Kill the Stress Hormones of Exams and Relax!
Exams are arriving. These three words trigger stress, fear, worry, tension, pressure and along with them bring symptoms such as Excessive Sweating, Heart Palpitation, Headache, upset stomach, vomiting, drowsiness, overeating, loss of memory and host of other symptoms. Exam stress is a feeling of stress that a lot of young people feel coming up to exam time.
Stress often leads to fight or flight response and puts a detrimental effect on performance.
However, you are not the only person experiencing stress.
As per the recent survey, more than 33% students pursuing their studies are seeking professional help because of exam Stress and this figure is still accelerating day by day.
Just Relax!
However, you have landed on this page. So Relax! There are plenty of ways to uplift your mood and boost your brain power during exam stress.
How to spot the Exam Stress?
• Finding difficult to concentrate
• Relying more on caffeine and other toxic substances
• Over reactive, easily angered or irritable
• Becoming too sensitive and tearful
• Feeling of inability to cope with normal situations
Limited or positive stress releases limited stress hormones in our bodies that motivates us to perform well. However, when stress is not tackled properly and allowed to continue for a prolonged period, it can result in anxiety and depression and consequently have repercussions on our physical and mental health.
It is common to feel stressed when anybody hears about Exams. But some students experience it more intensively as there is fear of rejection by parents, teachers, and peer pressure.
However, don’t let it rule you.
Now Switching to Stress Management techniques, following are the techniques of Stress Management
1. This is not the last test of life
Hope for the best and prepared for the worst. The forthcoming exam is crucial. However, it is not the only key to successful future and further not the only god of good fortune.
2. Sound Sleep
Allow yourself to make revision at night if that works best for you. However, make sure that you get a sound sleep to keep the energy levels up on the exam day.
3. Be Realistic and consequently more productive
Without infusing the appropriate efforts, many students set unrealistic and unreasonable expectations about their result. This decreases rather than increasing their productivity. On the contrary, self-realization leads to more than expected performance most of the time.
4. Use Effective Study Skills
Just google effective study skills and you would get a plenty of material on effective techniques to learn more in less time, revising and impressive writing in exams.
5. Use Talk Therapy
We all are in the same shoes i.e. Your friends are also under the same pressure. By talk therapy, we mean that by talking to your friends you would feel as if you are not the only one on this planet who is facing the problem.
6. Exercise or involvement in fun activities
It is a myth that exercise or involvement in a fun activity for a short span of time during exams is wastage of time. If you are struggling to focus on studies and stay motivated then Exercise or walk for some time. It would lower your stress level and would thus relieve you from tension and take your mind off what is making you stressed.
7. Other Relaxation techniques
The other alternative is involvement in an activity that makes you happy. You can also indulge yourself in relaxation techniques like mindfulness, deep breathing or meditation before, during and after taking exams. The above mentioned activities can de-stress, calm down and refresh your state of mind.
8. Planned Study along with measurable deliverables
Plan your study with measurable deliverables so that you can evaluate yourself and boost your confidence thus lowering your stress levels.
9. Role of parents
Let your children realize that you are proud of them irrespective of the fact that they are likely to perform better or worse. It boosts the morale of Child.
10. Don’t compare
Every person in this world is unique and possesses hidden potential. Don’t compare your child with the child of your colleagues or well wishers.
11. Most Productive time for Most Important Topic
Try to know at what time and at which place you are most productive. Use this time in the most crucial study task.
12. All class mates in the same boat
Always assure yourself in the crisis that you are not the only one struggling and bottling your exam related anxiety – your class mates are in the same boat.
13. Other important techniques to manage exam stress are
• Don’t take junk food
• Take Bananas –It seems strange to talk about bananas when discussing stress level. However, it prevents you from being hungry in exams. Moreover, it calms your nerves and releases energy slowly.
• Always make a provision for Revision of your studies. Revision is similar to food – If not taken timely, it might lead to constipation.
• Switch Off your Social Networking sites. You may not believe, but some students spend half of their day on facebook and other social networks without even realizing it.
• Spend time with Supportive beings. Some people spend time with pets or caring people. It releases your stress.
• Avoid toxic substance – Alcohol, cigarette etc. Further, eat and drink in moderation.
• Make a to-do list for the complete day allotting more time to important tasks and then evaluating and reviewing performance.
• Follow punctuated study with breaks
• Moderate food provides your brain and your body with the fuel that they need to work better. Moreover, don’t take Junk food.
• While talking with friends, share your stress but comparing knowledge of the topic is never helpful.
• Parents should have supportive attitude and they should help a child with their worries by talking to them.