4 Stress Busters That Will Help You Approach Taking an Exam
With resit exams coming up, and deadlines for early applicants looming, this time of year for students can be incredibly stressful. Close to 20% of students manage test taking anxiety on a daily basis to make it through their studies. For a variety of students, sitting down in silence and relying on reading comprehension and writing skills is not their forte, which is why the prospect of taking tests can send their bodies physically and mentally into a stressed state.
If you are one of these students, or the parent of a child with test anxiety, know that you are certainly not alone. If you are looking into ways to keep your daughter or son calm ahead of a big test, here are my 4 favourite stress busters:
1. Deep Breathing Before and During the Test:
When we get stressed, our bodies go into ‘fight or flight’ mode. We start pumping adrenaline through our veins, our hearts start beating faster, and our breathing increases. As a result, we start to shallow breathe, which means we are not delivering enough oxygen to our brains as our physical body reacts to the adrenaline.
An easy way to trick the body into calming down is through regimented breathing. For 2-5 minutes, practice inhaling for 6-seconds, holding it for 5-seconds, and exhaling for 7 or 8-seconds. Repeat this as many times as you need until you feel your body reacting to the change of pace. As a result, your brain will be delivered with more oxygen, which means a calmer brain and improved chances of better test performance.
2. Move Around Before the Test:
Although you can’t exactly exercise during a test, you can certainly get your blood moving before the test. Engage in some aerobic exercises, like jumping jacks or mountain climbers, right in the hallway if you need to. Studies have shown this kind of cardio releases endorphins, which puts you in a better mood while waking up the rest of your body.
3. Tense and Relax Muscle Groups During the Test:
When we get nervous, we tighten up certain muscles and lock other parts of our body into place. Remember to relax and loosen up different portions of your body as you take the test. Are you squeezing your toes? Clenching your fists? Slouching your shoulders? Tense up and loosen the muscle groups in sequence until you feel them start to assume their normal form.
4. Rely on a Personal Peaceful Memory:
Pick a memory in your life in which you looked out at something beautiful and peaceful. When you start to get nervous, think about this place, what you see, what you smell, and what you hear while you are there. Allow yourself 60-seconds to drift out of reality until you feel yourself stabilising.
With these 4 stress busters prepared and when you realise that no test is worth such anxiety and stress, you will be able to approach them with a greater level of confidence and calm.