Does what you eat really affect your studying? We asked students last year for their top revision and study tips, and some of their tips involved food and drink. Here’s what they said about eating and drinking to help you study.
Keep hydrated
- Drink lots of water to stay focused
- Free tea
- Free coffee
Yup, this one is important! Make sure you keep hydrated to help your brain focus, as some studies have shown that dehydration reduces mental performance – the last thing you want when you’re studying. We all love a free drink – check the Study Happy calendar for dates and times to get your free tea or coffee. Also, try to avoid coffee before bedtime so that you are not too wired to sleep. Water is a good drink at any time of day, and cheap too!
Eat healthily
- Stay fit and eat healthy
- Eat healthy ! = Healthy mind !
- Avoid Energy Drinks/Tablets
- Eat brain food!!
Your brain needs nutrients too! Looking for study-friendly food inspiration before you hit the books or that lecture theatre? Here in the Library you’ll find Student brain food, a book packed with student-friendly recipes to help you study. There are loads of other student cookbooks out there, which offer budget-friendly and easy recipes that you can cook for yourself or for your housemates too.
The BBC Good Food website suggests 10 foods that may boost your brainpower, so why not try to get some of these in your diet?
As for energy drinks – sure, they have their place when you need that extra burst of energy. But go easy on them and drink them in moderation. All that added caffeine can be addictive and make you jittery and irritable, not the best state to be in for studying. Read more on the How stuff works blog.
Want to do your bit for the environment as well as your health? Eat seasonably can give you ideas and recipes for using fruit and vegetables that are in season each month in the UK, meaning you can eat for brain power and avoid the food air miles at the same time.
Treat yourself
- Have a nice piece of cake
- Buy sweets and chocolate to get you through!
If you crave the sweet things in life, then you might find that treating or rewarding yourself does help that studying. Personally, I found that nibbling on chocolate helped me get through writing that really difficult essay. Just remember to keep a balance in what you’re eating – sweets and chocolate alone are not going to be enough brain food to help you study well.
Have you got any tips for fellow students on eating and drinking to help you study? Share them below!
Image credits:
Futurelib Cambridge / Ideal Study Space components – Refreshments incl allowing food and drink (cropped) / CC-BY 2.0
Kate Hiscock / A view of the table today / CC-BY 2.0
Spentrails / Heaving with fruit and veg / CC-BY 2.0
Colby Stopa / Cake / CC-BY 2.0
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