15 Tips for Dealing with Exam Stress

This article was originally published on?CareerAddict.

Tossing and turning at night? Struggling to keep any food down? Can’t concentrate?

Exam stress can take a big toll on both your physical and mental wellbeing, and it’s affecting a greater number of students at alarming rates. In fact, a?study?by youth service ReachOut revealed that almost 50% of students aged between 16 and 25 experienced worrying levels of exam stress.

While some students are able to pass through studying and their exams without breaking a sweat, there are others who find their?hearts racing and hands shaking?throughout their?student life.

So, are you looking for ways squash the anxiety and stride through your exam worry-free?

Read on to learn how to deal with exam stress.

1. Eat a healthy diet

Skipping breakfast and relying on chocolate and chips to get you through the day might seem like a reasonable (and tasty!) coping mechanism, but an unhealthy eating pattern can cause?burnout?and worsen your mood.

This is because consuming high-sugar foods results in blood sugar spikes and crashes, which then causes energy levels to rise and fall. Besides impacting your mood, it will also make it harder to study!

Instead,?eat a?balanced diet?and stock up on the best brain foods, like leafy greens, berries and nuts. Slow-burning carbs like oats and wholegrain bread are also great for providing the body with a constant supply of energy.

2. Get enough sleep

Nothing feels worse than sweaty palms?and?droopy eyes.

During exam period, it’s critical that you?get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation can decrease energy levels, make you irritable and diminish your concentration. Getting?at least?seven to nine hours of sleep every night?will recharge your body and decrease your anxiety.

At the same time, sleep has been proven to assist in the?consolidation of memory, meaning the more you sleep, the better your chances of retaining the information you learn while studying. Better?lay off those all-nighters, then, and start catching some Zs!

3. Exercise regularly

Exercise is a superb way of combatting stress. The more?physical activity?you do during exam season, the more positive and energized you’ll feel. This is because exercise decreases the production of stress hormones like cortisol, while releasing endorphins — brain chemicals that act as natural painkillers and mood elevators!

That’s why we suggest that every student adds a few exercises to their stress management plan, even if that’s just a?30-minute?jog or cycle?a few times a week — it’ll really help when it comes to dealing with stress.

4. Try breathing techniques

When you’re feeling overwhelmed during a study session, take a few minutes to?practise some breathing exercises. Deep breaths increase the supply of oxygen to the body, which activates the parasympathetic nervous system and promotes calmness. At the same time, diverting your focus to your breathing will temporarily clear your mind of other worries.

Next time the stress gets the best of you, try the popular 4-7-8 breathing technique for a minute or two: inhale for four seconds, hold your breath for seven, and steadily exhale for eight.

5. Study with friends

The more time you spend alone in that bedroom revising, the more overthinking and pondering you’re going to do. If possible,?dedicate a few hours a week to studying with friends. Remember: they’re going through exam stress, too!

Whether it’s quizzing each other, sharing notes or discussing potential exam questions, studying with friends can get you out of your head and help build your confidence. Socializing also contributes to the?release of dopamine, an important neurotransmitter that happens to stimulate memory.

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