Beat those exam blues

Studying non-stop leads to a burn-out. You’ll find that a lot of what you read or repeat out loud, just stops entering your head.

That’s perfectly normal. All of us need breaks to help our brains recharge. Here are some simple, super-short stress-busters to help you stay sharp through your study hours.

*   Short bursts of exercise work wonders for a tired brain. Skip, jog on the spot, or even try the boring routine that PT Sir makes you do at school…but to a hyper-disco pace! Just 5 minutes of this and you’d have worked up a good sweat (which of course will require another 5-minute break for a shower) and hey, you’ll be as good as new!

*   Since Bangalore temperatures are averaging 35 degrees Celsius by mid-day, a heavy rice-based lunch means a 3-hour siesta. Instead, have a meal of just salads. This will keep you from sleeping off after noon. Keep your favourite dishes for dinner, when it’s cooler.

*   All of us need to do some other task to break the boredom of endless studying. Fix a time when you’re going to fire up that mixie for a healthy lassi. And to keep this interesting, try different lassi flavours every time…a bit of chaat masala one day, a bit of grated carrot or cucumber another day, and so on.

*    Your family has heard you sing away in the bathroom, so now, just step out and do so in the drawing room! Play your favourite singer right after a heavy session with biology. Keep the volume up, and sing along, thump the tables or just play the air guitar for about five minutes. It’s just amazing how music recharges you for the next session with math.

*   Don’t hold on to your doubts for too long. Call a friend for a short chat (within 5 minutes) and clear all worries, so that you can study in peace.
Best of luck for your exams!