'Bust Board Exam Stress With Diet & Sleep': Adults Who’ve Been There & Done That

It’s that time of the year again. There are deadlines, schedules and a general atmosphere of impending doom. Of course meals will be skipped, sleep will either be ignored or indulged in a little bit more and mood swings will become the norm of the day.

As you drown yourself in caffeine and junk food, that’s the last thing you should be doing. What should you be doing instead for a calmer mind and better preparation, you ask? Read on to find out.

1. Food to Bust Boards Stress

It’s absolutely important to avoid junk food as much as possible during this period. Foods which include preservatives, saturated fats and unhealthy sugar, tend to dull your spirits, and cause lethargy and mood swings. All of this is not only capable of disrupting your studying, but also leave you in a foul mood.

Instead, opt for stress-busting and memory enhancing food items, especially when you feel peckish. Nuts, berries and fresh fruits and vegetables in general are good options. Also try to include oats, dal and eggs in your diet.

2. Get Your Zzzzs

Ignoring sleep to get last minute cramming does no one any good. Instead of swiftly glancing through that one, difficult chapter, choose sleep. Sleeping would help you retain all that you have studied the next morning and write a better paper.

In case of disturbed sleep due to stress, try concentrating on your breathing when in bed. Practising mindfulness is another way of calming an over-worked mind. Concentrate on the moment at hand instead of jumping back and forth between the past and the future.

3. Boards< Mental Peace

At the end of the day, nothing is bigger than mental peace, not even your exams (even if it doesn’t seem like it right now). While some stress would motivate you and push you forward, it’s important to take a step back and look at the bigger picture.

Dr Sameer Malhotra, Head of the Department of Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences at Max Hospital, says that it’s important to have a plan A.

It can be the subject of your choice, something that you’re passionate about. Give plan A your best effort. But if that isn’t possible, then plan B should always be ready. Sometimes plan B can end up even better than plan A.

Dr Sameer Malhotra

He further adds that if you’re feeling low or miserable, or in more extreme cases, if suicidal thoughts are running through your head, reach out and seek help – counsellors are equipped to help you through it.

Always remember that this is not the final exam of your life, you are blessed with so many potentialities that you can explore.

Dr Sameer Malhotra

At the expense of resorting to a cliche - there’s more to life than numbers on a marksheet, and your grades don’t define you. Remember this mantra, repeat it to yourself and don’t forget to have fun as you brace yourself for exams.