As final exams approach, Eastern staff members urge students to keep their physical and mental wellbeing in mind.

To encourage students to take steps to maintain healthy habits and ensure they will do well on their final exams, Eastern professionals have provided several key tips for students to follow.

Eat Right

Rachael Jannusch, the nutrition education coordinator at the Health Education Resource Center, said students must be mindful of their eating habits heading into Final Exams Week.

She said students should maintain a regular, healthy meal pattern throughout their studying process.

“Students should be incorporating small, healthful snacks to help control hunger with busy schedules,” she said.

Danny Flood, a sophomore biological sciences major, said while he normally tries to eat three meals a day, he usually only eats two meals while studying for finals exams.

“When it comes to finals, I usually only eat breakfast and dinner and skip lunch,” he said. “Getting everything done, I completely forget about it to be honest.”

As well, students should avoid foods and beverages that can cause dehydration and increase stress, such as beverages that are sugar-sweetened and caffeinated or foods that are high in sugar and salt. To fight dehydration, Jannusch said students should drink eight to 10 cups of water a day.

Mackenzie Quinn, a sophomore special education major, said she enjoys drinking coffee in the morning and tea while studying. She said caffeine helps her with stress, though she does not overdo the amount she drinks.

Jannusch also suggested students eat a meal or snack before each exam to ensure they will not get hungry during the exam.

“If you are hungry, your concentration is compromised, which could result in ineffective studying or performance on a test,” she said.

Sleep Well

Maintaining a regular and adequate sleep pattern is also crucial for students during Final Exams Week, said Rob McKinney, community organizing and leadership coordinator at the Health Education Resource Center.

“Do not ignore sleep during Finals Week,” he said. “Not getting the right amount of sleep can produce a host of negative consequences for a person.”

The main consequence of not getting enough sleep is that students’ exam performance will suffer because of drowsiness and lack of concentration, McKinney said.

“With your body and mind not fully recharged from a good night’s sleep, it is like working with a battery that is not fully charged,” he said.

McKinney suggested students strive to get eight hours of sleep each night.

To accomplish this, he said small steps can help student sleep better, including maintaining a sleeping area that is cool and dark.

Flood said he tries his best to not let final exams eat into his normal sleep patterns.

“For finals, I usually go to bed early,” he said, saying he strives to get at least eight hours of sleep per night.

Stress a Little

Despite their best efforts, students might still be overcome by stress during Final Exams Week, counselor Angi Parker said.

Parker said along with maintaining healthy eating habits and regular sleep patterns, students should also maintain a regular study procedure going into Final Exams Week.

“Don’t wait until the night before your exam to start studying,” she said. “Spread your study time out and take some breaks as you study.”

Quinn said she does her best to study on a regular basis and not cram the weekend before Final Exams Week.

“I do my homework and study really hard throughout the week,” she said.

Not only will regular breaks from studying help students relieve stress and give their minds a break, they will also help students’ exam performance, Parker said.

“Your brain will retain more information if you give it breaks than trying to cram all at once,” she said.

Tim Deters can be reached at 581-2812 or tadeters@eiu.edu.