Have Enough Sleep
At least 8 hours of rest each night is essential for students maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This can be enhanced by having a set wake-up and bed-time each day. Removing technology from the bedrooms is also effective, as students should aim to turn off devices 30 minutes before they sleep.
Often before exams students spend their nights cramming until the early hours of the morning, however this will hinder the following day’s productivity. Instead, feeling well rested is advantageous towards good performance in an exam.
Eat Well
Eating a well-balanced diet is vital for good health during the HSC. Students should eat a minimum of three meals a day alongside a range of healthy snacks, providing fuel to enhance productivity. A concerning habit some students engage in is skipping meals during busy periods in order to study more. Not only is this disadvantageous towards a healthy lifestyle, productivity is disrupted as students become hungry and therefore unfocussed.
On exam days students may feel anxious and reluctant to eat, however consuming a substantial breakfast is necessary to sustain adequate brain power for optimal performance. Great brain foods include eggs, avocadoes and nuts.
Active Lifestyle
Lifestyles rich in activity are key towards overall physical health. A common misconception of the HSC experience is the majority of time should be spent slouched behind a desk, eyes glued to a computer screen. However, studying excessively like this results in the deterioration of student’s physical condition.
Incorporating physical activity into their routines enhances physical, mental and social well-being. This can be achieved through team sports, individual exercise or even simple measures such as going for regular walks.
Listen to Advice
Often during the HSC students lose sight of their health as they are heavily occupied by their studies. It is essential that students listen to advice of those around them as these perspectives can be very valuable. This includes parents, teachers and a range of health professionals that have students’ health in their best interest.
Talk to Someone
The HSC is a challenging time in every students’ lives with all year 12s experiencing some degree of stress. In some cases, this stress can evolve into more serious levels of anxiety, placing a strain on students’ mental health. It is critical students reach out if they feel this way and learn about coping strategies. This can be through a trusted friend, parent or councilor, ensuring they do not feel alone when dealing with these feelings.
Have Fun
Finally, an essential factor to optimize a students’ mental, physical and social well-being is ensuring they continue to have fun during the HSC.
Year 12 is the final year of 13 long years of schooling and students should not forget to celebrate and embrace this time. Enjoying seeing friends, having fun in the classroom and making the most of leisure time between study is all part of the year 12 experience and significantly contributes to good health during the HSC.
To get in contact with HSC tutors and other tutors in Sydney from Learnmate, please learn more here.
If you loved this article, you will LOVE all of our other articles, such as: 5 Ways to Best Prepare for the HSC!,The Best Way to Reduce Stress in Year 12: It’s Not What You Think and Study Tips for HSC English This Year!
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