Brain Food: Keep Calm and Carrying on Eating

It’s that time of year again when some people wake up and, for a carefree moment, the sun is shining and all is well with the world, then it hits you ……..that sick feeling, a feeling of dread and terror, a dead weight in the pit of your stomach and you then you remember why………. it’s exam time!

My beautiful niece Amy is in the middle of her A/S levels and it was her idea for me to write something about what to eat to beat exam stress. The effect of diet on brain chemistry and cognition it a relatively new but very exciting area of nutrition and one that I plan to write more about at some point. But, if like Amy, you’re in the middle of revising for or taking exams right now here are some tips that may help you concentrate better, think faster, and deal with exam stress.

Start the day right - although you might not feel like eating when you first get up, particularly on the morning of an exam, breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. Studies show that people who eat breakfast think faster and remember things better. If that isn’t enough incentive to eat breakfast I don’t know what is. The fact of the matter is, if you want your brain to work properly in the morning you’ve got to give it the fuel to do so, which means breakfast. Another reason for eating breakfast, especially on the day of an exam, is that you want your mental focus to be on your exam not on a rumbling tummy. The best choice for breakfast is something that combines low GI ‘slow release’ carbs and some protein, so porridge or muesli or eggs or peanut butter on wholemeal toast are good options. Low GI/slow release carbs are broken down into sugar slowly which will help to keep your blood sugar level stable and that’s a good thing because a dip in blood sugar can mean a dip in concentration and brain power.

Eat regularly - the food you eat provides the fuel your brain needs so if you skip meals and your blood sugar level drops your brain might decide to go on a bit of a go-slow. When you’re revising take a short break every 2-3hours, rest your brain, stretch your muscles, have a drink and a healthy snack. Good choices for snacks include fruit, a couple of oatcakes with hummus or peanut butter, wholemeal toast or a smoothie. On days when you have an exam, especially if it’s going to be a long one, take bottle of water and small snack like a banana or some dried fruit and nuts into the exam room with you.

Don’t eat too late at night – when you’re studying hard your brain needs time to relax and the best way to help it relax is with a good night’s sleep. A heavy meal too close to bedtime can interfere with sleep, so try to have your last meal at least 3 hours before you go to bed, but going to bed hungry can also make it more difficult to sleep so if you eat early have a small snack like a milky drink or a bowl of cereal before you go to bed. Avoid all caffeine containing food and drinks (tea, coffee, cola and chocolate) for least 4 hours before going to bed – some people who are very sensitive to caffeine can still feel the effect 12 hours later.

Look after your body as well as your brain – I don’t need to tell you how stressful exams are but what you might not know is that stress can affect the balance of good and bacteria that we have living in our gut. This can take its toll on your immune system making you more vulnerable to colds and stuff. There’s never a good time to be ill but the run up to exams has to be one of the worst so to keep your immune system healthy I recommend taking a probiotic supplement like Actimel or Yakult

Don’t forget to drink - your brain is around 75% water and to work efficiently it needs to be kept properly hydrated. If you don’t drink enough you will find it more difficult concentrate, and you’re more likely to get a headache. Water is the healthiest thing to drink (don’t forget to take a bottle into the exam room with you) but if you fancy something a bit more exciting go for fruit squash or some flavoured milk. Avoid too many fizzy drinks – even the sugar free variety can damage your teeth.

Good to anyone taking exams - especially to you Amy !