With college exams approaching, we can see everyone around us finally waking up from their long sleep and running around for notes and books and clearing last minute doubts. Amidst this chaos and a race for marks, we often forget to take care of ourselves and end up with bad eating habits, sleepless nights, lazy bodies and stress.
What most people don’t get is that keeping ourselves healthy during this time is just as important as studying. So, let’s look at some things you should keep in mind while preparing for your exams:
- EXERCISE
Indulging yourself in some physical exercise is a great way to take your mind off from studies for a while. It freshens your mind, improves your blood flow, helps you refocus and most of all, keeps you fit!
- MEDITATION
Exams can stress you out and sometimes that may lead to lack of concentration. Meditation helps you to de-stress and boosts concentration. There is a wide range of apps that introduce you to guided meditation.
- ADEQUATE SLEEP
Inadequate sleep is detrimental to health and may curb your ability to recall what you studied the night before. And if it’s the night before the exam day, well, you might find yourself dozing off while writing your exam! So, it’s important to get a good night’s sleep of about 6 to 7 hours, so that you wake up fresh.
- LESS CAFFEINE
We often look for ways to pull an all-nighter and the first thing that comes to our mind is coffee, or maybe Redbull, or any other drink with caffeine in it that keeps us awake. However, excess consumption of caffeine may have side effects like light headedness, agitation and even anxiety. So, caffeine consumption should be minimized. Simply staying hydrated can improve alertness.
- TAKING REGULAR BREAKS
Frequent breaks should be taken to unwind and freshen up. Just learn a thumb rule for this- divide your time between studies and break in 5:1 ratio. For example, after every 50 minutes of study, take a 10-minute break!
- DO SOMETHING YOU LIKE
Take some time out for your hobbies. Play your instrument, read your favourite book, play football or maybe watch your weekly program. Anything that relaxes you would suffice.
- STUDY SNACKS
It is common for our minds to wander off to food while studying. And often, it is the food that we probably shouldn’t be eating like chocolate, chips, fried snacks etc. But it is important to substitute these with the following, more healthy study snacks:
1. NUTS
Nuts like almond, cashew and walnut are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, protein and fibre which keeps us energized.
2. SEEDS
Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and flax seeds contain amino acids that lower anxiety levels.
3. BERRIES
Blueberries, strawberries and cherries are loaded with vitamins and antioxidants which help in keeping our mind focused and sleeping patterns consistent.
Keep a jar full of nuts, seeds and berries on your study table and munch on them whenever you crave for a snack.
- THE NIGHT BEFORE
Lay out everything you might need for the exam the night before and don’t leave anything for the morning. Sleep early so that you wake up fresh, eat a good breakfast and smash it!
All the best for your exams, people! Hope you find these tips helpful!