It’s all about getting the balance right
EXPERTS agree that balancing mental toughness and emotional resilience with caring for physically well-being is equally important.
Getting sufficient sleep, proper nutrition and being physically active should also be on your radar as you prepare.
Eat right
Nathalie Mat, a clinical dietitian with a special interest in child and adolescent nutrition, said: “How we eat affects our energy levels and concentration. Eating balanced meals and snacks with a variety of foods results in good blood sugar control.
“When our blood sugar control is smooth as silk, meaning no sugar highs followed by lows, we’re able to keep laser-like focus for longer.
“Quick fixes like coffee and energy drinks may promise a mental boost but are not ideal sources of nutrition and do not fuel our brains.
“High caffeine intake can affect sleep which further decreases concentration and learning. What we eat and drink impacts our ability to think clearly and concentrate for long periods. Fuelling your brain well will help you excel.”
Mat provided tips on how to eat better while studying:
Study when you study and eat when you eat:
Try not to mix the two: Paying attention to what you are eating is a good way to make sure you do not overeat. Keeping a good routine with regular meals and snacks can keep your energy levels up and help you stay focused.
Choose mostly water and drinks without sugar:
Focus on choosing water most of the time and use caffeine-containing drinks like tea, coffee and energy drinks sparingly to make sure you can keep concentrating well and sleep well. While a little may be helpful, too much caffeine can make concentrating more difficult. Choose foods with fibre: Foods with fibre or roughage will help keep you fuller for longer. Refined foods like sugar or white bread are low in fibre and also tend to spike then drop our energy levels. Aim for at least 6g of fibre per 100g of starchy food.
Move!
One of the easiest traps to fall into over an extended study period is sitting still for hours on end.
Joshua Marc De Hahn, a biokineticist, said while some may think long hours at a desk was evidence of discipline and virtue, it was actually counter-productive to learning.
“Our blood carries the nutrients, hormones and oxygen that supply our brain and body. With slow circulation and low volumes flowing throughout the body while we sit for extended periods, our brain and body do not function optimally. Physical activity increases our heart rate, the volume of blood pumped around the body and the amount of oxygen we consume.
“This creates an environment where more blood is flowing to the brain, which in turn means more oxygen and more nutrients reach the brain. This results in a brain and body that can function at a more optimal level.”
De Hahn said fitness was not only about high-intensity work or heavy strength training. It included movement across the entire spectrum – low-intensity mobility work to high-intensity strength sessions.
De Hahn’s tips on how to keep fit within your study schedule: While at your desk: In between sections or chapters, take 5 to 10 minutes to move the hands and fingers, shoulders, neck, spine, feet and ankles. These parts of the body are either not moving, moving a lot in one way or holding tension, so it is a good idea to get some variety of movement in them.
Getting up and standing (without leaving your study space): jog on the spot, bounce, squat and/or lunge in place. Take deep breaths and make sure to get some whole body movement in. This can be a good 10- to 20-minute session. This last one is about leaving your study space, going outside or to the park: It is important to take breaks from your study sessions so that your mind can absorb and retain what you have been working on. Go for a walk, a jog, a run, lift some weights, do some callisthenics in the park or head to your gym.
Although the aim is to get away from your study environment, get a change of scenery and/or spend some time with a friend, it is important that this time is not wasted. The sessions should last about 1 to 1.5 hours and then you should move your focus back to your studies.
Work the three options into your schedules, so that you can keep fit without wasting time.