How To Stay Healthy During Finals Week

Elizabeth Lowe
elowe@smu.edu

Students pack the tables and desks of Fondren Library, pouring over course materials before due dates and exams. Many carry cups of Starbucks or cans of energy drinks preparing for long days and late nights.
Feelings of stress, anxiety, and in some cases, pure panic linger throughout campus. All-nighters and late night food runs become the norm as students push themselves through the next two weeks.

“December means one thing for us: finals,” says SMU junior Emily Kavy.

While under the influence of finals, most students struggle to maintain healthy diets, strong immune systems, and regular exercise.

SMU wellness professionals share their finals health advice for students to stay on their A-game, even under stressful academic demands. From fitness, nutrition, and clinic perspectives, experts equip students with tips to combat stress, bulge, and illness during finals.

Work Out to Get the Blood Flowing

The Dedman Center sees a significant decline in traffic during final class days. Brook Jimenez, Assistant Director of Fitness at Dedman, explains that students are busy studying and rarely find the time or energy to trek to the gym.

By the same token, Jimenez is a fitness specialist who believes in the power of a good workout.

“When you exercise, you’re supplying lots of oxygen rich blood throughout the body, especially to the brain,” Jimenez said. This extra blood flow and oxygen aids mental focus.

Although students’ schedules are tight, she recommends students aim for early morning workouts at lower intensities. After sleep, the body has been dormant and could use a jump-start.

She suggests students bring study material and power walk on the treadmills. Research shows that a little movement is better than none. For a more intense workout that still utilizes study time, Jimenez recommends that students use the stair- climbing machine while reading over their notes.

Staying Healthy: Protect the immune system

Along with exercise, professionals advise students to work to maintain a healthy immune system in order to avoid sick days or a post-finals crash.

Memorial Health Center Co-Director of Nursing, Madge Earnshaw, explains that flu season is in a lull. However, the Health Center anticipates heavier traffic due to cold and flu symptoms in the next weeks.

For students to protect themselves from infectious illnesses, she suggests they make use of anti-bacterial gels when studying in crowded, circulated areas like Fondren Library.

“Just do everything your mom told you to do,” Earnshaw said.

This means get rest, drink fluids, practice hygiene, and resist partying.

Another way to build your immune system during finals is multi-vitamins with plentiful amounts of B vitamins, Zinc, and Vitamin C. Morris Brossette, Nutrition Specialist and Health Coach, says these boost immunity and battle harmful stress.

Brossette explains, “the body won’t allow you to get sick under stress” because it has gone into “fight or flight” mode.

In return, he warns students of the eventual crash after finals and probable onset of a cold if they do not take care of their immune system during stressful times.

Finals Diet: Give the body nutrients

Multi-vitamins may help boost students’ immune systems, but Brossette advises that hydration and whole foods keep the brain alert and productive.

Brossette knows students will stay awake later and will snack later than the recommended stopping time of 8 p.m. However, he argues that late-night study diets can remain healthy.

“I get it, you have to study and need to learn. Turn to fruits and veggies; there is nothing wrong with whole foods,” says Brossette.

He explains that foods like apples and oranges allow bodies to utilize energy and still provide health benefits, unlike popular bars that contain extra fillers.

Also, Brossette wants to warn students about the affects of soda and dehydration. Soda can deplete hydration from the body, leaving brain cells shriveled and slow.

“Ten percent dehydration already begins to affect brain levels and your ability to think,” he explains.

For an alternative source of caffeine, Brossette turns to green tea and small servings of coffee. Not only do they each have health benefits, but they also can be sweetened with natural sweeteners like honey to fulfill the body’s need for sugar.

Put the Books Away: Make Time for sleep

The right diet and exercise routine gives students’ bodies energy for stressful finals weeks, but all three professionals agree that nothing beats a good night’s sleep.

Specialists at Dedman and at the Health Center say students should not expect all-nighters, but should spread out their studying with time for sleep and relaxation. They explain that without time to restore, the brain cannot function efficiently or affectively.

Jimenez also said lack of sleep leads to higher levels of cortical, a stress hormone stored in around the stomach. Higher levels of cortical means less brainpower and more stored fat the middle.

“This is a problem,” says Jimenez. “Students are not exercising or sleeping, but they still eat holiday and late-night food this time of year.”

Plenty of sleep, as specialists explained, affects the top wellness concerns of students: stress levels, weight gain, low energy, and physical illness.

Overall, professionals agree that holistic health boosts performance more than any energy drink or all-nighter. Before students schedule extensive library sessions and trips to 7-Eleven, wellness specialists hope they will opt for more sleep and a multi-vitamin to succeed in finals instead.