Stay Healthy During Exams
We all know people who were an absolute disaster at doing exams – and now are
running hugely successful businesses and are as wealthy as you wish. And the
opposite: people who were brilliant at sitting exams but who it didn’t work out so
well for when it got unto the real things of life.
But as things stand exams are part of the game of life. They’re just that: a
game. And like any other game they have their rules and ways that you can
learn to do well at them.
Training
In training for any game the most important thing is practice. Practice, practice,
practice. You can know every page of the book but if you can’t get it down on
paper within the required time you might as well not have bothered. And as
anyone who has ever marked exams will tell you, the most important thing is
that you answer the question: the question that is in front of you, not some
other one you maybe wish had been there. This also comes with practice.
So in these final few weeks the most important thing is to do masses and masses
of practice papers. That’s even more important than endlessly studying up new
batches of facts. Exams are about exam technique, about getting very skillful at
manipulating the rules of the game. That comes back to practice. Just like any
other sport.
It is important that you take study breaks also and don’t spend hours studying
without a break.
Nutrition
Also like any sport there is a nutrition aspect. Strength athletes look for protein
to build up their strength. Endurance athletes need complex carbs to get ready
for their marathons. And for the exam marathon coming up you should be
looking at special food to build up the power of your brain.
The brain has more fat – good fat – in it than any other part of your body. And it
is a very special kind of fat. The important fats for brain functions are the ones
called EPA and DHA (to give them their short names). The nearest food source
we have to the EPA/DHA fats is the oil of oily fish (herring, mackerel, maybe
salmon). Note: this is different from cod liver oil.
That’s why the best food in the exam run-up is oily fish. This is one case where it
really is worth thinking of a good food supplement. Get a good fish oil
supplement and one teaspoon of it a day has as much EPA/DHA in it as six and a
half pounds of oily mackerel – and that is more fish than you are likely to eat.
This is the stuff of the brain.
Tempting as it may seem, don’t overdo the caffeine. It only provides a temporary
lift and too much caffeine will just leave you wired. It can also prevent you
sleeping and you need to sleep well to perform well at your exams.
If you drink alcohol don’t drink until after the exams.
Vitamins
The brain also has its own electricity. How well your brain operates depends on
the efficiency with which the neurons communicate with each other: three trillion
communications a second. Each one of these brain messages needs three specific
B vitamins to happen: B6, B12 and folic acid. That’s why the B vitamins are
known as the stress vitamins. Because handling stress and good brain function
are one and the same thing: stress breeds success.
B vitamins are found in whole grains (brown bread, brown rice) and especially in
lightly cooked dark green vegetables.
So it’s worth thinking about taking a good strong dose of B vitamin complex both
to handle stress and to up your brain activity. Good luck with the training…. Go
for it.
Physical activity
Physical activity can be a great stress reliever when you are studying hard. It
releases endorphins in the brain and helps you to relax. Even a few minutes of
daily activity will help when you are spending all day chained to the books.
Relaxation techniques
Relaxation techniques can be very useful in the lead up to and during exams.
They can help when you take a break from studying and also help you get to
sleep. For you, relaxation might include a walk, listening to music, yoga or
pilates.
Sleep
It is important to get adequate sleep. Stop studying at least two hours before
bed and do something relaxing. If you find sleeping difficult there are many
natural remedies available such as:
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Sprinkling a couple of drops of lavender or chamomile oil on your pillow.
Taking a bath with a few drops of lavender oil in the water.
Having some warm milk before bed.
Taking certain herbs can help. Ask at your local health food shop.