Many folks assume the best they can do to improve their results on exams is to “try harder.”  But research now bears out some specific tips to maximizing your outcomes when it comes to those exams.  First – sleep is critical – up to 4 full days before the exam.  While the all-nighter is a popular study habit, the habit is actually linked to LOWER grades and then it further impairs reasoning and memory for that noted 4 days.  In addition, do not wake up earlier than normal to study as this could interfere with the rapid-eye-movement sleep that aids memory.  It’s also valuable to review the toughest material just before you turn out the lights.  Then there’s food.  Just like in real life, what you eat also affects your performance on tests.  A study that involved feeding students a 5 day high fat, low-carb diet heavy on meat, eggs, cheese and cream resulted in lower performance.  Those students who ate a balanced diet that included fruit and vegetables performed better.  And listening to music, TV, texting, etc may make you more relaxed, but it will reduce your test scores (October 26th, 2011 issue of Wall Street Journal).