Health and

Wellness Study Tips

Heal th Serv icesUnivers i ty of New Hampshi re

Tip #1 Say “No” to All-Nighters

Students who deprived themselves of sleep to study all night tend to have lower GPAs than those who

made time to sleep.

During deep sleep, the brain replays certain experiences from the day, which, in turn, strengthens the memory of what happened. It is thought that when it comes to factual memories, like names, faces, numbers or locations, memory consolidation happens only during deep sleep — a phase of non–rapid eye movement sleep.

Source: Associated Professional Sleep Societies and http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1943283,00.html#ixzz0ZCQ8udWY (retrieved 12/9/09)

Study Tip #2 Get Comfortable Saying “NO”

Successful Ways to Say “No” with Confidence:

Be honest, polite and straight to the point. Think about yourself positively, and DON’T add qualifying statement (i.e. “You’ll probably think I’m crazy, but…”). Use the “I” formula:

I feel --- state your feelingI’d prefer --- offer a compromise

“Thank you for inviting me, but I need to study and I prefer not to go out tonight, lets get together

another time.”

Saying “no” should become a habit – doing so enables you to assert yourself and free up your time to do things that are more important

to you.

Study Tip #3 Forget About Energy Drinks

You know the scenario:

Mike glances over at his clock and it is already 11 PM. Another night has come too soon. He hasn't even begun to think about his ten page paper that is due at 9 AM. Mike definitely needs a jolt to get going so he grabs an energy drink out of his mini-fridge.

What's this energy drink got in store for Mike? Caffeine and lots of it! But how much he’ll never know because it's not listed on the label, and it's often disguised as guarana or some other undefined supplement. Some reports indicate there is as much caffeine in one energy drink (Cocaine, Monster, Red Bull, Rockstar) as in 2 to 3 standard-sized Cokes. Because they are not regulated, energy drinks are not required to list the amount of caffeine and other ingredients on the label. So the message is, buyer beware.

Energy drinks are touted to be a healthy drink alternative but the reality is that these drinks are dehydrating, can have negative health effects (with or without alcohol), prohibit a normal sleep

cycle (remember, Tip #1) and often crowd out other nutritious beverages. Instead, reach for milk, juice , hot chocolate or water as your energy drink of choice. If you feel you need caffeine, reach

for coffee or tea, in moderation of course!

Study Tip #4 Take A Break

Wellness Tips for Your Study Break Talk to your friends Go for a walk or work out Play video games Watch television Create art Write in your journal Laugh Take a long shower Listen to music Treat yourself to a hot chocolate downtown Make a list of all the things you want to do that are fun over the break Meditate ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU ENJOY DOING!

Too much of anything is never good – including studying! Make sure you take time away from studying to do something you enjoy.

Your mind, body and soul need a mental break from studying.

Study Tip #5 Avoid Alcohol

Tips for Making Low-Risk Drinking Choices

Size Matters!An alcohol drink is any drink that contains half an ounce of alcohol. The following contain half an ounce of alcohol: 12-ounce beer 4-ounce wine 1 ounce “shot” of 100-proof liquor.

If you choose to drink:Men: Drink no more than 0-2 a dayWomen: Drink no more than 0-1 a dayMen and Women: No more than 3 drinks on any one occasion

Know your limits, and stick to them!

The best choice is to avoid alcohol when you have exams to study for or papers to write!

Having 3 or more alcoholic drinks at one setting can effect your physical and mental performance up to three days later. If you choose to drink, make low-risk

choices.

Study Tip #6 Eat for Brain Power

Tips to Boost Your Brain Power Stay hydrated to feel good and perform well. Thirst is often mistaken for hunger and/or fatigue

Eat 3 meals and between meal snacks to keep yourself energized and to avoid extremes in hunger

Limit caffeine containing drinks (coffee, tea, energy drinks, soda) that can give you an energy boost initially, but ultimately produce a brain drain

Stock your backpack and dorm room with snacks: yogurt, fruit, nut butters, energy bars, trail mix, peanut butter, cheese

Limit your intake of simple sugars, such as candy and soda, it can provide an initial boost but then your sugar level drops and so does the energy.

Eating well is essential to boost your brain power

and AVOID the brain drain.

Study Tip #7 Move Your Body

Tips to Get Your Body Moving Go for a brisk walk or run Shoot some hoops Turn up the music and dance Go to a Health Services yoga class or attend a class at Campus Recreation Go ice skating or roller skating Get on your board (if you have one) and skate around campus Take a long walk in College Woods You get the idea!!!

A strong cardiovascular system in young adulthood impacts brain function by boosting brainpower! Get your heart

pumping for better grades and more success later in life.

Exercise also helps get more blood flow to the brain that results in diminished anxiety, enhanced mood and less

fatigue.

Sources: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_92494.html (last accessed 12/09/09)

5 Healthy Ways to Manage Stress

1. Surround yourself with supportive people

2. It’s spring time – get outside for some physical activity

3. Eat fruits and vegetables

4. Laugh – don’t take yourself or life too seriously

5. Learn to say “No”

Hang in there!

The semester is almost over!

Have a safe and

relaxing summer!

UNH Health Services

Summer is almost here!

unh.edu/health-services

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