With midterm season fast approaching, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the deadlines you thought were weeks away. While you focus on preparing for your exams and getting your projects and assignments done on time, it is important that your physical and mental health aren’t sacrificed in the process. Here are a few tips to practice self care to get you through midterms.
- Get up and move
If you start to feel restless after sitting still in the library for too long, take a study break and go for a walk. According to the Harvard Health Blog, exercise not only reduces stress but also helps your brain produce chemicals that affect the health of brain cells and the growth of new blood vessels in the brain. Even though taking a walk instead of studying may not seem like it will help much with your midterms, getting your blood flowing will boost your brain power, helping you to do better on your midterms.
2. Get enough sleep
Resist the urge to stay up late in order to cram more studying in. The average adult is advised to get between 7-9 hours of sleep each night, and that time is crucial for our brains to sort and store information. According to the American Psychological Association, your brain transfers short-term memories to the temporal lobe, where they become long-term memories during REM sleep. A good night’s sleep is a crucial part of studying if you want to retain the knowledge you just spent hours learning.
3. Eat a balanced and healthy diet
It can be easy to get in the zone while studying, but you shouldn’t forget to eat healthy meals. Don’t be fooled by the appeal of instant meals like ramen; preparing fresh food to eat will be well worth the time away from your books. Eating a well balanced meal will help fuel your brain to continue studying, and snacks like blueberries and raw nuts provide a quick and easy boost of energy for your brain.
As you try to cram as much information that you can into your brain these next few weeks, remember that it isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon. If you keep these simple self care tips in mind as you prepare for midterms, your body, mind and GPA will thank you.
