DIET, EXERCISE AND SLEEP A long exam is like a mental marathon in which endurance is critical. Nutritionists emphasise the importance of healthy eating habits at this stressful time, They say the right food and drink can energize your system, improve your alertness and sustain you through the long exam hours. The wrong dietary choices can make you feel sluggish, jittery, or burned out. Post it!!!!! What do you usually eat and drink????

WHAT CAN YOU DO? Breakfast Even if you normally skip breakfast or avoid eating when you are nervous, you should still make the time to eat something. Very simply, a hungry brain will not work efficiently, wasting all your devoted revision hours!!!

EAT SMART, BE SMART Avoid foods that are high in sugar such as chocolate, sweets, and energy drinks. They will create sugar highs and lows — the opposite of stabilising you during your long exam. Think… I am sitting for a prolonged period I need to concentrate not run around I need to focus on my work and the questions I need to complete

EAT SMART, BE SMART What should I be eating? SLOW RELEASE ENERGY (COMPLEX CARBS) PROTIEN – growth & repair, help release chemicals eg “TYROSINE” – alert and active LIGHT MEALS – eat more often rather than massive meals BRAIN FOODS: fruit, nuts, seeds, soups, salads, yoghurts and smoothies. OMEGA 3- enhances brain function. (fish, seeds, supplements)

HYDRATE WATER – improves body functions and gets rid of toxins. (8- 10 glasses per day) CASE STUDY: An experiment was carried out on 34 men and women who completed a number of mental tests twice – once after a breakfast of just a cereal bar and again after a cereal bar washed down with a bottle of water. None had eaten or drunk anything overnight and all were asked how thirsty they were at the start of the experiment. Those who said they weren’t thirsty were equally quick at the test of reaction time with or without the water. But those who were thirsty sped up after having a drink, making them up to 14% quicker than before.

SLEEP Get enough sleep. Many students get into the habit of studying late into the night, hoping to cram in a little more information into their already exhausted brains. Instead, on the night before the exam, stop studying in the early evening. Be prepared for the next day and ensure you don’t need to run around in the morning. You need time to switch off. By the night before your exam you have done all you can, don’t waste it by being overtired in the morning.

SLEEP TOP TIPS No caffeine Don’t eat too late… snacks De-stress. End the day with a plan to tomorrow, not worrying about it! Unplug- artificial light stops your body preparing for sleep Breathe, lie still and do some deep breathing exercises Darkness helps your sleep Quiet. Shhhh… If you can’t sleep go away and do something. Don’t lie there worrying Listen to your body Stick to a rhythm. Reset your body clock

EXERCISE Blow off steam Relieve stress Take your mind off work Release serotonin Enhance mood Social aspect Etc. PROVEN TO INCREASE ATTAINMENT LEVELS!!!!!! Write down how you could take your mind off revision?