11 Healthy Study Habits to Fuel Your Brain During Finals!

Finals and test-taking time are STRESSFUL!!  Especially if your study habits aren’t top notch! 

Would you agree??

There are so many easy steps you can do for your mental, emotional and physical health to keep you healthy during finals time and fuel your brain so you are in the best position to rock those tests! Good study habits not only include the actual studying part, but it also includes how you treat your body! 

When I’m not developing recipes and creating content for TastyBalance, I’m working at my day job, which is on a college campus as the Dining RD for the University of Southern California. Since I am immersed in the world of Residential Dining every day, I am always around students, particularly freshman.  I see and hear the frustrations of college life and it can take a toll on a students’ ability to perform at his/her best. 

Studying for exams is stressful and time-consuming. I get it. It’s just so much easier and comforting to order pizza and reach for fast food and sweets. But, will those foods give you the energy you need to get through finals and thrive? Absolutely not.  Poor diet, stress and lack of sleep WILL negatively affect your academic performance. Consider your body, health, and emotions when thinking about study habits. You are an academic athlete that needs to be fueled properly in order to operate at peak capacity! 

11 HEALTHY STUDY HABITS TO FUEL YOUR BRAIN

1. Keep your dorm/apartment and backpack stocked with healthy and delicious snacks

Examples of on-the-go snacks are nuts, hummus and baby carrots, berries, beef jerky, KIND bars, whole grain cereal, and roasted chickpeas. If you have a cooler bag, hard boiled eggs and greek yogurt can be a great option too! Check out my other posts for lots of healthy snack ideas: HERE and HERE.

2. Meal prep the day before you start studying

This can really help you avoid spending money on ordering unhealthy food from restaurants. Cook a few things ahead of time such as grains, pasta, chicken, beans, and veggies.  You can use those basic ingredients throughout the week to throw together quick meals!  Check out some more meal planning and prepping tips HERE.

For the meal in the picture below, I meal prepped a bunch of baked sweet potatoes and cooked off some chicken. A few days later I topped the sweet potato with the chicken, cilantro, pickled red onions and rinsed and drained canned black beans.  It was so easy because I had meal prepped the 2 main items ahead of time. 

3. Be sure to eat balanced meals with protein, healthy carbs and fat

 Balancing your meals will keep you fuller longer, more satisfied and less likely to reach for sugary snacks.   For example, if you’re having an apple for a snack, add some nut butter or a string cheese stick for satiety staying power. When eating meals, use the plate method which consists of a plate 1/2 full of vegetables, 1/4 grain (preferably whole grain) or starchy vegetable like sweet potatoes, and 1/4 protein.  

During this stressful time, please don’t forget to eat your fruits and veggies!! 

4. Fuel yourself with good mood foods containing omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants

Examples include salmon, nuts, berries, whole grains, leafy greens, beans and even dark chocolate! You can read more about some of my top EVERYDAY SUPER FOODS in a blog post I wrote for USC Hospitality. 

5. Don’t skip meals and stay on a regular eating schedule

Don’t succumb to a cranky mood and lack of concentration from blood sugar highs and lows.  Eating regular, balanced meals will help you to avoid this!

6. Stay hydrated!

I cannot stress this point enough. When you feel that afternoon sleepy time slump, sometimes accompanied by a headache and grumpiness, there’s a good chance you may be dehydrated. Skip the soda and opt for water. Add a few slices of citrus or fresh mint sprigs for extra flavor.

7. Avoid sugar crashes and swap super sugary, highly processed carbs like cookies and donuts with better for you treats.

Try a square of dark chocolate for a decadent and satisfying treat!  Or get the recipe for my favorite healthy sweet treat of all time: Chocolate Peanut Butter Yogurt with Berries

8. A moderate amount of caffeine can be helpful, but too much can cause adverse effects

The suggested upper limit for caffeine is around 400mg. To give you an idea of what the looks like, a tall Starbucks Pike Place Roast drip coffee has 235mg, a grande has 310mg and a venti has 410mg.  Listen to your body. More caffeine isn’t necessarily going to perk you up.  You may end up jittery and anxious instead. 

9. Get enough sleep!

Easy to say, but sometimes hard to do! I just overheard a student say that he didn’t sleep last night because he was too busy. Another student just said she only got 1 hour of sleep last night. Lack of sleep will not only affect your hunger hormones negatively, but it will affect you cognitively.  A sleep study out of UCLA showed that sleep deprivation is similar to being drunk! I can’t imagine studying or taking a test while drunk would be very effective!  Try not to drink caffeine after lunchtime. If you have a hard time falling asleep, try listening to calming music, guided meditations, or nature sounds. Apps such as Calm and Headspace are helpful!

10. Take exercise breaks, even if it’s just a power walk around campus

Every little bit helps! Not only is regular exercise good for cognitive function, but it’s a great way to relieve stress.  Grab your roomie and get outside or head to the gym!

11. Check out wellness events happening on campus

Many universities schedule wellness events during study and finals week to help you de-stress.   Events such as yoga, meditation, and even Pause for Paws programs where you get to pet cute doggies can be helpful with stress relief and could make you feel happy and more relaxed!

Do you have any healthy tips that you or your offspring use during study time?  I’d love to hear about them in the comments!

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