How to Deal With Exam Stress

When you feel emotionally drained, your brain releases high cortisol levels that are known to prevent you from thinking clearly. For this very reason, stressing about the upcoming exams is very likely to make you prepare worse than if you would do if you were devoid of stress. Even though exam time is stressful for you, there are a few effective tips to follow to de-stress yourself. The following tips will help you enhance your learning capacity, digest educational materials better, and avoid an emotional breakdown.

Find out what your learning style is

Every student learns differently, and what works for your classmates doesn’t necessarily have to work for you as well. Therefore, you can de-stress yourself by finding out which way of learning suits you best. While for some, it is better to learn in groups, where they can discuss educational materials and then digest them better, others prefer to gain subject knowledge on their own. Since there are numerous study options, including watching online lectures, taking practice tests, and so forth, you can find what is most effective for you so that you can take most of your prep time without stressing about using the learning techniques that don’t work for you.

Exercise and look at what you eat

If you believe that getting involved in some physical activity will make you even more exhausted, then you are so wrong! Truth be told, regular exercise will only make you more energized. Just give it a try! Physical activity will boost your blood circulation and make your heart beat faster to awaken you from the inside. Go for a run, join your local gym, or just add yoga to your routine. A few-minute workout will increase the release of so-called happiness hormones.

It is also worth mentioning that the food you eat influences your mental well-being, too. Take note that fresh vegetables, nuts, berries, and dark chocolate are some of the best foods to eat when studying. The mentioned snacks will not only help relieve stress faster but also boost your productivity.

Forget about Social Media

Many teenagers cannot imagine their life without posting or commenting on social media. However, if you find a nerve to say goodbye to your friends on social media at east for the prep period, you will see how much easier it is for you to spend much time studying.

Constantly checking your profiles is a huge distraction, as we all know firsthand how time goes by when we surf the Internet. Moreover, other students will probably be talking much about their upcoming exams, and these talks are likely to make you nervous.

If you cannot stop checking your news feed, again and again, you can download and install an app on your smartphone that will give you various rewards simply for not using your device so that you stay encouraged to study without getting distracted over a long period.

Find Someone to Talk to

There is no need to deal with your stress alone. No matter whether this is your better half, close friend, or family member, talking to someone when you are anxious may help you relieve stress faster. Except for providing the needed support, this person may also give you a piece of useful advice or recommend the best paper writing service. If you don’t feel like bothering someone you know, then don’t neglect to obtain mental health services at your school, especially when you are concerned about your emotional state.

Break your unhealthy habits

Many students have bad habits like smoking, drinking, and consuming too much caffeine. However, it makes sense to break these habits at least for the preparation period even if seems impossible. How will you be able to study until late at night without a cup of strong coffee? Or how can you relax after spending a long day studying without a cigarette?

It is a good thing to know that caffeine will only make you more tired in the long run. Same deal with smoking. Given the said, it makes sense to reduce the amount of coffee you drink and the number of cigarettes you smoke during the day. And note that fewer cigarettes and less coffee will save you much cash in the long run!

However, if you cannot break your unhealthy habits once for all, you still can control what you consume. Try to swap double espresso for herbal tea or pure water that will help you de-stress yourself better. Instead of smoking, try chewing gum. As obvious as it sounds, it is highly recommended to stop drinking alcohol. Note that the latter is your number one depressant for the preparation period, especially when consumed heavily.

Don’t forget about sleep

Another important thing you should do to stay concentrated on your studies is to have some rest. Do you sleep well? Think about how you feel throughout the day to determine whether or not you meet your sleep needs. Remember that it is crucial to get an adequate amount of rest, especially when you are getting ready for exam season.

It is reported that students should get at least eight hours of rest to stay energized throughout the day. While sometimes it is impossible to sleep this much, you should do your best to get this much sleep as often as possible. Remember that it is vital for you to take a rest; otherwise, you will not be able to fully recover from a long study session. And if you neglect your sleep today, it will be much harder for you to digest new materials tomorrow. So, it is in your best interest to sleep well regularly.

*This blog post was written by Kerry Rose.