Healthy Lifestyle Affects Paper Writing Performance of Students
Previously, student’s performance was mostly analyzed through “diligent—not diligent,” “talented—not talented,” “smart—stupid,” etc. We can’t say that it was totally unfair, but there are many more factors that should be taken into account, and lifestyle is the critical factor.
There are several studies, which prove the dependance of writing performance on a healthy lifestyle. For example, “Healthy Lifestyles of University Students in China and Influential Factors” (2013) by Dong Wang, Xiao-Hui Xing, and Xian-Bo Wu; “Factors Affecting Health-Promoting Behaviors of University Students in Jordan” (2015) by Abeer Shaheen and her team; “Healthy lifestyle behaviors of university students” (2018) by Cuneyt Caliskan and others. Most of these studies you can find at ResearchGate — they are free of charge, and available to readers even without registration.
However, if you don’t have time to read each of those research papers, but want to know the result, here are some common conclusions we’ve noticed in all the studies.
How Healthy Lifestyle Affects Paper Writing Performance of Students
Healthy Eating Increases Cognitive Abilities
Well, cognitive abilities define how good you can learn something, how fast you can use what you’ve learned, and how creative your thinking is. Yes, it is not about talent; mostly, it is about your cognitive abilities. To make sure your brain works as it should at your age, you have to focus on what you eat. We don’t want to mention some unrealistic situations, like you eating whole foods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, having only healthy snacks, and not drinking soda. It would be perfect, but people simply don’t live like that.
So, to maximize the effect of healthy eating on your brain and writing activity, you should:
- Make sure you have at least one balanced meal per day;
- Eat not later than 4 hours before sleep most of the days;
- Have simple carbohydrates (like basic sugars) not later than noon most days;
- Limit sweet drinks (juices, smoothies as well) to 3-4 per week;
- Drink at least 1,5 liters of water. Yes, your app says 2,5 — but start with one at least.
- Eat more greens, at least one serving per day.
- Allow yourself some sweetened products when studying to boost brain activity in the short run, but a little. For example, one tic-tac drop gives you about three minutes of increased attention.
- Don’t forget about healthy fiber.
- Use only those supplements which are approved by your doctor. Google search is not a doctor.
It is also very important to focus on your health in terms of the balance between studying and rest. Sleep more, spare some time to spend it breathing fresh air, or doing some physical activity. Remember, “paying someone to write my paper” decision is often much better than “not sleeping for three days.”
Physical Activity Is a Must for Your Writing Performance
Yes, of course, you can write without running a marathon. However, if you add some physical activity to your daily life, you will certainly become more focused, concentrated, and less stressed. It is enough to increase your writing performance.
Follow some simple rules:
- One hundred fifty minutes of concentrated cardio activity per week. It is a minimum request formulated by the World Health Organization. The previous year this limit was increased to 300 minutes per week, but most of the doctors keep it 150 for now. Each activity session should be no less than 15 minutes, better more.
- Don’t forget about stretching. You can call it yoga. You can call it stretching or slow pilates, it doesn’t matter. What matters — you have to give your muscles some stretch. Then your shoulders won’t be stuck, the blood flow to your brain won’t be interrupted, and your cognitive abilities will be fine.
- Physical activities outdoors will help with headaches. Many students complain about having migraines and cluster headaches. You can’t fully treat them, but you can maintain them with basic physical activities done outdoors.
Limiting Stress Covers Most of the Problems
Stress is often the key to your limited writing performance. If you are afraid of failing, you are stressed about some situation in your family, you have just broken up with your partner, you can’t be focused enough to write properly. Unfortunately, there are no simple answers to how to maintain stress. Try the variety of options – meditation, art, martial arts, talking with the therapist, and choose the one which works for you most.
Most of the studies we’ve mentioned and some others say that a healthy lifestyle is very much dependent on your background — students from wealthier families are more inclined to have this beneficial lifestyle. However, healthy living is not solely about money. It is much more about habits. If a gym is too expensive, jumping-jacks in your room are for free, as well as yoga tutorials. Whole-green-seed-nuts-goji-berries salads are expensive, but oatmeal with walnuts is not.
