With finals this week everyone is undoubtedly feeling an increased level of stress. Do not let this get the best of your healthy habits. Now more than ever it is important to make sure you are eating sleeping and exercising. Results from a Summit meeting in Washington DC on the connection between diet and education show that how you eat and exercise will effect test scores. With this in mind, I’m writing up a quick survival guide for the final push through exams.
Eat breakfast. One of the primary focuses of the summit was on breakfast and the results were stirring enough to cause many high schools and grade schools to begin breakfast programs in their cafeterias. Good choices include fresh eggs, whole grain toasts and cottage cheese. Al of the will provide you with the energy you need for the day of studying and test taking.
Get your sleep, but not too much. It take the human brain approximately two hours to fully awake from sleep so try to give your self at least this much tome before an exam. Yes, that means if you have an 8AM set your alarm for 6AM not 7:45.
Avoid the easy sugar snacks and stick to your fruits, fresh cut vegetables and healthy dairies. These will give you actual energy rather than spiking your insulin and causing you to crash. It is okay to reward yourself at the end of the day, but keep your snacking during studies healthy.
Get some exercise. Even if that means closing the book for ten minutes for a brisk walk it will help break up the monotony of studying and keep your body from becoming sluggish. Once again, I know it is hard to fit into already busy exam schedules, but this will be vital to you performance on the exam.
We have all heard these tips before and most of us know what we should and should not eat. This week simply give this a little extra attention because it can be easy to slip into counterproductive habits when stress is so high.
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