When the lunch bell rings, I head straight for my locker to put my notebooks away. Instead of grabbing lunch, however, I grab a piece of gum and my computer and head off to a meeting or to the library to do work with friends. Rather than eating a meal during lunch, I eat three to four snacks throughout the day to refuel, boost my focus and overall mood and be more productive during lunch.

According to Harvard Health, eating a meal gives your body an instant high. Your body starts pumping insulin, your blood sugar and energy levels rise and you start to feel satisfied for the time being. But once you digest that food, your blood sugar drops again, you don’t have as much energy and you start to feel hungry again.

Contrarily, eating snacks throughout the day has known health benefits. It boosts your metabolism, keeps your blood sugar up and burns more calories. According to Daily Mail, having a snack every few hours also prevents overeating at meals and slows down calorie intake.

By eating a snack every other period or so, you are constantly replenishing and refueling your body with energy. Refueling yourself keeps your fatty acid levels and blood sugar levels balanced, making it easier for your body to approach and tackle everything you need to do over the course of the day.

I try to eat healthy snacks to take care of my body and stay fuller longer, but no matter what I’m eating, I always making sure what I eat still fills me for at least that class period, so I can feel satisfied and pay attention in class.

Being hungry is not a good feeling; you aren’t feeling your best physically and mentally, you are only focusing on your grumbling stomach and when you can eat, and your mood is brought down.

Because your body feels physically more energized once you have eaten something, you will feel more physically engaged and alert in what you are doing. Being engaged and actively participating in what you are doing stimulates your brain, automatically raising your mood. But you can’t focus on participating and being engaged if your brain is focused on being hungry and getting food.

As someone who prefers to get as much sleep as possible, getting work done to make that happen is always a priority. I start my homework during lunch and community time when I’m not in a meeting for a club. I find that I am productive, and even though that small hour total each day doesn’t make too big of a dent in the homework load, it still does mean one less assignment to complete and a potential half hour more of sleep that night.

In order for me to be productive during those time blocks, I need to not be eating, but not be hungry at the same time. I balance myself out by eating before and after lunch and CT, so I am able to focus on my work and get things done without being hungry.

Eating small snacks throughout the day brings a multitude of benefits to your overall mood, focus, productivity and health throughout the day. Your blood sugar and energy levels stay balanced and you are able to have a more enjoyable day overall.