In Pretoria, the Jacaranda trees are in full bloom and, for most, it is a beautiful purple wonderland, but for students all over, it symbolizes the arrival of the most daunting time of the year: final exams.
Exam season is associated with a time of high stress, little sleep and the consumption of an unhealthy amount of caffeine. Here are a few tips from a nutritional specialist's perspective to ace your exam.
1. Eat a balanced breakfast.
On most mornings before an exam, you might not feel like eating, but trust me, it’s the best thing you can do. Research shows that students who eat breakfast before an exam perform better. Including low-GI foods like oats or low-sugar muesli, this will ensure long-lasting energy for that 3-hour paper.
2. Eat lots of food, which is linked to better brainpower.
Some foods have the ability to increase focus, slow cognitive decline, and improve memory. Eat lots of green leafy vegetables such as broccoli and spinach, fatty fish to get the benefits from omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidant-rich foods such as berries and my personal favorite 75% and higher dark chocolate. Nuts, especially walnuts, have also proved to improve brain function.
3. Sweat out the stress.
Although you might not always have the time, try to move your body every day. The University of Stellenbosch reports that students who exercise regularly perform better in cognitive tests, have better memory retention, and are more alert during exams. This is also a great way to let off a little steam.
4. Be careful when burning the midnight oil.
Studying until 2 am might seem like the only way to get through the work of the year, but this will not benefit you the next day of the exam when you are trying to survive on 3 hours of sleep. Good quality sleep helps boost your coordination, improve reaction times, and enhance your mental and physical stamina and the creme de la creme of sleep is that it improves your brain function.
Stay calm and ace this exam season by keeping your nutrition good, moving enough, and getting your beauty sleep.