1. Drink Water, and lots of it
While this may seem extremely basic, we cannot stress the importance of hydration when it comes to studying for exams. Whether it's a long cramming session or you’re sitting a final that same day, being fully hydrated is essential for performing to the best of your abilities and staying focused for long periods of time. The recommended amount of water for students is around 1.5-2 litres a day and even more if you are exercising or playing sport. While it sometimes may feel like a waste of time constantly moving back and forth to the water fountain (and the toilet!), staying hydrated will ensure that you get the most out of the time you do spend working. So keep your bottles filled and never underestimate the power of hydration!
2. Coffee and Sugar: Ok but keep it to a minimum
It’s fine, we all understand, exam season is a tough time for all students and falling back on comfort foods is completely natural and to be expected. However, consuming these in large quantities can hinder your academic performance and cause more problems than they solve. While coffee can give you a nice boost of energy to get you going in the morning, it can also leave you jittery and dehydrated, which as we talked about in the previous point, we don’t want to let happen! One coffee in the morning can be very helpful, but try not to rely on it to compensate for other meals throughout the day. Likewise, items that are high in sugar can be a tasty snack to break up those long study sessions, however too much can leave you feeling lethargic afterwards, we would advise using alternatives as your main snacks and using small sweets or chocolates as rewards for completely specific study goals throughout the day. It’s always important to have those comforts when studying but moderation is the best method for optimising performance in this case.
3. Use Healthy Snack Alternatives
While sugar and coffee may not be the most effective options for high academic performance, that doesn’t mean you can’t still snack! There are plenty of healthy alternatives that you can try in order to ensure that you’re kept ticking over while also not sacrificing any performance for it. Fruit are especially important for this, with bananas especially being a great source of energy that is extremely healthy. However you can get creative with this, anything food that is non-processed and high in energy is bound to do the trick. From nuts, to unsalted popcorn, to fresh yoghurt these are bound to keep the hunger at bay while you study and keep you free from those dreaded sugar cravings. It’s important to plan ahead and prepare snacks in advance so that when you need that extra boost of energy you’re not left with the sole option of junk food from a vending machine or a corner shop. Get creative and happy snacking!
4. All meals are important, especially breakfast
No matter how much of a rush you are in to get into that exam or nab a seat in the library, skipping breakfast is a no-go. Studies have shown that skipping this meal is detrimental to academic performance and students should make sure to always eat something before setting out to start their day. While it may feel like time is of the essence as exams approach, no time saved from skipping breakfast will make up for the damage it will cause to your focus and performance while studying or sitting an exam. The same goes for meals throughout the day, while you may feel like you’re on a roll with study, or need to cram in that extra bit of notes before sitting an exam, skipping meals will have greater effects down the line. Taking 10-15 minutes to ensure that your body gets the nutrients it needs will be essential to your continued high performance as you prepare for finals.
5. Eat smaller meals, more often
Traditionally we eat three large meals a day, breakfast lunch and dinner. However this method is not exactly optimal for long study sessions. Large meals tend to leave people feeling bloated and lethargic and can hinder academic performance. When spending a day studying, we recommend 5-6 smaller meals spread out over the course of the day. This will help to fight against any lulls in performance you may experience following big meals and ensure that you are performing consistently throughout. Remember to keep these meals healthy and full of nutrients in order to maximise your academic potential.
If you’re a student who has got final exams coming up, we implore you to try out these diet tips and see how it helps your performance. Wishing you the best of luck this coming exam season.