exercise while doing homework

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• 12 Ways to Exercise While You Study. You Can Do #7 on the Go.
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Exercise not only makes your body healthy – it makes your brain healthy too. Studies have shown that exercising can improve your thinking skills . Plus, it’ll help you retain information better. So here are eight – wait, 12 ways to exercise? Oh boy. Get ready to feel the burn.

• Run on an elliptical or treadmill

This one’s easy. Just pop into AUA’s on-campus gym , put your study materials in front of you, and run. Let studying distract you from the fact that you’re running. When you’re on the machines, make sure to gradually increase your incline level. To end your work out, return the incline to your starting level and cool down. Also fun: imagine you’re running away from a bear or towards your goals – hey, whatever motivates you.

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• Chair squats

Studying requires a lot of sitting, which can make you antsy, but getting up too often can invite procrastination. Well, this exercise splits the difference. All you have to do is stand up from your chair and squat halfway – hovering over your chair. Hold this for ten seconds and then repeat about twenty times. Here’s a visual to get an idea of how to do it right.

• Wall sitting

This is kind of like #2 but you get some back support and it’s easier to hold for longer. You can also change it up a little by lifting one leg at a time, which will make you feel extra cool. If you’re a klutz like me, you may  prefer this option rather than risk fumbling backwards into a chair. Happens every time.

• Abdominal lifts

You can even sneak in some upper-body workouts while you memorize all the organs in your torso (medical school, right?). This only works if your chair has handles and isn’t a swivel . First – crisscross your legs on the seat. Then, only using your arms for support, lift up your body from the chair. You can also use this to fool people into believing you can levitate – as long as they don’t see your arms.

Swivel chairs – they’re the most fun chairs around. Seriously, how many times have you used one to just roll around? Now they can be put to good use with the oblique swivel ! First, hold onto your desk. Then use your arms to push yourself back and forth about 15-times. So, the next time someone judges you for choosing a swivel chair, show off your killer abs.

Too absorbed by your lecture notes to stand up? Understandable. That’s why lifting up your legs and holding them at a 90-degree angle for about 10-seconds at a time is the best thing ever for a lazy person like myself. After all, I do my entire exercise regimen from my desk – even when I’m not working.

• Water bottle curls

When you’re on the go, you probably have a water bottle with you to stay hydrated. If you don’t, you should, by the way. Well, now you can multitask. Just like lifting weights, curl that water bottle up to your shoulder about 15-times to get a quick and easy workout. This will help build strength in your wrists , which will you’ll probably need to take tests and whatnot. Or operate – wherever you’re at academically or professionally.

• Stretch to the sky

This one is also relatively simple. Sit up straight and raise your arms to the sky . You’ll never get there but, after holding that position for 10-seconds or so, you’ll feel refreshed. This is especially nice after a legit workout. Note: please don’t do this in class, lest you want to confuse your professor.

• Hold onto the edge of your seat

You may find yourself sitting at the edge of your seat during a good thriller, but have you tried holding that position? That’s slightly cooler. Sitting at the very edge of your seat with your hands firmly gripping the chair will keep your body weight down . Also, make sure this is not a swivel chair. That’s more of a #5 thing. Pro-tip: playing “The Touch” by Stan Bush will make this exercise go ten times faster.

10. Resistance bands

Remember Stretch Armstrong? That was cool. He was apparently ripped because he could stretch. Now you can be ripped too with resistance bands! These bands are usually cheap and you can take them anywhere. Put the band in both hands and stretch it as far as you can .

11. Replace your chair with a fitness ball

Chairs are so 2010. You’ll be doing a lot of sitting while you pour over your textbooks and notes. Why not have a chair that doubles as exercise equipment? A fitness ball will tone your core muscles and improve your balance . Plus, it’s bouncy, which is slightly more fun than a swivel chair.

None of this working for you? Shrug it off. Literally, shrug. Move your shoulders as close as you can to your ears for about five seconds and repeat. It’ll strengthen your trapezius muscles and relieve any stress building up in your shoulders. Bonus: doing it while you study will make it easier to retain whatever you’re studying.

Got any quick fitness tips? Tell us in the comments!

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How to study while exercising

Yes, you actually do have time to do it all: study AND optimize your health. Use these tips on how to study while exercising (and exercise while studying).

All-too-often, we work ourselves into a time-crunch when we balance multiple priorities.

When I was at university, there was a popular dilemma around campus: studies, sleep, and social life. You can have two of them at any given time. But only two . That’s because it’s humanly impossible to have all three and be good at any of them.

Now, we’re going to throw a fourth ball in your juggling act: exercise .

You’re probably well aware of the physical and psychological benefits of regular exercise (learn how exercise works out the brain ). But how the heck are you going to balance studies, sleep, social life, and exercise? Even if it is just 45 minutes of exercise per day, that’s time you could spend sleeping, preparing for a huge upcoming exam, or making out with your crush.

Well, we’re here to tell you that rather than thinking of exercise as being something else you need to prioritize, you should see it as something that (1) can help you succeed at all of your other priorities and (2) doesn’t require any additional time that you probably don’t have.

How is this possible? By killing two birds with one stone!

To help you do this, Brainscape has put together some fantastic tips on how to exercise WHILE studying (and study while exercising) so that you can maintain good health, energy, grades, and that sexy body!

Are you ready? This article will cover the following topics:

• The health benefits of exercising
• 4 Tactics to help you study while you exercise
• Motivation is the secret sauce

1. The health benefits of exercising

Exercise boosts your powers of cognition, memory, and mental energy.

We understand that you place a higher priority on studying and getting a good night’s rest during exam time.

“I’ll get back into my running / I’ll get back into the gym when exams are over and I have time to breathe,” you tell yourself. That’s perfectly understandable.

But you are short-changing yourself in ways you may not know yet (but will after reading this). Exercise offers a potent array of whole-body benefits that make you more lethal in many aspects of your life, the exam hall included.

Most importantly to you as a student, however: exercise boosts your powers of cognition, memory, and mental energy .

And all of those are pretty important assets to have during study time.

Let’s take a closer look at the four major health benefits of exercising, all of which are crucially important to students trying to juggle the demands of their studies and social life. (BTW, here's some great advice on creating a study routine to maximize your productivity , even if you're super busy.)

Benefit 1. Exercise boosts cognition and memory

Exercise increases your heart rate, which pumps more oxygen and glucose (brain food) to the brain. It also encourages the release of hormones that create an environment conducive to the growth of neurons. AND exercise promotes brain plasticity by stimulating the growth of new connections between brain cells in many important regions of the brain.

What the heck does all of that mean? It means that exercise improves your cognitive abilities , which manifests as improved focus, attention span, and memory.

In other words: exercise helps you learn better.

[Read also: The best brain foods to eat before an exam .]

Benefit 2. Exercise improves health and immune functioning

Regular exercise is the framework of healthy living. It lowers blood pressure, helps control body weight, improves cardiovascular health, and protects against inflammation and infection. Just like a healthy diet, exercise can contribute to good whole-body health and, therefore, to a strong and effective immune system.

Regular exercise may contribute even more directly to building immunity by promoting good circulation, which allows the white blood cells, antibodies, and other militia of the immune system to move through the body more efficiently.

Benefit 3. Exercise helps you deal with stress

Stress is the ninja that slips silently under the radar of your immune system to deliver painful punches to your body’s organs and systems. Your doctor may tell you that your bloodwork is perfectly normal but then why do you feel like you’ve been run over by an 18-wheeler truck?

Stress, my friend. Stress. It is literally a silent killer. Like a ninja.

One of the best ways to alleviate stress—one that avoids the risk of Xanax addiction or expensive therapist bills—is exercise. Regular exercise floods your brain with feel-good endorphins , brain chemicals that have a similar effect to cannabis. In fact, they’re called endocannabinoids (endogenously produced cannabinoids) and they make you feel, like, totally awesome man.

[Brainscape has also put together a guide on how to use exam stress to actually improve performance & prevent burnout . We recommend reading it!]

Benefit 4. Exercise improves quality of life

Fundamentally, our bodies were built to move. And while the modern lifestyle involves a whole lot of sitting around on laptops or in lectures, devoting time daily to exercise can give you the health, energy, and positive mentality you need to lead your best life.

(By the way, if you're really into fitness and are considering becoming a certified personal trainer, check out our ultimate study guide to the NASM .)

4 Tactics to help you exercise while studying

The key to finding the time to exercise while studying are opportunism and preparation. Then, with a little bit of creativity, maintaining a lifestyle that is physically and cognitively active will soon become second nature.

Now that we’ve convinced you that exercise deserves priority in your busy student life, let’s dive into the four ways you can squeeze physical activity into your study routine. Or even to squeeze some studying into your exercise regime.

Tactic 1. Study between exercise sets

For every set or circuit you do, take a breather for 2-5 minutes and do some quick studying. These short sessions are perfect for reviewing the information you’ve already studied or for onboarding atomic-sized portions of new knowledge, such as you would find in flashcards.

This requires you to (1) plan your workouts to have multiple sets, where the breaks in between sets are dedicated to studying, and (2) have your study material within quick and easy reach.

Flashcards for effective studying while exercising Digital flashcards are incredibly effective tools for quick, convenient studying, making them the perfect complement to your exercise. Brainscape’s adaptive learning platform makes it super easy to build your own flashcards or find flashcards that other users have made. And because it’s all 100% digital and online, all you need to worry about packing in your gym bag is your phone. Forget heavy textbooks and sheaves of study notes.

Brainscape also delivers its study sessions in short 10-flashcard rounds, so you can whip out your phone between sets, study 10 cards, work out, study, rinse and repeat. By the end of an hour, you would have done a potent 15 to 20 minutes’ of study (and burned off that cheeseburger you pounded back last night).

Engaging active recall while exercising You engage in passive studying when you simply read your textbook or study notes. This alone is ineffective for remembering information well enough to recall it days, even weeks later during an exam.

What you should be doing after reviewing your notes is practicing active recall . Actively recalling information is when you dig into your memory and retrieve what you stored there earlier (by reading, highlighting, and making study notes) without any assistance.

So, rather than reading your textbook on the treadmill, it’s far more effective to review the material you’ve already studied by actively recalling it . Once again Brainscape can help with this. Our flashcards are designed to stoke your memory and have you recall information from scratch (rather than just recognizing the answer from among multiple choices), which creates deeper memory traces.

This is a lot more effective (and time-conservative) for memorization, even when you find yourself a little distracted by all the hot booty around you in the gym.

Tactic 2. Exercise between study rounds

If studying in the gym or on the treadmill doesn’t appeal (and it won’t appeal to everyone ), why not turn this tactic on its head? Instead of a long workout session peppered with study breaks, try a long study session peppered by exercise breaks. Research shows that exercise enhances memory and knowledge retention, so being active will actually help you!

A 2018 study published in the Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition examined three groups of students, who watched a 50-minute online lecture, Afterwards, they were tested for understanding and memory. The first group took three five-minute breaks during the lecture, in which they did some light calisthenic exercises. The second group used their breaks to play video games, and the third group had no breaks at all.

The group who exercised performed the best on their tests.

This is just one of many studies that support the benefits of exercising while studying .

So, after a period of studying (you get to decide how long that is), haul yourself up and get active. Go for a quick walk, do some yoga poses, run through some weights, or even run like hell on the treadmill. Do that for a few minutes or even 15 minutes to give your brain a break from new information. You’ll be more primed for study afterward.

Tactic 3. Study DURING your exercises

Not to be confused with studying between exercise sets, studying during your exercise literally involves learning while you’re on the move. This could be reading or running through flashcards on the treadmill or stationary bike ... or listening to lectures while doing weights ... or engaging in active recall while doing yoga. In other words: killing two birds with one stone.

Not all students can get away with this, especially those for whom multitasking is an out-of-reach skill. But if you’re adept at engaging your brain while performing repetitive activities (like exercise), this is definitely a great time-saver!

Here are some awesome ways to study while exercising:

• Record your voice reading, or better yet, teaching your subject to an imaginary novice . Then listen to that audio while you power through your workout. Make it fun by dropping the odd joke or motivation, like: “The atomic structure of hydrogen—hey, on your feet! Push up that resistance! C’mon now, you can do it!”
• Find some lectures, Youtube videos, or podcasts to listen to, or watch, on your device while you’re on the treadmill, elliptical, stationary bike, etc. Sure, these may be mostly passive studying and not as effective as active recall, but at least they're better than nothing.
• Use the Brainscape audio series, which is available for hands-free studying for the multistate bar exam (with more courses and subjects to follow). This program fires off one small question at a time, giving you time to answer (out loud or in your head), thereby engaging your powers of active recall .
• Use Brainscape flashcards to learn and/or review your study material. Our adaptive learning platform has an extensive library of flashcards made by both Brainscape users and our partner subject-matter experts. Alternatively, you can make your own! The fact that you can simply open your device’s browser and pick up where you left off makes it super easy and convenient to drop into and out of studying throughout your workout. And it only involves one tap to get to the next flashcard (rather than, say, typing an answer), so it's easy to use while on a cardio machine.
• If you prefer not to use any devices while you study, use your brain ! Exercising in all its forms is a great opportunity for reflection (provided you don’t have music blasting in the background, which can be distracting ). You can use this time to freely recall what you’ve studied previously. (See the next section.)

Pro Tip: Replace your study chair with a fitness ball. Sitting on a fitness ball requires balance so it will (1) activate and engage your core muscles and (2) keep your posture upright. You’ll literally be strengthening your body by doing no more than sitting while you study!

Tactic 4. Use the Feynman technique

The final point we mentioned—engaging in the free recall—leads us rather neatly to this next trick for studying without any devices, notes, or books in front of you.

The Feynman Technique .

Developed by Nobel laureate Richard Feynman, this technique is based on the premise that the best way to test and practice your understanding of a concept is to teach it to an imaginary 6th Grader . This forces you to reduce the topic to its basic, conceptual framework so that a child can understand it. If you can’t do that, then you are clearly missing a piece of the puzzle yourself and need to bridge that knowledge gap before moving on.

This is a great technique to engage in on long walks or hikes. Simply pretend you’re explaining the topic or subject to your little cousin or nephew and recite the lesson out loud. You can also do it in your head if you’re subconscious about looking like a crazy person.

Then, when you get back home, review your notes and see if you missed anything. Also make sure you identify and address those areas in which your knowledge is a little shaky.

3. Motivation is the secret sauce

Even if you only squeeze in 10 to 15 minutes of studying during gym time, that’s 15 to 20 minutes more than you would have done before.

The mere fact that you’re reading this is a testament to the fact that you’re motivated to exercise while studying, somehow. You might just not know how yet (well, NOW you should since you’ve made it through this article).

[Check out our complete guide to getting motivated when you want to procrastinate .]

But before we unleash you upon your life with the tools and techniques to juggle your studies, social life, sleep, and exercise, we want to remind you to be realistic with your expectations . Multitasking is great for getting many things done at once, but because your attention is divided you’re probably not going to do an exceptional job at either.

The more intense your exercise, the less able you’ll feel to focus on studying, and vice versa. This is why mild to moderate, repetitive exercises like cardio are best for studying. The point we’re trying to make is: don’t expect things to go super smoothly, especially at first while you develop a study-while-exercising routine.

What’s most important is that, even if you only squeeze in 10 to 15 minutes of studying during gym time, that’s 10 to 15 minutes more than you would have done before. It is possible to have both a regular workout and a well-established study routine during exam time. Just keep your expectations reasonable and stay motivated!

Check out Brainscape’s article on optimizing your brain health for effective studying to learn about the other lifestyle changes you can make to improve your study habits and grades!

Anxiety & Depression Association of America. (2022, October 28).  Physical activity Reduces stress | Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA . ADAA. https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/related-illnesses/other-related-conditions/stress/physical-activity-reduces-st

Armstrong, B. (2024, February 20). How exercise affects your brain.  Scientific American . https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-exercise-affects-your-brain/

De Pietro, M., & Aremu, F. (2021, February 27).  What to know about endocannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system . Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/endocannabinoid#:~:text=Endogenous%20cannabinoids%2C%20or%20endocannabinoids%2C%20are,help%20with%20various%20bodily%20functions.

Fenesi, B., Lucibello, K., Kim, J. A., & Heisz, J. J. (2018). Sweat so you don’t forget: Exercise breaks during a University Lecture increase on-task attention and learning.  Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition ,  7 (2), 261–269. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jarmac.2018.01.012

Harvard Health. (2024, August 26).  Exercise can boost your memory and thinking skills . https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/exercise-can-boost-your-memory-and-thinking-skills

Kooloos, J. G., Bergman, E. M., Scheffers, M. A., Schepens‐Franke, A. N., & Vorstenbosch, M. A. (2019). The effect of passive and active education methods applied in repetition activities on the retention of anatomical knowledge.  Anatomical Sciences Education ,  13 (4), 458–466. https://doi.org/10.1002/ase.1924

Lin, T., Tsai, S., & Kuo, Y. (2018). Physical exercise enhances neuroplasticity and delays Alzheimer’s disease.  Brain Plasticity ,  4 (1), 95–110. https://doi.org/10.3233/bpl-180073

Nieman, D. C., & Wentz, L. M. (2019). The compelling link between physical activity and the body’s defense system.  Journal of Sport and Health Science/Journal of Sport and Health Science ,  8 (3), 201–217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2018.09.009

University of Colorado Boulder. (2020, August 7).  The Feynman technique . A&S Academic Advising and Coaching. https://www.colorado.edu/artssciences-advising/resource-library/life-skills/the-feynman-technique-in-academic-coaching

Vorvick, L. (2024, February 8).  Exercise and immunity . MedlinePlus. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007165.htm

Voss, N. (2010). Plasticity of brain networks in a randomized intervention trial of exercise training in older adults.  Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience . https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2010.00032

Flashcards for serious learners .

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How to Exercise While Doing your Housework

Last Updated: December 12, 2022 Approved

This article was co-authored by Errol Ismail . Errol Ismail is a Personal Trainer and the CEO and Co-Founder of Maestro Training. With nearly 10 years of experience, Errol specializes in helping individuals incorporate exercise into their daily lives by making it convenient and creating a community of support and encouragement. Before starting his own company, he honed his craft at at Equinox, one of the most prestigious gyms in the USA. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 73,677 times.

Busy people may not find time in their schedules to do the recommended 150 to 175 minutes of moderate cardiovascular exercise per week. A UK study found that the average British woman spends 143 minutes per week cleaning their house. If you are the main caretaker of your own house or another residence, then you may be able to count regular cleaning and chores as part of your exercise time. Many household chores are considered medium intensity cardiovascular or strength-training exercises. Plan your chores in a way that allows you to do them in succession to increase heart rate and work your major muscle groups. Read more to find out how to exercise while doing your housework.

Indoor Housework Workout

• Create a playlist that lasts at least 30 minutes. This can serve as your timer. Playing your favorite songs in succession will also increase the endorphin-boosting power of music. Try dance, Latin, hip hop and fast rock songs. Go to bpmdatabase.com to check if your favorite song has 120 BPM or more .

• You burn approximately 190 calories per hour vacuuming. Increase the calories you burn by performing single leg lunges every 2 to 3 minutes. Take a large step forward with your right leg and lunge until your right knee is at a 90 degree angle. Hold the position for 3 to 10 seconds and then step back. Repeat with your left leg.

• Mopping burns approximately 195 calories per hour. Make sure you switch arms as you sweep, mop or rake. You should reach and pull back with your right and left sides evenly. Favoring 1 side will create a muscle imbalance and may lead to pain. Get on your hands and knees and scrub intensely. This cleaning exercise works your shoulders and upper arms intensely.

• You burn approximately 500 calories per hour walking up and down stairs. Increase your strength-training by squatting whenever you pick up objects. Lean slightly back and pick up an object when your arms are close to the floor. Bending over causes intense strain on your lower back. Squatting builds the quadriceps, hamstring and ab muscles, helping you help your back when done repeatedly.

• Repeat this exercise 10 times and do 2 to 3 sets with 1 minute resting between sets.

• Return to the original position, rest for a few seconds and repeat until you are done folding your laundry.

• You burn approximately 180 calories per hour cleaning windows. You work approximately the same calories per hour dusting the house, which also works your upper and lower arm muscles.

Outdoor Chores Workout

• This exercise burns approximately 230 calories per hour.

• Painting burns between 250 and 300 calories per hour if done on large surfaces, like walls.

Expert Q&A

• Stretch all your major muscle groups after you end your housework workout. Take a shower after you have stretched and rehydrated with plenty of water. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Use these approximate calorie counts to calculate the calories you burn. Divide the actual minutes spent doing the task by 60 (1 hour). Multiply this figure by the calorie count to figure out how many calories you are actually burning. You can establish daily workouts according to the time, calories or intensity you prefer. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Avoid all bending if you have lower back or joint problems. Weeding, vacuuming and kneeling on hard surfaces may not be recommended for these chronic conditions. Thanks Helpful 7 Not Helpful 1

Things You'll Need

• Flexible clothing
• Athletic shoes (that can get dirty)
• Mop, broom or rake
• Sponges or cloths

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How to Stay Awake While Studying

Last Updated: June 24, 2024 References

This article was co-authored by Jennifer Kaifesh . Jennifer Kaifesh is the Founder of Great Expectations College Prep, a tutoring and counseling service based in Southern California. Jennifer has over 15 years of experience managing and facilitating academic tutoring and standardized test prep as it relates to the college application process. She takes a personal approach to her tutoring, and focuses on working with students to find their specific mix of pursuits that they both enjoy and excel at. She is a graduate of Northwestern University. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 396,272 times.

Studying is hard work, and all that work often makes you tired! Sometimes, studying through your fatigue is part of the road to success and getting good grades in school. Fortunately, there are things you can do to help increase your energy and focus .

Here are 16 tricks to help you stay awake while you’re studying.

Study somewhere that’s not too comfortable.

• If you like to study at home, make yourself a dedicated study space . This could be a corner of your room with a desk and a chair or a kitchen table. Wherever you can concentrate without being too comfortable is great!

Change your study spot every day to boost your memory.

• Choose locations that fit your studying style and personality. For example, if you study best in silence, pick a library or quiet room, whereas if you prefer background noise, opt for a cafe or common area.

Turn on bright lights if you’re studying late at night.

• If your space doesn’t have much lighting, relocate to a brighter area, if possible.

Eliminate outside distractions if you can’t concentrate.

• You can also turn your phone off, leave it in a different room, or put it on “Do Not Disturb” mode, so you don’t receive any texts or notifications.
• If you’re easily distracted by surfing the Internet, use an app or Internet browser extension that lets you set controls to block certain websites for a set period of time so you aren’t tempted.

Listen to upbeat music to keep your brain alert.

• If you’re in a public place, use headphones to listen to the music of your choice.
• Look for upbeat playlists online or on a music app. You can also find premade playlists with music specifically for studying.

Read out loud to engage your brain.

• If you don’t want to read everything out loud, you can also try talking to yourself when you study. For example, when you finish studying a topic, say out loud: “Okay, I finished studying for my history test, now I can study for the English exam!”

Chew mint gum while you study to wake up your brain.

• Keep a pack of mint-flavored gum in your backpack or pencil case so you always have it with you when you’re studying.

Eat foods that are high in protein for longer-lasting energy.

• Avoid sugary foods or drinks, like cookies or soda, along with carb-heavy foods, like potato chips. These might give you a quick boost, but you’ll crash later on.
• Try to eat every 2 to 3 hours, even if it’s just something small, to avoid low blood sugar, which makes you feel sleepy.

Drink lots of water to fight fatigue.

• Avoid alcohol, particularly on days when you're studying or the day before. Drinking alcohol regularly can negatively affect your brain function along with dehydrating you.

Drink a caffeinated beverage if you want an instant boost.

• Be aware that coffee and other caffeinated drinks can actually be dehydrating, so you should drink water with them, too.
• Avoid drinking coffee or consuming anything with caffeine, like chocolate, soda, or tea, within 6 hours of when you plan to go to bed or you may have trouble falling asleep.
• Don’t consume more than 200 mg of caffeine in a day. Too much caffeine can be very dangerous for your heart and can also worsen existing conditions, like anxiety or depression.
• Avoid energy drinks and pills that contain caffeine and/or chemicals. While quick fixes are tempting, they can have dangerous side effects, like increased anxiety or even heart problems. [9] X Research source

Study in 25-minute intervals if you like having scheduled breaks.

• Use your 5-minute breaks to relax and recharge your brain. Do something unrelated to what you’re studying, like stretching out your body or watching a funny YouTube video.
• Take a longer 30-minute break after you complete 4 intervals.
• Try to keep each total study session to no more than 5 hours long. If you study for longer than that, you’ll likely get burnt out.

Take a 10- to 20-minute nap if you’re really tired.

• If possible, choose a spot that’s quiet and dark to take your nap, which will help you get better quality sleep.
• Make sure you're getting at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night, too. Naps are a good boost but they aren't a substitute for uninterrupted sleep.

Exercise for 15 to 20 minutes to get your blood flowing.

• If you can, do your exercise outside for even more benefits. Fresh air is an instant energy boost. Instead, you can meditate for 10 minutes.
• You can also find ways to incorporate exercise into your studying. For instance, swap your chair for a stability ball to work your core while you sit, or do stretches at your desk while you read.
• If you’re studying in intervals, try taking an exercise break after each one. For example, after studying for 25 minutes, do 5 minutes of bodyweight exercises like pushups and jumping jacks.

Switch topics every 30-60 minutes to stay focused.

• If you’re studying in timed intervals, switch the topic you’re studying after each interval.
• If you're only studying for 1 class, like English, change the specific material you're reviewing if possible. For instance, start with Shakespeare, then move to Chaucer.

Organize a study group if you get tired of working alone.

• Keep your study group to 3 to 6 people. Too many people can become distracting or difficult to manage.
• Stay on task by setting group goals for each study session, like finishing 2 chapters of a textbook or covering 1 topic. Otherwise, it may be tempting to just waste time talking or goofing off.You can also do meditation for 10minutes

Try to get 7-8 hours of sleep every night.

• Note that this is how much sleep the average person needs. Some people need a few more hours to feel rested and others do fine with less. The most important thing is to be consistent with your sleep. If you feel good with 6 hours of sleep a night or need up to 9, that’s fine too.

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• ↑ https://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/how-does-the-brain-learn-best-10-smart-studying-strategies/
• ↑ https://www.aiuniv.edu/blog/2016/may/stay-energized-for-late-night-studying
• ↑ https://success.oregonstate.edu/learning/ready-set-concentrate
• ↑ https://www.fastcompany.com/3022942/the-surprising-science-behind-what-music-does-to-our-brains
• ↑ https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/featurephilia/story/how-to-stop-falling-asleep-while-studying-17-tips-to-keep-you-awake-for-board-exam-preparation-1648066-2020-02-19
• ↑ https://sites.psu.edu/siowfa15/2015/09/17/does-chewing-gum-while-studying-help-you-remember/
• ↑ https://www.cnn.com/2017/04/26/health/energy-drinks-health-concerns-explainer/index.html
• ↑ https://learningcommons.ubc.ca/the-pomodoro-technique-study-more-efficiently-take-more-breaks/
• ↑ https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/how-take-nap-will-actually-boost-your-energy-ncna793681
• ↑ https://www.auamed.org/blog/12-ways-exercise-study/
• ↑ https://news.fiu.edu/2013/12/8-study-tips-that-will-help-you-overcome-finals-week/70573
• ↑ https://www.rasmussen.edu/student-experience/college-life/how-to-organize-use-study-groups/

About This Article

Medical Disclaimer

The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.

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To stay awake while studying, chew some gum since it will increase blood flow to your brain and give you a boost of energy. If you’re snacking while studying, eat high-protein foods that provide lasting energy like trail mix, beef jerky, or string cheese rather than sugary foods that will make you crash. Since staying hydrated can help you fight off tiredness, drink at least 8 ounces of water every 1 to 2 hours. Exercise is another great way to get reenergized, so take a break and go for a short walk to wake up your muscles and get your blood flowing. If possible, walk outside since fresh air is a great energy booster. When choosing where to study, pick somewhere with lots of lighting so you don’t get drowsy working in a dim room. For more tips, including how to study in intervals to stay alert, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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