While first semester is drawing to a close, your pantry door might be opening up to offer some studying snacks. Finals week tends to be one of the more stressful weeks of the year; these exams can make or break your GPA. Accompanying the stress oftentimes are not-so-healthy snacks and comfort food.
But don’t worry, stress eating is a natural reaction from your body in high-tension times. According to an article from Harvard Health Publications, when you are continuously stressed–such as during finals week–your body’s adrenal glands will release a hormone called cortisol which increases your appetite. This explains why you’re always hungry when you’re studying.
Foods that are high in fat and sugar inhibit the brain’s ability to create emotions and reactions related to stress. So that bag of Lay’s BBQ chips or the chocolate caramel-swirl cookie dough ice cream will stop your stress and comfort you. Your body knows this is how it’ll react, so you reach for those foods when you’re worried about finals and want to relax.
The obvious problem here is that you’re filling your body with food that’s bad for it. These sugary, fatty foods won’t keep your brain alert while studying. Not to mention that continuous stress-eating will make you gain weight, and the last thing you want to have to worry about during finals week is not fitting into your pants.
However, there are foods that can calm you but are still good for you. Shy away from the junk food and try some of these instead:
- Dark Chocolate
Will still satisfy your sweet tooth and lower cortisol levels, but has less sugar than milk chocolate.
- Blueberry Banana Smoothie
Blueberries contain antioxidants that produce dopamine and will elevate your mood, as well as vitamin C which reduces stress. Bananas contain vitamin B and high levels of tyrosine which work to relax the nervous system and synthesize dopamine as well. They also contain tryptophan to lower magnesium levels, and lower magnesium levels lead to less anxiety. Put these two fruits together in a blender with some plain Greek yogurt and you have the perfect stress-fighting drink!
- Turkey Avocado Sandwich
Women especially tend to opt for carbs during stressful times. Making a sandwich will satisfy that craving, but packing it with turkey and avocado will relieve your stress while still being healthy. The B vitamins in avocados are necessary for healthy brain cells and nerves, and turkey also contains the amino-acid tryptophan, like bananas, which produces serotonin to help keep you calm. A sandwich with these two ingredients is perfect for lunch after your finals and before you start studying again.
