Exam time can be stressful and intense. While we all want the best results possible, there’s a lot of pressure involved in the lead up to getting those good grades. Here are some simple tips to help you cope with the stress of exams and how to look after yourself to ensure that you do the best you can.
Eat Well
When things get stressful, the tendency for a lot of people is to completely focus on the work they need to do, ignoring all the things that their body needs. Like food. Rather than ignoring the rumbling in your belly because you ‘don’t have time to cook’, set aside time to eat your regular meals at regular mealtimes.
If you can, try to make these meals healthy too. The more fruit and vegetables you pack in to your diet, the better your body – and brain – will function.
This also applies to making sure you drink enough water. Dehydration can affect your brain function and your memory, which are both key to good revision and good performance in exams. So get your water bottle and grab some healthy snacks.
Get Enough Sleep
I know it isn’t always easy to get a restful sleep when you’re worried about upcoming exams. They play on your mind and make it difficult to think about anything else.
During your exam period, try your best to get around 8 hours of sleep a night. This is what your body needs to fully recover from a busy day, and give your brain some time to chill out!
If you’re struggling to get off to sleep, there are some remedies you can try. Firstly, try to get yourself into a consistent bedtime routine. Once you start going through your routine, your body knows that it’s time to sleep and you’ll start feeling tired. There are podcasts and apps you can get for your phone that can help lull you to sleep or deal with insomnia that you can try. Pillow sprays with soothing scents have also become really popular and can be a great way to calm you down.
Work Out
Frustrated? Angry? Upset? Good! Use all of the emotions you’re feeling while you’re under this pressure to throw yourself into a workout. Exerting yourself can be an excellent way to release tension but exercise has lots of other benefits too.
Exercise releases chemicals in your brain – endorphins – that make you feel happier. Ever heard of a runner’s high? Well that’s what this is! Exercising regularly during your revision regime will boost your mood and help you relax during this crucial time. So run, swim, box, cycle, dance, stretch – whatever takes your fancy.
Plan Your Revision
You’ll be well aware that revising well is key to doing well in your exams – it’s probably the thing you’ve heard most often. However, taking the time to learn how to revise properly and to plan a revision timetable is equally as important as the content you actually need to learn.
Find out the techniques and methods that help you remember your course content the best – are you a mindmapper? A quiz-taker? A note-maker? Do what works best for you.
Once you know how you like to revise, plan out your time. How often will you spend revising a day? How long will you dedicate to each subject, if you’re studying more than one? Having a plan in place makes revision easier to stick to and you’ll feel less overwhelmed.
Take Time For Yourself
This is probably the thing that gets put to one side the most often when exam time hits – taking time to enjoy yourself. It’s easy to tell yourself that you just don’t have time for fun but that isn’t true.
Make a little bit of time every day to do the things that you enjoy. Spend time with your friends, get out of the house and have fun. Revising is important but you need breaks to make sure it stays effective.
Visit the cinema or watch your favorite show on TV. Bake your favorite treat or game your heart out for half an hour. Indulge in your skincare routine or paint your nails. Whatever you enjoy, take the time to do it, it’ll make all the difference.
Exam stress is real but the most important thing to know is that you’ll get through it, it doesn’t last forever. If you use these tips and try your best, you’ll do great. Good luck!
