Exam stress! It’s easy to handle

Examinations are just around the corner and students are facing stress of good performance due to intense competition and high expectations. What does this six-letter word (read stress) mean? It may be defined as a response to performance pressure. While a moderate amount of stress can be useful to keep one focused during examinations, but if it hits north, it can become difficult to remember and retain. Examination fever can make you feel anxious or depressed and disturb your sleep or eating habits. Such state of affairs can take toll on mental health too.

If you feel too burdened before or during your exams, follow some stress management tips to become a calmer, happier and more successful student. Managing stress becomes important for students, especially during exams. The following things can be done to be at ease:

Clear your room and desk

A cluttered room is a sign of cluttered mind. So, the more clutter you have around your workspace, the less you are able to concentrate because you have so many distractions around you, which leads to stress. The things you should do regarding this are reduce as much clutter as you can around the area you study, use drawers to store things and take five minutes at the end of the day to clear everything away, so that you can start again the next morning with a focused mind.

Read something for relaxation

Reading relaxes your body by lowering your heartbeat and easing the tension in your muscles.

Reduce your sugar intake

To reduce your sugar intake and maintain a healthy diet you should not skip breakfast, eat sugary cereals or candy or drink sugary drinks. Instead you should eat a high protein breakfast, including eggs, oats or nuts. Also include four-five servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

Stay away from phone

It’s time to get smart about your smart phone by checking your social media feeds once a day, turning off all notifications and switching off your mobile phones after 9 pm. Mobile phone is one of the biggest reasons of stress among students.

Think of a happy memory

One way to produce more serotonin and reduce stress is to think positive. Start thinking about something that makes you smile whenever you feel stressed.

Get some sunlight

Another way to increase your serotonin level is to increase your exposure to sunlight. Anywhere from five to 15 minutes of sunlight per day will keep your serotonin levels in the healthy range.

Time management techniques

Effective time management includes getting enough rest and sleep, which leaves you feeling more energised so that you are able to focus when studying.

Write down things you are worried about

If you are taking a few moments to write about the fears just before you take an exam, it will help to reduce your anxiety and improve your scores.

Get enough sleep

Studying long hours is tiring. Try to go to sleep and get up at the same time every day. Keep your electronic devices out of your bedroom.

Do deep breathing

There are many deep breathing exercises you could try, but here are a couple of them to get you started. You can try belly breathing and morning breathing techniques to relax your body and mind.

So, exam stress can easily be managed by using simple techniques. Dear students, gear up for your exams, perform well without taking too much stress. Believe in yourself, you are full of caliber. Best of luck!

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Practice meditation

Mindfulness is the practice of being aware of your mind and body. To practice mindfulness, close your eyes and focus entirely on your breathing. Be aware of every breath and “follow” the air as it goes from your lungs and out through your nose. You don’t have to sit or lie down to practice mindfulness. You can do it while you’re walking. The more you practice the calmer you will be.

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You are stressed, if you are…

• Losing touch with friends and activities you enjoy
• Feeling confused or having your mind going blank during tests
• Getting a racing heartbeat or feeling sick
• Losing appetite or overeating
• Getting a disturbed sleep
• Feeling moody
• Having trouble in decision making
• Doing nail-biting

—The writer is Assistant Professor at Government College, Barwala