Keeping your body healthy is another key part of preparing yourself for quizzes, tests, and exams. The following strategies will help you prepare physically:
Maintain your regular sleep routine. To do well on exams, you will need to be alert so that you can think clearly, and you are more likely to be alert when you are well rested. Last-minute, late-night cramming does not allow you to get sufficient sleep, so it isn’t an effective study strategy. Most students need seven to eight hours of sleep the night before the exam.
Follow your regular exercise program. Exercise is a positive way to relieve stress and to give yourself a much-needed break from long hours of studying.
Eat right. Eat a light breakfast before a morning exam, and avoid greasy or acidic foods that might upset your stomach. Limit the amount of caffeinated beverages you drink on exam day because caffeine can make you jittery. Choose fruits, vegetables, and other foods that are high in energy-rich complex carbohydrates. Avoid eating sweets before an exam; the immediate energy boost they create can be quickly followed by a loss of energy and alertness. Ask the instructor whether you may bring a bottle of water with you to the exam.