How to Optimise Your Test Conditions for a Higher Score

Sleep is Non-Negotiable

A single night of poor sleep reduces fluid intelligence by the equivalent of roughly 5-8 IQ points. No amount of practice compensates for cognitive impairment from sleep deprivation. Aim for 7-9 hours before any serious assessment.

Nutrition & Timing

• Take tests 1-2 hours after eating a moderate meal — not fasted, not full
• Caffeine improves attention and processing speed at moderate doses (1 cup of coffee) but hurts performance at high doses through anxiety
• Avoid sugar spikes — they produce a short boost followed by a crash mid-test

Physical Exercise

30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise the morning of a test increases BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), improving memory consolidation, processing speed and executive function. This is one of the most well-replicated findings in cognitive science.

The Warm-Up Effect

Do 3-5 easy practice questions before starting a real test. This primes your pattern recognition and gets your working memory up to speed, typically improving scores by several points compared to starting cold.