How to cope with exam stress

How to cope with exam stress There is no getting away from it - exams are stressful. They involve hours of revision and studying and can leave you feeling exhausted and stressed to the hilt. Just one reason why you need to learn how to manage what you are feeling and find ways to cope. While a certain amount of exam stress is healthy (and even good for studying) it's very easy for small worries to spiral and become overwhelming. If you are experiencing any of the following you need to take action. 1. Crying because you are worried about failing 2. Finding it hard to sleep or focus due to anxiety 3. Feeling unwell with headaches 4. Not eating or overeating to cope with stress 5. Not able to think about anything but exams 6. Feeling high levels of anxiety Strategy one: talk to someone Friends are great, but sometimes they can make you feel worse, which is why a tutor or teacher needs to be your first port of call. Unlike your peers, they will be able to put your fears into perspective and help you to tackle the areas that are stressing you out the most. Common areas a tutor can advise on: 1. A revision plan or lack of it 2. Fear of failure 3. Exam nerves 4. Anxiety about taking the exam Strategy two: relaxation techniques Knowing how to handle your stress with proven techniques can also help you to feel more in control. Award-winning apps like Headspace and Calm can help you to switch off and manage your anxiety via breathing and mindfulness techniques. A good routine around revision, with breaks, will also help. Make sure you have a break every hour and that you stop revising at least an hour before bed. This way, you have time for your brain to unwind and relax before bed. Finally, get at least 7 hours of sleep each night. Rest is a powerful mechanism for both remembering information and lowering your stress levels. Too much or too little sleep will have the opposite effect. Strategy three: tackle your stress/study trigger points There will always be certain aspects of exams that will cause you more stress than others. Talk through what's bothering you the most so you can tackle this head-on and lower your stress levels. If it's lack of revision, talk to a tutor/teacher about where your knowledge gaps are and the most effective way you can catch up. If you are worried about forgetting everything on the day, work with past papers, so you feel comfortable with how exam questions are asked and graded. If you are worried that nerves will get the better of you trust yourself. When we get nervous, we all doubt ourselves and begin to question even the most obvious answers. If this happens, give your mind a few minutes to absorb the information before you answer. Finally remember you are not alone. Many students feel a considerable amount of stress when it comes to exams. The key to remember is that exams, as vital as they are, are just one of the stepping stones you need to get to your goals. For more on revision and exams see our blog posts on revision, GCSEs, mocks and more.