How Healthy Eating Can Help You Ace Your Exams

(Because Your Brain Can’t Run on Two-Minute Noodles and Hope Alone)

Let’s be real for a second. Year 12 can feel like a pressure cooker — essays, SACs, revision schedules, practice exams, actual exams, and somewhere in between you’re meant to sleep, stay social, and not unravel like a loose jumper thread. So when things get hectic, what’s the first thing to go? That’s right: nutrition. Meals get replaced with snacks, snacks get replaced with caffeine, and suddenly your brain is running on adrenaline and vending machine dregs. But here’s the thing: your brain is a high-performance machine. It needs fuel. And not just any fuel — good, clean, high-quality, brain-boosting fuel. What you eat doesn’t just impact your physical health, it seriously affects how well your brain performs — especially under exam pressure. So let’s break it down: seven ways your food choices can help (or hinder) your academic performance, especially when exam time hits.

1. Food Fuels Your Focus

Your brain uses about 20% of your daily energy. That’s more than any other organ. If you skip meals or rely on sugar hits, your energy crashes — and so does your ability to concentrate. Balanced meals with complex carbs (like wholegrain bread, oats or brown rice) give your brain slow-release energy so you can stay sharp from the first question to the final multiple choice.

2. Protein Keeps Your Mind Alert

Protein isn’t just for people who hang out at the gym. It helps keep your blood sugar stable and your brain alert. Eggs, Greek yoghurt, nuts, seeds, tuna, lean meats, tofu — these can all help you stay mentally switched on and less likely to drift into daydreams mid-essay.

3. Omega-3s Are Brain Gold

Omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish like salmon and tuna, or chia and flax seeds if you’re plant-based) are like moisturiser for your brain. They help with memory, focus, and mood regulation. Pretty handy when you’re halfway through your third Maths Methods exam and could use a little mental clarity.

4. Water Is Not Optional (Even If Coffee Is Tempting)

Dehydration — even mild dehydration — can affect memory, concentration and mood. You don’t need to chug litres, but regular sips of water during the day (and during the exam itself) can help keep your brain ticking. Coffee is fine in moderation, but don’t let it replace your actual hydration. (And yes, iced coffee counts — but not as water.)

5. Sugar Highs = Brain Lows

That chocolate bar might feel like your best friend before an exam, but it can send your blood sugar soaring… and crashing. When that crash comes mid-paper, so does the brain fog, the yawns, the “what’s the question even asking?” moment. Choose slow-release snacks like fruit and nuts, popcorn, or a muesli bar with whole grains instead.

6. Good Nutrition Helps You Sleep Better

And sleep = memory consolidation, problem-solving skills, and the ability to stay calm under pressure. Foods that are high in sugar or caffeine too close to bedtime can interfere with your sleep quality — meaning you walk into the exam with a fuzzy brain instead of a focused one. Stick to lighter dinners and snacks in the evenings, and wind down with sleep-friendly options like banana, oats or warm milk.

7. It All Adds Up to a Sharper, Calmer, More Resilient You

Good nutrition doesn’t guarantee a perfect exam score — but it absolutely supports your ability to focus, remember, stay calm, and persist. And when you're juggling multiple subjects, stress levels and time pressure, that edge can make a massive difference. Eating well is a form of self-care, and self-care is a secret study strategy no one tells you about.

In Conclusion: Feed the Brain, Fuel the Results

You wouldn’t fill up a race car with soft drink before a Grand Prix. So don’t send your brain into exam battle running on sugar, caffeine, or “whatever’s left in the fridge.” Eating well isn’t about perfection — it’s about giving yourself the best possible chance to do your best. A good breakfast, a solid lunch, healthy snacks and a few glasses of water can be just as important as your flashcards and highlighters. So next time you’re choosing between a bag of chips or a brain-friendly snack, remember: Your brain is doing the heavy lifting — fuel it like you mean it.

You’ve got this.

This blog post was created by Felstead Education. We deliver a range wellbeing programs for students and study skills programs specially designed for senior high school students. Our programs are based on the principle that having a healthy mind and a healthy body, combined with strong study skills, helps students to achieve at their personal best, whatever that best may be. Some of our programs include The Power of Sleep, Study Calm, The Serene Student, Secrets of Study Success and Mindfulness for Senior Students.

To find out more about how we can help your students to be well and do well, visit us at www.felstead.com.au or email: info@felstead.com.au