Are your exams coming up? If yes, you are not alone. Every student feels stress and anxiety at some level during exam time. Many times we do not admit it openly, but deep inside, restlessness, fear and pressure affect us. This is absolutely normal. The only difference is that some people know how to handle it and some do not.
Successful are those who learn to control their emotions. When the mind is calm, both focusing on studies and scoring good marks become easier. Therefore, it is important to adopt some strategies to avoid stress and anxiety during exam days. Let’s understand these in detail.
1. Eat Right
We feel what we eat. If your stomach is healthy, then the brain will also work well. It is often seen that students start eating fast food, packaged snacks or more sweets during exam preparation. Initially it tastes good but it makes the body heavy and lethargic.
You should take a balanced diet which includes fruits, green vegetables, pulses and light food.
Example of Healthy Diet
- Morning: Oats or paratha with curd
- Afternoon: Dal, rice, and vegetables
- Evening: Sprouted gram or moong dal
Eat very little sweet or oily food. If you need energy, eat banana, apple or almond instead of chocolate. This will give instant strength to the body and you will not feel sleepy or lazy.
2. Get Enough Sleep
While studying, many students make the mistake of staying awake all night and studying. They think that studying for more time will help them get good marks. In reality, this method is absolutely wrong. Due to lack of sleep, the brain is not able to remember the information properly.
Your bed is only a place to sleep, not to study. Try to sleep on time at night and get at least 7–8 hours of sleep. Avoid watching mobile or TV before sleeping. Reading a book or listening to light music is a better way to get sleep.
Example
If your exam is at 9 am, then it is best to sleep by 10 pm the night before the exam. This will keep the mind fresh and you will be able to write down the things you have memorized easily.
3. Include Exercise in Your Daily Routine
The body gets tired due to both studies and stress. But if you exercise for a while every day, then both the body and the mind become fresh. Running, cycling, doing yoga or swimming – any of these activities will make you light and energetic.
Even if you do not have much time, then taking a 20–30 minute walk or stretching at home will be very beneficial. When the body sweats, the stress from inside is reduced.
Example
Suppose you wake up in the morning and do 15 minutes of Surya Namaskar and 15 minutes of brisk walking, then you will not feel lazy while studying throughout the day and your mind will also remain clear.
4. Adopt Distraction Strategies
When the stress increases a lot, it is important to focus somewhere else for some time. For this, small measures are very helpful.
Useful Distraction Strategies
- Pressing a stress ball
- Chewing gum
- Drinking cold water slowly
- Playing with small toys
All these things remove stress from the mind for some time and lighten it.
Example
If you are upset while studying and feel that you are not able to understand anything, then chew chewing gum for 5 minutes or press a stress ball. This will calm the mind and you will be able to focus on studies again.
5. Positive Thinking and Encouraging Sentences
Often students get surrounded by negative thoughts during exams. Like – “I will fail” or “I did not remember anything”. This thinking makes you more weak.
The best solution for this is to write positive sentences and stick them around you.
Encouraging Sentences
- “I can do this”
- “I am working hard, I will succeed”
- “I will try and give my best”
Reading and speaking these sentences repeatedly will increase confidence.
Example
Stick a page on your study table on which is written – “Every hard work pays off”. Whenever you feel scared, this sentence will give you courage.
6. Rest and Relaxation Techniques
Whenever the stress increases, deep breathing is the easiest and effective way. Close your eyes and slowly take deep breaths and exhale.
Simple Breathing Exercise
- Inhale by counting till 3
- Exhale by counting till 5
- Repeat 4–5 times
It takes very little time but the effect is deep. Apart from this, meditation and listening to light music also gives peace to the mind.
Example
If you suddenly start feeling nervous in the examination hall, then immediately take deep breaths for 1 minute. You will feel that the stress has reduced and the mind has become calm.
7. Talk to Someone
Many times we think that we should not tell our worries to anyone. But this thinking is wrong. If the stress is increasing, then the best solution is to talk to parents, friends, teachers or counselors.
Sometimes just talking makes the mind feel lighter. And it is possible that the other person can give you some suggestion which can be useful for you.
Example
If you are afraid of the maths paper, then talk to your friend. Maybe he can tell you some easy way which will give you confidence.
Conclusion
Exam time is challenging for every student. But remember that this time is not forever. It is in your hands to handle stress and anxiety in the right way.
Balanced diet, adequate sleep, regular exercise, positive thinking, relaxation techniques and talking to trusted people – all these methods together will make you stronger.