It all comes down to this couple of weeks. You’ve spent a lot of time and money to spend the semester at University. You may have quit or turned down work so that you could study. You’ve spent either your own or your parent’s money to be in school, or perhaps you’ve taken out a loan to be here. Now is the moment to prove that all of those sacrifices were worth it. That all those notes you scribbled down are legible and contain valuable information. Welcome to exam season.

With all that pressure it’s no wonder so many people stress eat during exams. There’s so much pressure on you that food can seem like a comfort. Or you feel like you can’t justify the time to cook healthy food so you skip meals altogether. Every extra minute of cramming and going over your notes could be worth a few extra points on your grade. Which could make a huge difference to your life.

But without healthy food during this time you won’t perform at your best. That’s why making sure you make a plan to maintain your healthy eating habits at this time is crucial.

How To Stop Stress Eating During Exams

Eating on a schedule

Taking the time to plan out when you’re going to eat can help prevent you from starving yourself during intense study sessions, only to lead to binge eating once you’re done. If you know that you’ve got set eating times it will help stop you from over-eating, starving yourself and make sure you’re always properly fuelled to be taking in all that information.

Packing healthy snacks while on the go

Your brain is working overtime when you’re cramming and prepping for exams. That naturally makes you hungry as your brain burns through calories. Knowing that you will get hungry, making sure you have healthy snacks on hand will help you not reach for calorie-dense, low-nutrient options. Pack some nuts, peanut butter, fruit or healthy sandwiches to make sure you always have something healthy to snack on and won’t be tempted to reach for the junk food.

Staying hydrated

This is such an easy quick win that will make such a difference to your ability to concentrate. Get yourself a large bottle that fits half a gallon on water. Fill it up in the morning and take it everywhere with you. It’ll help keep your water intake in the front of your mind. Why water? For one, we all mistake thirst for hunger. If you start to feel hungry, there’s a good chance you’re actually just thirsty. So start there. Making sure you stay hydrated is also key for brain function. Your brain can’t pull up those references from the start of the semester if it isn’t hydrated. Brain fog is a real thing and making sure you’re drinking enough water will help you fight it.

Don’t overdo caffeine

It can seem like an essential. You’re starting to feel your energy levels drop so you reach for *another* coffee. One more caffeine hit to get you through this next few hours. In reality, it’s not the answer! You need good healthy food that will give you nutrients as well as energy. It’s fine to have some coffee in the morning but remember that if you’re drinking it in the afternoon, it will affect your sleep. And not sleeping well can also lead to weight gain. So swap out those late-night lattes for a healthy snack instead.