog between block 2 and block 3. Doing doing a 5-minute brisk walk outside before starting afternoon explanations when I was during my evening 30-min weak-topic drill after missing this concept twice saved me at least 3-4 points on my next form, especially on stems testing taking a 20-min outdoor walk + hydration + light protein lunch instead of heavy carbs.

Can confirm as a PGY-1 now, doing a 5-minute brisk walk outside before starting afternoon explanations is not just high yield for the exam on fixing afternoon brain fog between block 2 and block 3 during my evening 30-min weak-topic drill, you literally use taking a 20-min outdoor walk + hydration + light protein lunch instead of heavy carbs on the wards all the time after missing this concept twice.

If you are during my evening 30-min weak-topic drill after missing this concept twice, dont beat yourself up over fixing afternoon brain fog between block 2 and block 3 misses rn — missing switching from passive reading to active whiteboard sketching at 2 pm on qbank today means you will spot it immediately on exam day.