Brain Boosters : Your completely legit cheat sheet for acing those exams.

Got a little extra time! Try these super easy tricks that help boost your brainpower!

IF YOU'VE GOT ..

• 30 seconds: Exercise those eyes. Researchers in Britain have found that moving your eyes back and fourth horizontally for 30 seconds can trigger interaction in the brain's hemispheres, helping you retain the information you'll hear afterwards.

• 2 minutes: Make a move. Studies show that actors who make appropriate movements while memorizing their lines - by gesturing with their hands for example, are better to recall those lines later on proving that movement aids memory.

• 3 minutes: Chunk it. Grouping long sequence of letters or numbers into chunks will make them easier to remember something that could come in pretty handy when you need to master the periodic table of elements - or a new phone number.

• 5 minutes: Laugh. Check out the comics in today's newspaper or a watch a funny video online. Laughing involves multiple regions across your entire brain, activating areas that are important for learning. Plus, pyschologist Daniel Goleman says laughter "seems to help people think more broadly and associate more freely.".

• 10 minutes:Meditate. Ten minutes of sitting in a quiet room, breathing deeply, and clearing your mind will boost your attention span, according to Dr. Sonia Lupien of the Center for Studies on Human Stress in Montreal, Canada.

• 30 minutes: Get some exercise. A study conducted at Columbia University shows that exercising for 30 minutes at least three times a week helps encourage neuron growth, especially since it increases the flow of oxygen to the brain.

STUDY LIKE A GENIUS IN THREE STEPS

STEP 1: TUNE UP

• Yes, you already know all the usual essentials for a good study corner -a comfortable chair, a clutter-free desk, and enough lighting - but don't ban your iPod just yet. Instead, put this on your playlist: Mozart's Sonata in D Major for Two Pianos.

• Music has been shown to be a great tool for increasing learning potential since it enhances spatial IQ by increasing short and long-term memory, called "The Mozart Effect" by French researcher Alfred Tomatis, the idea was tested in a study conducted in 1993 at the University of California. In the study the IQ scores of the college students improved by about nine points after they were made to listen to the Mozart sonata for 10 minutes. While the idea hasn't been definitively proven scientists note that the part of the brain used for musical perception is also the part that is used for spatial reasoning - and Mozart's sonata, in particular, has been shown to activate parts of the brain responsible for higher though processes.

STEP 2: SNACK TIME:

Stock up on these brain-boosting treats

• Green Tea: While the caffeine helps stimulate your brain, green tea also contains catechins, which has been found to improve memory-related learning.

• Salmon: Fish contains iodine, which improves mental clarity. Fish oil is also high in omega-3 fatty acids - a good source of DHA, which essential for the maintenance of your nervous system.

• Avocados: The monounsaturated fats in avocados is great for heart health and it also improves blood flow to the brain.

• Nuts: They're not called "brain food" for nothing! Nuts are a good soure of vitamin E, which helps prevent poor memory.

• Eggs: Egg yolks are the best source of choline, an amino acid that;s been called the brain's "memory architect." It is one of the most essential components of brain cells

More Brain Foods

• Oatmeal: Oatmeal had been called the perfect food for the brain health since it's so easy to prepare and great for concentration. Try eating it as well as other whole grain foods, like cereal and wheat bread,

• Tomatoes: The lycopene in tomatoes is a great anti-oxidant which protects brain cells against damage that could lead to dementia.

• Brocolli: Aside from being great for providing calcium, it is also packed with vitamin K - a nutrient known to enhance cognitive functions.

Step 3: GET BRAINY

Don't forget these sneaky study tricks:

• Brief is better. Avoid brain fatigue by studying in short but frequent sessions. Concentrate for 10 minutes, then take a quick break, like walking to the kitchen to grab a handful of nuts. Then hit the books for another 10 minutes. This gives you brain time to recharge and recover, helping it retain information better.

• Rephrase and repeat. Trying to understand a difficult concept or idea? Rephrase it then explain it to someone else. Having to focus on making someone understand what you're talking will help you get a better grasp of it and you'll retain it longer, too.

• Associate. While me remember only 10 percent of what we read, we retain 90 percent of what we do, so find ways to make concepts as concrete as possible. For example, when you're studying how Napoleon built his empire, it might be helpful to have a globe or map on your desk together with your history book, so you can look up the countries he end up conquering.

• Rest. Stress prevents your brain from absorbing new information, so set aside a certain day of the week when you can treat yourself to a marathon of Glee, Gossip Girl or any series that interest you. You'll feel refreshed (and inspired by the hotties of the show) the next time you have to tackle Trigonometry.