We’re giving you these tips because we feel your pain (Image: www.meagherspharmacy.ie)
With midterm exams right around the corner, students everywhere are stocking up on coffee and junk food so they can stay up all night and study. Midterms can be an extremely stressful week for many students. The lack of sleep due to late night cramming and anxiety about upcoming tests is a sure-fire way to raise stress levels through the roof! Below are a few things you can do to naturally combat stress throughout midterm week.
- Practice Meditation: Spending only fifteen to thirty minutes a day on meditation can greatly restore the inner calm and relax your state of mind. Mediation is cheap and easy to practice, plus it can also be practiced anywhere. There are many different types of meditation for you to choose from, including Mantra meditation, mindfulness meditation, and yoga.
- Participate in Physical Activity: Not only does exercise keep the body healthy but it can help to keep the mind healthy as well. Exercise has been proven to reduce stress hormones while at the same time release endorphins, a natural “happy chemical” in the body.
- Consume More B Vitamins: B vitamins have been proven to ease stress, treat anxiety, promote brain and memory function, and help fight fatigue. This seems like a recipe for success during midterm season! Some foods to incorporate into your diet that are high in vitamin B include peas, eggs and fish among others.
- Eat Healthy: During midterm season it is much easier to grab some junk food while in the midst of studying. However, studies have proven that a healthy balanced diet can help soothe the mind and reduce stress. Some stress fighting foods to eat throughout midterms are mostly found in fruits and leafy vegetables (e.g., berries, oranges, almonds, and spinach.)
- Get Enough Sleep: I know that this may seem like an impossible task but it’s absolutely important to get a proper rest during midterm exam season. The bad thing about all-night study sessions is that the sleep deprivation can have negative effects on the brain’s memory. To sacrifice sleep only to forget everything that you’ve studied right before an exam is a nightmare for any student! Getting seven to eight hours of sleep per night can greatly reduce your stress levels and improve your memory.
While midterms can be a stressful time for students, we urge you to start studying early and not to force yourself into cramming at the last minute. While you may feel you work best under pressure, cramming has many disadvantages, including memory loss, information overload and stress. Elevated stress levels during midterm week can make it difficult to concentrate while writing a test, leading to an overall negative performance. To all of those who are writing or studying for exams right now, we here at Fresh Print Magazine wish you the best of luck!
