Beware! Junk Food can Decrease your Concentration Span

Beware! Junk Food can Decrease your Concentration Span

Junk food is tempting and tasty, so, much so, that while you are reading this article, your brain is already thinking about junk food. Right? But the harmful effects are many. One of them is that it decreases our concentration span.

Being a student, you cannot afford to lose your focus from study. So, if you thought that junk food is a great treat to your taste buds, then you must do a reality check.

Overconsumption of junk food can affect your ability to concentrate better, but that’s not all; our memory and behavior are also affected. According to experts, addiction to junk food can invite aggression in students which is not a positive sign.

What is more surprising is that even parents are encouraging the consumption of junk food. Healthy Tiffin boxes have been smoothly replaced by junk food packets which are easily accessible. Thus, the nutritional value has gone down, and health is at stake. If there is a lack of nutrition, how can we expect children to concentrate better on their studies?

Obesity is another major concern among parents. Don’t you think junk food is one of the potential reasons which contribute towards this problem? Obviously, it does! If this is not enough, junk food can also lead to dental problems.

School is the best place to learn things; hence, schools should ban or limit junk foods. As a parent, encourage your children to eat healthy. As a child, you must be aware of the nutritional value and choose between foods which are right for you. Here’s hoping you eat healthy.

How to Deal With Exam Stress

Exams are just to assess your preparation. So just relax, it is not the end of the world if you do not fare well in them. First and most important is your preparation before exam is to make sure you have prepared well and know the important topics well. On the day of the exam, completely avoid last minute mugging and stressing. You should have a good sleep of minimum 8 hours the previous night. The steps important for having a relaxed mind during exam are

1

Organize. Make sure you have all the things necessary for the exam: your stationery, your identity ticket, your watch etc. Last-minute searching for things can stress your mind further and create panic during the exam which can be disastrous.

2

Diet. Before you go to the exam, eat foods that are energy producing and at the same time not too heavy on your stomach that make you sleepy in the examination hall. Never go in on an empty stomach as you can end up concentrating more on your hunger than your exam paper. Fruits and proteins are good source of energy. Avoid intake of heavy carbohydrates like rice and potatoes which will make you sleepy. If possible carry a water bottle to the exam hall to rehydrate.

3

Relax. One hour before the exam, relax!! Don't stress yourself feeding more information to your already worked-up brain. Whatever you have learned, be confident of it and try to picture a calm stream, or take some deep breaths. You have done your preparation and now you should prepare yourself to give your best. A tired mind will do no good, so it is necessary to go into the hall with a refreshed mind. You have worked hard for it and nobody can take away your hard work. What you give always comes back to you. Remember this nature's law. If you not prepared well, let your mind accept the fact. It is not possible to go unprepared and expect no stress and good results. Instead of trying to revise that very last point you forgot to learn, try and briefly go over the different topics in your head so that way you keep an organised and open mind without putting pressure on yourself to learn that other point. The chances are you'll only remember what you learned just before the exam and panic with the other parts.

4

Plan. Once you get the question paper in your hand, read all the questions and make a quick rough plan how you are going to invest your time for doing your best. Mark the questions which you know the best and attempt them first. In this manner, you will increase your confidence further. Appreciate yourself for remembering the solutions and answers; your brain will work better. Never curse yourself if you forgot or didn't study something which you thought about studying. Remember it is too late now, and that your focus should be on the present moment.

5

Cross-check. It is very, very important to check your answers again in the end. The last 15 minutes should be to review your paper. Recheck every answer with patience and you will be surprised by how many careless faults you come across. Make the necessary corrections.

6

Forget. Most of the time after the exam is over, we worry about the results or waste time discussing what our friends have written. Realize that the time to do something about the results passed when you handed the answer sheet to the examiner. Knowing how your friend did on the paper will only add more worry. Chances are that even the friend who told you he did not do well would have lied to you. Accept that everybody tries their best in the exams. Regardless, you are losing your time and peace of mind trying to know what others did or spending energy on worrying which is already past. Concentrate on how you will face your next exam or how you are going to spend your time efficiently.