As the school year is winding down and students are preparing to go home for the summer, there is one thing most are looking forward to after living on campus for the year: home cooked meals. Well, during the last week here at school, and with finals starting soon, you should know that eating healthy and exercising can help relieve stress, which in turn can help with better grades on exams next week.
Taking time to choose the right foods and to be physically active in between all of your studying will help you to be less stressed during exam week. Research shows that exercising can help you to feel less anxious, feel more relaxed, feel better about yourself, and help you make healthier eating habits. When combining exercise with eating well you can build a strong mind and body.
It takes approximately 20 minutes of aerobic exercise a day to help control a person’s stress level. This can take place in the form of many different activities. Some activities include: walking, running, swimming, or playing soccer, lacrosse, and basketball. Taking the time to do an aerobic activity for only 20 minutes of your day will decrease your stress level and allow you to be better focused on the different tasks you have at hand.
Another way to help decrease your stress level, along with exercise, is to make sure to take breaks from school work every 90 minutes. Taking a 10-minute break every 90 minutes will help to control your stress level.
Exercising alone will not be enough to help take down your stress level during finals week. Eating healthy is also an important factor. Ritchie gives students the ability to make healthy food choices. You can make your own sandwich with healthy options including lettuce, peppers, and different lunch meats. Ritchie also offers a salad bar that includes eggs, vegetables, and fat-free dressings. Students can also choose healthy drink options while eating meals. Ritchie has a juice station located next to the pop machines and different types of milk located on the breakfast bar. Also, on the breakfast bar are multiple types of fresh fruit. Trying to eat healthy, nutrient-dense, balanced meals will help you feel less stressed.
Watching the number of calories you are consuming each day will also help you to better understand the amount of exercising you need to do. On average (numbers can change depending on different factors) about 10 minutes of a brisk walk will burn 50 calories. Even walking for the 10 minutes you have between classes or taking time to exercise between studying and taking exams will allow you to burn the calories you are consuming during the day.
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