Exam season is upon us. In our household we have one young person writing their GCSE’s and another about to face their A levels. Apart from being ever so grateful that we’re not taking these exams ourselves, all we can do is support from the sidelines. For us that looks like keeping the snack cupboard well stocked, offering regular walks, preparing nutritious meals and having late night conversations about it all (because teenagers only seem to engage in conversation after 10pm!).
The pressure on school pupils and university students is extraordinary at this time of year and the need for maintaining mental and physical health is essential to go the distance.
Here are a few ways that you can support yourself or a loved one preparing for exam season:
Eat well
It’s all too easy to reach for another slice of toast and to graze on high carb, sugary snacks while revising and in between exams. When you can, help them to include proteins and whole foods to nourish their brains and support stamina. Omega 3 is essential for good focus, if they eat fish then you know what to do, but if not consider supplementing. Having some protein rich snacks such as nuts, seeds, or hummus handy can help to level out those sugar spikes.
Get outdoors for a walk / fresh air break
More than ever it is essential to get out into this unpredictable but sometimes glorious spring weather. A short work can help to process information, gain perspective and dispel anxiety. If your young person enjoys a workout then sometimes just encouraging that and giving them permission to take some time out to get their heart rate up can make for a more productive study session afterwards.
Get a decent night’s sleep
It can be very tempting to stay up late working and then sleep in late the next morning. As much as possible, stick to a routine that allows for at least 8 hours sleep at fairly regular times. This will make waking up on exam mornings less of an ordeal. You may feel you’ve regressed back to the days of trying to enforce a bedtime, but sleep is essential for good cognitive function. On nights where one of us feels particularly anxious we take Calm & Collected, our mix to calm anxiety and support sleep. It works wonders to quieten a busy, anxious mind and enable some much needed rest. With natural ingredients including Ashwagandha, Holy Basil and Lion’s Mane mushroom, we can support frazzled nervous systems to rebalance and rest.
Nourish their brain health
Every morning at the moment I remind my young people to take their multi-vitamins, they also take their focus supplements. If I had it my way they would be taking more supplements but they draw the line!
Every ingredient in our award winning focus formulation Focus & Clarity has a positive effect on our cognitive function.
- Rosemary ‘for remembrance’- improves memory and recall.
- Lion’s Mane mushroom - ‘nature’s nutrient for the neurons’, it has been shown to increase cognition and help with focus, as well as calm.
- Holy Basil (Tulsi) - improves mental function and calm.
- Rhodiola - supports endurance and stamina.
- Lemon Balm - enhances memory and recall.
- Gotu Kola - increases blood flow to the brain and is great for clearing brain fog.
Take it as it comes
When they get anxious or jittery, we remind them to take things one day at a time and one exam at a time. It can be overwhelming to think of everything that still needs to be learned and all the exams still to be written, so taking things one step at a time can feel more manageable.
Wishing all students and their supporting loved ones a calm and successful exam season. Think of the glorious summer waiting for you on the other side.
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