For most students, when finals roll around, good diets usually take a backseat to food and drinks that quickly satisfy hunger or temporarily raise energy levels. But the best choices for staying alert are often healthier snacks and earlier morning study sessions.
Third-year College student Shivesh Puri has three finals and five papers quickly approaching and described his stress level as an 8.5 on a scale from one to 10, "but that will probably go up," he said. Puri said he usually cooks for himself throughout the school year, but toward the end of the term, he has less free time and often will opt for easily attainable prepared or junk food.
David Zinczenko's book "Eat This, Not That!" cites healthier options for people such as Puri, offering better dietary options pertaining to stress, late night study sessions and early morning energizing breakfasts. The book lists blueberries as one of the best natural foods when you need a "brain boost," because their antioxidants protect the brain from "free-radical damage" and "improve cognitive processing."
This "brain-boosting" section also recommended coffee, which has been proven to enhance short-term memory and increase problem-solving skills.
"Coffee can be effective as a 'pick-me-up' substance or can interfere with sleep," said Melanie Brede, a registered dietician at Student Health, "One cup of coffee has an eight-hour metabolism cycle, so it will take eight hours for the caffeine in one cup to completely leave your system."
Brede said energy drinks also have dual effects. She explained that while the drinks' multiple stimulants may raise attentiveness, they can increase anxiety, a potentially harmful side effect for a student who is already nervous about taking a test.
Puri said he does not find caffeine productive for studying.
"My body is sensitive to stimulants; I just get jittery," he said.
Instead of caffeine, Brede advocates drinking plenty of water throughout exam week, because dehydration leads to fatigue.
"Eat This, Not That!" notes that ice cream and other sugary foods cause sudden surges of glucose, giving the feeling of a "sugar high." However, people will feel a "crash" after the initial energy rush, Brede said.
Additionally, these types of foods can decrease concentration during long periods of time, and snacks with a high saturated fat content can inhibit blood and nutrient flow to the brain. "I suggest thinking about if you're actually hungry," Brede said. "If you are, eat something. If you're just tired and need a 'pick-me-up,' do something else besides eating - get up and walk around for a little while before continuing to study."
Graduate Education student Deanna Koch said she maintains generally healthy habits throughout the year: she eats the same lunch every day, drinks one cup of coffee per day and ensures she gets at least eight hours of sleep each night.
"I'm probably not a typical student in that respect," she said.
Some students may be more prone to cramming all night for a test, but getting enough sleep is certainly important to stay focused while taking an exam.
Foods that may help you fall asleep include nonfat popcorn without butter, which makes the body produce serotonin, a neurochemical relaxant; oatmeal with bananas, rich in the sleep horomone, melatonin; and sesame seeds, which contain tryptophan, the amino acid found to incite drowsiness.
A glass of warm milk - rumored to help one fall asleep - actually has the opposite effect because of the high amount of protein which boosts energy levels.
"It is important to recognize that point where you're so tired that it would be more effective to get a night's sleep, or even just taking a nap, and waking up to study in the morning, as opposed to staying up all night," Brede said.
For those early morning exams, the book notes that eating breakfast is one of the most important things to do, not only to boost energy levels but also to start one's metabolism to burn calories.
A few of the preferred breakfasts listed in the book include eggs with whole wheat toast as a protein source, cottage cheese with berries for a low, steady level of blood sugar and wheat cereals for high doses of fiber.
As for breakfast foods to avoid, the book cited a bagel with cream cheese along with donuts and pancakes, because the "fast-burning carbohydrates will cause a dip in energy and a spike in hunger."\nOne of the best tips for nutrition during exam week, Brede said, is to eat before the test, giving you the energy to recall information and perform well.
Koch said after watching her roommates lapse into irregular sleep patterns and unhealthy eating habits and from her own work as a student-teacher, she sees many of the typical practices of students during finals week as detrimental to their well-being.
"Some can handle the stress well, but for a lot of students, it's a general experience," Puri said. "It's a trend - a solidarity with almost everyone - to sleep less and eat worse."
During times of high stress, it may be easier and more convenient for students to fall into unhealthy habits, but students looking to maintain their bodies as well as their GPAs should not sacrifice sleep and healthy eating.
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