Exam season has once again dawned upon us like an
inevitable speeding train, but there are a number of simple tips and tricks you
can take note of to make it that little bit more bearable. From diet to
memory-enhancing exercises and simply relaxing have been proven to help enhance
brain power and can have a knock-on positive effect on exams and assignments.
1. Chill Out
Funny as it sounds just taking it easy for a few
hours has been proven to make your brain hunger for more exercise. Although it
may be difficult to find time in your day to kick-back, a physiologist at the University of Kent, Samuele M. Marcora said “When you are mentally tired, intense
exercise adds to the stress you are feeling…It won't improve your fitness
level, but it is good for the mood.” A more positive outlook on your studies
will allow you to return to them with a fresh, more optimistic pair of eyes.
After a particularly stressful day, Macora
suggests moderate excersise such as walking or light jogging.
2. Talk and Be Honest
We’ve all heard the phrase ‘a problem shared is a
problem halved’ but during exams, it couldn’t be more accurate. By speaking to
your friends or family about how you’re feeling, your anxiety is out in the
open and you’re able to take the advice of others on board during your
revision. More importantly, by talking to your coursemates, you’ll get a better
idea of their study habits, be able to help each other brush up on your facts
and collaborate ideas. The relaxed atmosphere of group study sessions will
motivate your mind to grasp and retain more information and teaching someone
else by reading material aloud could also be beneficial. It has been shown to
significantly improve memory of the material.
Dropping the odd F-bomb or being honest about your
feelings has its academic advantages. After observing groups in various
workplaces, Yehuda Baruch, a
professor of management at Rouen Business
School in France, found that people swear as a coping mechanism to release
stress. When annoyed with a difficult customer, one test subject pretended to
carry on a conversation as if the client were still on the phone, but used
profanity to describe exactly how she felt.
3. Sleep
New research has revealed that lie-ins can actually
help boost memory and concentration. According to the study from the Division of Sleep and Chronobiology at
the University of Pennsylvania, you
can help yourself recover from all those late nights studying by turning off
your alarm clock for a couple of days a week. The study has also found that
sleeping longer can make you a better employee or student, boost your energy, attention
span and alertness.
4. Listen to Music
Certain types of music can be helpful in recalling
memories and facts, according to research. Information that’s studied or learnt
whilst listening to a particular track, album or collection of songs can be
recalled by recalling the song(s) or artist(s) in your mind. Just as music can
serve as an tool to remembering painful or unwanted memories, it can also
provide a positive purpose of triggering your memory and help sharpen your
skills academically and otherwise.
5. Be
Positive
Sounds easy enough, but simply being grateful for
the little things in life can help negativity distracting you from your
studies. If you have time, writing down a few blessings in your life every day
and why you’re grateful for them can help you de-stress. A health expert from
the University of Lancaster, Professor Cary Cooper said, “People
don’t always appreciate what they have…Try to be glass half full instead of
glass half empty.” Even if you’re naturally a pessimistic person, it is
possible to change your thought process and patterns, “By making a conscious
effort you can train yourself to be more positive about life. Problems are
often a question of perspective. If you change your perspective, you may see
your situation from a more positive point of view.” said Cooper.
6. Write It Down
If there’s something particular you need to recall
at the drop of a hat for an exam or essay, writing it down will create oxygenated
blood flow to areas of your brain that a responsible for your memories and
literally exercise those parts of it. So
re-writing your notes, however tedious, not only gives you material to read
from but helps boost your memory.
7. Feed Your Mind
By avoiding unhealthy, fatty foods, you can help
enhance your brain power and improve your performance in exams and for
assignments. But consider the fact that
50-60% of the brain’s overall weight is pure fat, which is used to insulate our
nerve cells and the better insulation you have, the faster you are capable of
thinking. This is why parents are advised to feed their young children food and
drink high in healthy types of fat such as whole milk and is vital for
long-term memory.
Foods such in Omega-3 such as oily fish and eggs
have been proven to help the human brain. According to Larry McCleary, M.D., author of
The ‘Brain Trust Program’, an
eggs are the ideal breakfast as they contain B vitamins, which help nerve cells
to burn glucose, antioxidants that protect neurons against damage, and omega-3
fatty acids that keep nerve cells firing at optimal speed. By eating a healthy
balanced diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables as well as plenty of protein
provides the nutrients your brain and other organs need to function as well as
possible.
8. Caffeine:
Caffeine has both good and bad effects on the human
body, but you can use it to your advantage during exams. Although caffeine
highly-addictive, long-time coffee drinkers reduce their odds of developing
Alzheimer’s disease by 65% compared to those who drink less according to a
Finnish study of 1,400 long-term coffee drinkers. Caffeine’s stimulating effect
increases activity in the brain, blocking the development of proteins
associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s and whether you’re a fan of
caffeine or not, it can help improve your concentration and make you more alert
for your studies in the short term.
9. Watch a Tear-Jerker
Take some time to yourself in front of your T.V. to
think positively about someone other than yourself. It sounds an odd way to
stress-bust, but a recent study by the University of Denver suggests that
thinking positively while watching a sad movie may help you cope with setbacks
in the real world. The study focused on women who had experienced stress were
shown sad scenes from movies. The majority of the women in the study distracted
themselves from their anxieties by coming up with more positive endings to the
films and good advice for the characters in them.
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10. Walk
“Exposing your retina to sunlight resets your
circadian rhythm so your brain is on a schedule.” Says Julie Holland, an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at New York University School of Medicine. So
going for a walk and experiencing nature is something psychologists are only
recently taking note of. One of nature's beneficial effects is improving
memory. In one study people who walked around an arboretum did 20% better on a
memory test than those who went for a walk around busy streets. Looking at your
revision or work in natural light can also be beneficial.
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