Finals week: The week out of every semester when we should buckle down and be at our most productive, but rarely ever are.

It's easy for many of us to get distracted while studying for finals. The promise of finishing your last exams for the semester and capping off what you hope is going to be a good grade starts to send everyone into mania. Although getting yourself to hit the library and crack open your textbooks (which the majority are carrying a layer of dust around on them), is definitely the hardest part. However, once you get going, there is something that becomes even more detrimental than a rough start: study breaks.

"I'm just gonna run out for a coffee," is something we've all said a time or two, never to return. "Netflix is a good idea to rest my brain, I'll just watch one episode," we say … and then six episodes later we are in complete regret. If you find yourself running into these problems while you're trying to get your life together and teach yourself an entire semester of Chemistry, you've come to the right place. Taking a chance to rest up and let yourself absorb everything you've been learning and re-learning (or maybe you're just trying to figure out what the heck is going on with your grades) can actually be beneficial if done the right ways. Options vary, so try some out and maybe you'll find the one that is right for you.

The coffee nap is a recent trend that has been proving to be extremely productive in the business world, and has moved into the academic world alike. While studies have been going on about this method since the early 2000's, it has recently been put into practice by writers at world renowned publications, college professors, and even scientists, many of whom agree that this is a practice people should try. Drinking a cup of coffee sends caffeine through your body that takes around 20-25 minutes to reach your brain. Your receptors, which are usually filled with adenosine (the chemical that makes you feel drowsy), are flooded with the caffeine which help you become more alert. The goal is to drink a cup of coffee, preferably in an environment that will promote falling asleep shortly after. Once you've chugged your coffee, set an alarm for about 25 minutes and let yourself have a siesta. Your body gets to rest while the caffeine works its way into your receptors and you will wake up feeling refreshed, mentally agile, and ready to get back into your studying.

Whether you're the type of person who likes to go run a mile for some cardio or lift weights to blow off steam, working out is not only beneficial for your study break, but for the sleep you get after your studying is done. If you're coming up on hour five in the library and starting to feel like you couldn't possibly have another cup of coffee, this is definitely your best option. Hit the gym with some friends, get yourself rehydrated, and promote circulation. Even if you just stop by the gym to take a yoga class or sit in the sauna, doing something good for your body and taking a mental break is a win-win situation.

This is an easy study break practice that doesn't even involve leaving your preferred place of study, but is still extremely productive. Proven ways to help stimulate your senses and make you more alert vary. If you want a combination of some of the best ways, try this. Pop in a piece of minty gum, turn on some classical music, and give your shoulders and neck a nice roll. All of these activities promote awareness and a sense of feeling more awake. Stimulating your muscles and circulation will keep you from hitting that study wall which, for most of us, is the point of no return. Some other ways you can achieve this are by placing yourself in a brightly lit room or near a window that lets in sunlight, and tugging on your earlobes.

Save the best of your study break options for last, so that you have something to look forward to. We all know that using Netflix as a mid-day study break is the worst and most unrealistic idea ever. Set goals for your study session and then choose the best study break you could think of as your last one after you've been grinding it out for the day. I can go home and play Xbox with my roommates if I finish all my online assignments. I can lay on my couch for the rest of the night and binge watch Grey's Anatomy if I read the five chapters I have left in my textbook. I will order myself a large box of Pokey Stix and do with them as I please once I have completed all my practice quizzes for tomorrow's exam. 

All of these are perfectly legitimate thoughts and goals for ending a long day of studying. Although this option takes a bit more willpower than the others, it will pay off for you come exam time.