Factors to keep in mind while studying for long hours

First of all students who are going to spend long hour study must plan their diet. They must take nutritious meals at short intervals. Eating regular meals help to keep nutrient and energy levels more stable, curbing the temptation of empty-calorie snacks in the vending machine. Planning of diet include food choices of student, selecting eatables liked more in lunch and dinner. Regarding diet plan, it is important to include plenty of fruits and beverages. Students must keep toffees or small packed eatables with them to maintain their energy level while long hour study. Dietary supplements are good, but real food is better.

It is advised to meet daily vitamin and mineral requirements to make it much easier. Iron and vitamins B are especially important to maintaining the physical and mental energy necessary to study well. Iron-containing foods include red meat, cereals and spinach. One good meal idea is food contains ground beef and kidney beans. Foods that contain B vitamins include whole-grains, eggs and nuts. Fish and soybean stuffs are other foods that are said to help boost your brain by providing the nutrients it needs. It is important to note that heavy meal makes stomach problems.

Students might find that eating the standard three-big-meals-a-day slows down mentally and physically. It is recommended to consider 5 or 6 well-balanced, smaller meals, like toast spread with peanut butter, hummus or tuna, or a piece of cheese with fruit. Students who go for long sitting must consume green vegetables to keep their physical health good. For example, spinach has more to offer the mind and body than iceberg lettuce. Other great vegetable choices include bell peppers, broccoli and sweet potatoes. Snacks can enhance studying as these food items can refresh mind while studying. Try to get two food groups into snacks to balance the nutrients and keep blood-sugar level stable. Some snacks ideas are banana with peanut butter, a small baked potato with cottage cheese, or an English muffin pizza.

Another important point to keep in mind is furniture layout. It is significant to set the table chair in convenient way so that students can give long sitting. Furniture must be comfortable enough and students must relax while long hour study. Proper lighting can enhance efficiency and reduce fatigue. Books must be kept in such a way that student can easy access. Study material must be kept in organized way to take out easily whenever needed.

Students spend long hours sitting while reading, studying, labouring over assignments, oftentimes in prolonged, uncomfortable, and static positions. Students often sit in badly designed seats and at awkward desk arrangements. They frequently use computers for extended periods. Prolonged sitting during these activities may cause muscles and other soft tissues to become stretched or shortened compared to normal. Muscles may be overworked or become continually contracted. Blood and lymph flow may be constricted. Soft tissues may become inflamed. Nerves may even get irritated. The irregular stresses placed on the student's body may cause uneasiness ranging from minor and temporary, to pain which hinders or prevents completion of essential assignments. It is advised to develop good habits as a student which will be beneficial and help to prevent future problems.

Many students will go on to careers involving hours sitting at a desk and then going home relaxing in a soft easy chair watching TV or using a computer. There are some guidelines to improve posture. Poor posture automatically occurs if students are deeply concentrating on the work at hand. It is very hard to intentionally maintain proper posture. But, if the study space is arranged correctly in the beginning, they need not check constantly his or her posture. It is found that common posture frequently seen while studying for long hours is a slouched position due to sitting in a chair with poor low back support. Instead of the low back maintaining its natural arch, the low back instead rounds out. The upper body and head drop forward, causing the upper neck to extend in order for the head to remain looking up. Instead of the spine bearing most of the weight, muscles, vertebral discs, and ligaments bear much of the upper body weight. Over time this slouched position may result in acute pain. To avoid such pain, students must have sufficient knee room so that one can scoot close to the front of the desk, have sufficient desk top area to place the computer in a position whereby the monitor is approximately an arm's length away, be at a height such that one is able to maintain the wrists in a neutral position when using a computer while the shoulders remain relaxed.

While studying for long hours, the chair should be adjustable, comfortably padded with no sharp edges on the seat, maintain the spine in a vertical or slightly reclined position. If the chair does not provide adequate low back support, then a lumbar cushion, rolled up towel, or folded sweatshirt should be used. And, once good support is available, it is recommended to use it. Students must not develop tendency to sit on the front of the seat and use the back support, allow for the hips and knees to be on roughly the same level and for the feet to be placed flat on the floor. A foot rest may be needed if this is not possible, preferably have arm rests that comfortably support the elbows and forearms and allow one's shoulders to relax. The arm rests should not prevent one from scooting forward to the front of the desk. If students are giving long sitting with computers, it requires proper adjustment of lighting for computer.

It is recommended to avoid bright light or window since this may make the screen look washed out and difficult to see, causing one to lean forward. Also avoid any glares visible on the screen from bright lights behind or above the monitor. A filter may be useful to reduce glare. Long sitting while studying needs good organization of physical materials. It is advised to keep the computer in front of you, not off to the side, keep the shoulders relaxed while studying. Periodically perform shoulder shrugs, rolls, and squeezes to reduce the tension in the shoulder blade and neck muscles. Do not sit with legs or knees crossed for extended periods of time. Do not allow wrists to rest on the sharp edge of the desk when typing or resting.

Another important factor while giving long hours to study is to improve study habits. These include study in airy and well illuminated areas to avoid eye strain and to avoid bending in order to see the reading material or computer, take periodic eye breaks to relieve eye sprain, focus your eyes on objects in the distance, and take occasional study breaks such as a standing/walking break for a few minutes every 30-60 minutes. This increase in muscle activity will stimulate improved blood flow to those areas which have been kept in a shortened or lengthened position while studying. Alternate computer or study time with dissimilar activities to allow different muscle groups to be used. Change study or work areas periodically if possible. Perform periodic stretching exercises of the back, neck, shoulders, arms, wrists, and fingers. Build in some time during most days of the week to get physical activity/exercise to keep muscles healthy and better able to withstand stress.

Well planned study, good layout and time allotment can enable students to give long sitting and overcome health impacts associated with it.