Your knee should be bent and aligned with your ankle. Place your hands on your left thigh. Press your hips forward until you feel tension in the front of your right thigh.

Hold for 30 seconds, then switch sides. B — Chest-opening hug: Stand with feet hip-width apart and knees slightly bent. Extend your arms out to the side with palms facing up. Inhale deeply through your nose and look up, expanding your chest and opening your arms as wide as possible.

Exhale through your mouth while wrapping your arms around you. Your fingertips should be hugging your upper back, your spine should be rounded, and your chin should be dropped in toward your chest.

Lie down with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. The foam roller should be positioned under your upper back. Use your hands to support your head.

Roll from the upper part of your back to your mid-back, being careful not to roll onto your neck or lower back. Roll back and forth for 30 to 60 seconds. D — Cat-cow pose: Start with on your hands and knees with your wrists directly under your shoulders.

Fingertips should point forward, knees should be directly under your hips, and shins and knees should be hip-width apart. Move into cow pose: Inhale and drop your abdomen toward the mat. Lift your chin and chest and gaze up toward the ceiling.

Be sure to feel the stretch through your shoulder blades. Move into cat pose: As you exhale, draw your stomach toward your spine and round your back toward the ceiling, like a cat stretching its back. Inhale as you come back to cow and exhale as you return to cat.

Repeat five to 20 times, then rest by sitting back on your heels with your torso upright. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your head in a straight line with your spine. Take a deep breath. Bend from the waist until your palms touch the floor bend your knees if you need to.

Place your right foot, then your left, about 4 feet behind your hands. Straighten your spine. Hold for five to breaths. Dancing also literally makes you smarter. Dance requires split-second, rapid-fire decision making and makes use of several brain functions at once kinesthetic, rational, musical, and emotional — further increasing your neural connectivity.

Psychologists say that most people have an innate preference for that tempo, according to Scientific American. When you need a break from studying, do something simple: just get up. Walk around the room for a couple of minutes.

Even that small amount of activity can help you feel better. Chocolate contains a small hit of caffeine, but the real boost comes from flavonoids in the cocoa that boost cognitive skills and improve your mood.

A single cup of coffee also can provide the fuel and alertness you need to get back to the grind and dominate your online MBA degree studies. The University of Alabama at Birmingham offers an online MBA program that combines traditional university education with the convenience and flexibility afforded by advanced technology.

The program offers four concentrations that reflect growing sectors of the economy — Finance, Health Services, Management Information Systems, and Marketing — as well as a General Track.

WebMD, Exercise for Energy: Workouts That Work. com, Kneeling Hip-Flexor Stretch. Several other studies including anthocyanin-rich berries have also reported improvements in mental performance 4 , 5. Citrus fruits are highly nutritious, and their intake has been linked to a variety of health benefits, including the promotion of brain health.

Similarly to berries, citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruit are rich in flavonoids, including hesperidin, naringin, quercetin, and rutin, among others 6.

These compounds may have the ability to promote learning and memory, as well as protect nerve cells from injury, therefore warding off mental decline 7 , 8. Although fruit juices are more concentrated sources of these potential brain-health-promoting compounds, whole citrus fruits are also rich sources of flavonoids and can be used as a snack when studying or preparing for an exam.

Pair citrus fruits and citrus juice with a source of protein and healthy fat, such as mixed nuts, to make your snack more satisfying. Studies show that citrus fruit intake may help boost mental performance and improve overall brain function.

Cocoa has the highest flavonoid content by weight of any other food, which is why cocoa products like chocolate significantly contribute to dietary flavonoid intake.

Consuming flavonoid-rich cocoa products may favorably affect brain health In one study, 90 older adults with mild mental impairment drank a cocoa beverage containing either 45 mg, mg, or mg of cocoa flavonoids per serving once a day for 8 weeks At the end of the study, people who drank the high flavonoid beverage performed significantly better on mental tests than those assigned the low flavonoid beverage Plus, the high and intermediate flavonoid groups had improved insulin sensitivity , which was suggested to be the primary cause of the improved brain function.

Insulin is a hormone that helps move sugar from your blood into your cells, where it can be used for energy Other studies have shown that cocoa intake may help reduce mental fatigue, improve blood flow to the brain, and boost memory and reaction time on mental tasks 14 , Interestingly, flavonoids can cross the blood-brain barrier — a semipermeable membrane that protects your brain — and directly act on areas of the brain that control memory and attention Chocolate and cocoa products are loaded with flavonoid compounds.

Consuming cocoa products may help increase blood flow to your brain and improve your memory and reaction time. Nuts are packed with nutrients that are essential for brain health, including vitamin E and zinc.

Nuts are concentrated sources of healthy fat, protein, and fiber, and they can help keep you fueled throughout marathon study sessions.

Plus, some research shows that snacking on nuts may even help improve certain aspects of brain function. A study in 64 college students found that adding walnuts to the diet for 8 weeks led to a significant Another study in children found that nut intake was related to improved reaction time and performance on brain tests Additionally, a population-based study in 15, women showed consuming at least 5 servings of nuts per week was related to better overall mental status Nuts are nutrient-dense and contain vitamins and minerals essential to brain health, including vitamin E and zinc.

Eating nuts may help improve overall mental status. For example, selenium is involved in coordination, memory, cognition, and motor performance, while choline is needed for brain development and the production of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is necessary for memory storage and muscle function 22 , Vitamin B12 also plays important roles in neurological health, and having low levels of this vitamin impairs brain function 25 , However, you need to eat whole eggs — not just egg whites — to reap their potential brain-function-promoting benefits.

One study in 19 children and adolescents found that eating egg yolks was associated with higher short-term learning, memory scores, and attention, compared with egg whites. However, this study was funded by the Egg Nutrition Center, which may have influenced the study Eating whole eggs may help boost brain health due to the concentration of nutrients, including vitamin B12, choline, and selenium, found within the yolk.

Avocados are versatile fruits that can be enjoyed in several ways, including mashed into guacamole, spread on toast, or simply enjoyed whole with a bit of salt. As a convenient study snack, they may also help boost your brain function. A study in 84 adults demonstrated that those who ate a meal containing fresh avocados for 12 weeks had increased blood levels of lutein and experienced improvements in accuracy on mental tests However, the study was funded by the Hass Avocado Board, which may have influenced the study Regardless, blood lutein levels and lutein intake have been associated with better mental function in general 31 , Some research has shown that eating carotenoid-rich avocados may help improve mental performance.

Omega-3s are essential fats that play important roles in brain health. One study in 76 Japanese adults linked higher fish intake with better memory performance and brain health Another study in more than 17, schoolchildren found that an intake of 8 grams of fish per day was significantly associated with better grades in German and mathematics, compared with no or limited fish intake However, the study also noted that this association declined in the highest category of fish intake, which the researchers suggested may be due to the higher intake of mercury and other harmful pollutants found in seafood Many other studies have linked fish intake to better mental performance and slower mental decline, which is attributed to the concentration of important nutrients, including omega-3 fats, in fish 35 , Adding fish and seafood to your diet may enhance memory and boost overall brain health.

Eating fish may also help slow mental decline. Beets and beet products are rich in nitrates, which your body converts into a molecule called nitric oxide. Nitric oxide plays many important roles in your health, including proper nerve cell communication, blood flow, and brain function Consuming nitrate-rich beets and beet products has been associated with improvements in brain function in some studies.

A study in 24 younger and older adults found that drinking 5 ounces mL of beet juice significantly increased blood nitrate concentration and improved reaction time on mental tests in both age groups, compared with a placebo Another study in 40 adults found that drinking 15 ounces mL of beet juice improved blood flow to the brain and performance on a subtraction test, compared with a placebo You can increase your dietary intake of nitrates by enjoying roasted beets with a meal before an exam or sipping on fresh beet juice while studying.

Beets are rich in nitrates, which may help improve blood flow to the brain, nerve cell communication, and overall brain health. Studies have linked beet juice consumption to improved performance on tests. Vegetable intake in general is associated with better brain function and the promotion of overall health Red, orange, and green vegetables, including peppers, carrots, and broccoli, contain a variety of beneficial plant compounds, including carotenoid pigments, that have been shown to benefit mental performance.

The carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin accumulate in your retinas. This accumulation is referred to as macular pigment optical density MPOD. A study in 51 children between the ages of 7 and 13 found that MPOD was significantly related to brain function and intellectual ability Another study in 56 children between the ages of 8 and 9 also found that MPOD was positively associated with academic performance

That optimum 22° seems reasonable for studying. However, I am sorry the way you are feeling and I am sorry that things are tough right now. I hope things get better soon. You are loved, always. I really do hope things get better soon.

feeling demotivated all the time tried focusing on the goal but again on the same path of demotivation lack of confidence. I make planner for my studies but I follow for one or two days only I am not consistent I work hard but nothing effective and efficient things are happening.

Please give me some suggestions for consistency to my studyies. We help however we can, but it is on you to be disciplined and consistent. Good luck! Try sheduling a less intense planning that you will actually stick to. For that I suggest methods like flowmodoro or animedoro, that you can search up on google, to try and devote at least some time to studying even though you have fun on the side.

Come back to your studies after sufficient rest or else it is not effective anyway! Omg so guys I make myself such a promising timetable and then I just end up going only 1 or 2 topics and not even finishing them. IT IS SO ANNOYING WHEN I HAVE OVERDUE WORK. Is anyone in the same situation as me?

I have my bio and physics end of years tomorrow and I have not completed either of them. Hi Misaky, hang in there! I study 6 hours efficiently daily but after that it is not possible to concentrate the whole day. Please help. As a student i have to study for at least 16 hours, yes i do that and i have no problem in it, however i have 2 exam on the same day and usually i never slept in the afternoon however i feel sleepy around 3 after lunch so do you have any insights for that?

We are after quality study hours here, and a long run approach. Your issue here would simply be setting up a schedule that is sustainable for at least 6 months without burning out.

If you have enough sleep to begin with, it may be just an after lunch fatigue — which could be having too big a meal, or mid afternoon energy slump, of which a brisk 10 minute walk outdoors 8 may freshen you up.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh- I need help, mentally. Aw thanks, glad you found it useful Jennifer! Amazing post and very helpful as well to all the college students. I would like to share it with my sister and my colleagues who are pursuing higher education.

Keep sharing such great tips. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Notify me of replies to my comment via e-mail. You can also subscribe without commenting. Start preparing the right way. My email is and I'm preparing for CFA Level 1 CFA Level 2 CFA Level 3 Passed CFA FRM Part 1 FRM Part 2 CAIA Level 1 CAIA Level 2 Undecided.

Study in a brightly lit room 2. Remove all distractions before studying 4. Study with other like-minded people 5. Drink enough water 6. Have a balanced diet and avoid heavy meals 7. Study consistently and keep optimizing your routine 8. Go for a walk or just get up and move 9.

Chew some gum Limit caffeine beverages. Avoid energy drinks and alcohol Still tired? Try switching topics or tasks temporarily Take a minute power nap Finally, do you have enough sleep? Very helpful tips thanks so much Reply. trust me, i am there too but giving up only makes it worse… Reply.

HEY , HOW ARE YOU NOW? Stay strong, Do not give up and keep moving forward. You got this! I hope you are fine and positive now Reply. Wow, that is a good advice Reply. Walking Reply. Please help Reply. Ok nice but when it continued writing i get tired can u have any solution for that Reply.

This is great if you need a more substantial and more filling snack hello all-nighter. Twice as high in protein than regular yoghurt, it'll fill you up just by having it on its own or mixing it with your favourite granola or fruits.

Yoghurt has also been proven to relieve stress and boost mental capacity. Olives contain polyphenols, a natural chemical that reduce oxidative stress in the brain.

By eating a daily serving of healthy olives you can help improve your memory. Remember that! Trending at LSE Virtual undergraduate open day Campus tours Students at LSE Blog Careers service Behavioural Lab: get involved as a research participant or assistant. Apply Got an admissions question?

Search Go. Current students Articles 8 super study snacks. Nuts and seeds Nuts and seeds are an ideal nutritious snack. Berries Blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, dark cherries, goji berries, and mulberries are all packed with antioxidants that help keep our memories sharp as we age.

Fruit Just a single piece of fruit can be a fabulous snack option as well. Dark chocolate This is a snack for all the chocoholics out there! Eggs Eggs are a good source of several nutrients tied to brain health, including B6 and B12 vitamins, folate and choline, and at the same time one of the easiest things to cook shout out to hard-boiled eggs.

Cheese Our body uses fats derived from the food we eat for healthy brain activity, cheese is a delicious way to keep our brain healthy as it's rich in omega 3 and fatty acids, a good source of healthy fats, protein, calcium and B vitamins. Greek yoghurt This is great if you need a more substantial and more filling snack hello all-nighter.

Olives Olives contain polyphenols, a natural chemical that reduce oxidative stress in the brain. Written by LSE Social Media Ambassador Nafisa Singh. Share Email a link to this page Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn.