10 Ways to Stay Healthy During Exam Time

Studying is important — but so is wellness.

There's no denying that exam time is stressful. But there's also no denying that you need to find ways to take care of yourself during this time — physically, mentally, and emotionally.

From our experts, here are ideas on how to do that. Study hard! But also eat well, sleep well, exercise, and relax. Good luck!

1. Find your favourite spot

Solid studying needs a great place to happen. Happily, there are a variety of such places at NAIT’s main campus. Grab a coffee and settle into the one that suits you best, whether it's a haven of silence or an open spot that lets you know that you're not alone in this.

2. Boost your energy levels (in healthy ways)

Lots of caffeine is not the answer! We're not saying give up your coffee; rather, it's about balance. Eat right, drink lots of water, exercise, be aware of the low-energy points in your day, and experiment with eliminating them through energizing activities. Check out these tips.

3. Do your best to stay positive

Being negative is natural — expecting the worst is an evolutionary mechanism that helps us anticipate threats and survive them. But staying in that state probably won't help a whole lot right now. Here, Personal Fitness Trainer chair Kate Andrews offers six ways to change your perspective.

4. Sleep well

Sleeping better makes us better at being awake. We're not going to tell you that you need to get you a solid eight hours a night (well, if you can you should). But a NAIT counsellor has ideas on how to make the most of the hours you do get. Get into the right frame of mind, don't try too hard, and never take your phone into the bedroom. Rest assured, these tips will help.

5. Protect your eyes

How many hours a day do you spend looking at a screen? Probably a lot. That can lead to some very sore eyes. A solution is in sight! Particularly if you wear glasses, consider these six tips from grad Tana Currie (Opthalmic Dispensing — Glasses ’06, Optical Sciences — Contact Lenses ’08), owner and lead optician at The Vision Parlour.

6. Hang with Flynn

It’s a “ruff” job but someone’s got to do it. Since September 2013, Flynn, an Australian labradoodle and NAIT’s assisted therapy dog, has been a presence on campus, bringing a warm, fuzzy sense of calm to whomever he meets. That might be especially useful right now. Check his schedule (PDF) for a visit.

7. Get some exercise

You don't need to hit the gym or have a lot of equipment to get a sweat going and relieve stress. When gyms closed and dumbbells disappeared from store shelves, trainer Brittany Uchach (Personal Fitness Trainer ’05) developed this simple but comprehensive program. All it takes is 20 minutes.

8. Stop grinding your teeth

Waking up with pain in your jaw? Or headaches? Stress might be making you grind your teeth at night, which might also be interfering with your sleep. Here's what to know and do about it.

9. Try meditating

Yoga instructor Amanda Bell-Tardif (Personal Fitness Trainer ’09) starts and ends her day with 15 minutes of sitting and focusing on her breathing and how her body feels. That's it — and it changed her life. Maybe it can help you with getting through with exams, too. Here are her tips.

10. Eat well

A tight exam schedule is no excuse to eat poorly — after all, your brain is working overtime. How do you do that if you're short on time and money? Ernest’s Dining Room Ernest’s Dining Room executive chef Rylan Krause (Cook ’12) has tips that will keep you well fed through the next few weeks and right on through your time at NAIT.

Good luck on your exams, and stay healthy!