Feeling Stressed Before Exams? Tips To Stay Calm

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Butterflies in your tummy on the night before exams may not always be a bad thing. A little bit of stress can actually push you to study hard and complete revisions on time. But, too much of it can be counterproductive. It may unnerve you to the extent that you forget what you have studied and end up anxious and jittery before the exam.

What can you do to keep calm before an exam?

With exams around the corner, you don’t have the luxury of wasting time. You need to finish studying well before the deadline so that you can give your body and mind the rest it needs. When the mind is relaxed, you can write better. But, the question is, how do you keep your nerves in check?

Here is a list of to-dos that you should follow carefully if you want to perform well in your exams:

  1. Get rest: If you are sleep-deprived, your health will automatically suffer. You need to rest well on the night before exams to make sure your brain isn’t tired. A tired brain and jittery nerves are the last things you need when you have hundreds of pages of notes to recall.
  2. Eat healthily: Your diet has a big impact on your brain’s ability to process and retain information. If you binge on junk foods and colas thinking that these will help you stay up late at night, you are mistaken. Switch to healthy snacks to rejuvenate your brain and give you the energy boost that you looking for. Ditch the soda and opt for smoothies and fruit juices instead.
  3. Work out regularly: When you exercise your body, your mind benefits. The release of endorphins in the body relaxes the mind and keeps the stress away. Your confidence gets a boost and you can put in more hours of hard work.
  4. Study with friends: At times, studying in groups can help you complete your work faster. You can solve complex problems faster when you have people to help you and share one another’s inputs and perspectives. However, not everyone benefits from group studying. Some may find it distracting and a waste of time. Choose to do what suits you, but remember, that studying alone can lead to a feeling of isolation and high levels of stress.
  5. Learn how to manage your time well: Most students lack time management skills and this is a prime cause for elevated stress levels before exams. Studying at the last minute is a common thing for students, but this shouldn’t mean that you don’t do anything else besides studying. Make a timetable for studies, include breaks in it, and stick to it.
  6. Meditate: Practising meditation and doing yoga can calm the nerves. This is much needed when you feel the stress of examinations. Thoughts of failure can make you anxious and trigger a feeling of panic. Deep breathing techniques work wonders for alleviating stress and anxiety and this is something you can do at any time in your room.
  7. Have self-belief: Remind yourself what you have achieved in the past and how you overcame challenges to get there. Stop doubting yourself and start believing in your own strengths.
  8. Don’t let your mind wander: Procrastination can be very harmful before exams. This is unavoidable if you are hooked on social media throughout the day. Try to stay off social media to avoid unnecessary distractions.

All of these tips can relieve exam-related stress and boost your confidence before the day of the examination. Preparing for exams can be exhausting, physically and mentally. So, remember to take good care of both your body and mind to get a positive outcome.