The first thing I would say is that a little bit of stress or feeling some pressure in the lead up to exams is perfectly normal. In a sense, it shows that you care about the exams that you are doing. However, when the exam stress and pressure start having an impact on the quality of your study, your sleeping habits, your eating habits, and your mood, then it is good to put a plan in place to support yourself.

To help reduce the stress you are experiencing, have a study plan in place. Plan for the week of study ahead or plan for the day of study ahead. Make this a routine every time you intend to study. A word of caution here however, try not to be too rigid with your plan.

It is important to have realistic expectations of what you can do in your given time frame. If your study plan is too rigid and there is no flexibility, it can feel stressful, causing you unnecessary pressure. Your plan should just give you a bird’s eye view of what you hope to cover in your study.

By taking care of your physical health, this will have a positive knock-on effect on your mental health. The opposite is also true.

Try to get a good night’s sleep by creating a sleep routine. Exam stress can make you feel more tired than usual. It can also make it more difficult to get or to stay asleep. A good night’s sleep is important for mental health. It helps you to think clearly and gives you a boost of energy to study more productively.

Where you can, try to get 8-10 hours’ sleep a night. Be aware of your caffeine intake, especially energy drinks. Energy drinks can give you the boost that you might need to get you through a study session. However, everything that goes up must come down.

What I mean by this is, while you will get that boost of energy from energy drinks, you will also experience a crash in energy when the effects of it wear off.

Have a constant supply of healthy snack food at your disposal. A balanced diet rich in food such as fruit and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds can boost your energy levels and mental health. Some examples include, bananas, berries, walnuts nuts, eggs, spinach, broccoli, turmeric, cottage cheese and green tea.

Students often ask me should they give up their sports and hobbies as their exams approach. Absolutely not!! Exercise and hobbies will give you the welcome break that you need from your study.

Exercise increases the hormone level in the brain and releases endorphins. Exercise helps with sleep, relaxation, staying calm, low mood, and clarity of thought.

Meeting with friends and family for a coffee or a chat can go a long way to relieving some of the pressure you are feeling.

Be sure to incorporate regular breaks into your study routine. If you are doing productive revision and you are in the focus zone, it is a good idea to take a regular break every 90 minutes or so. Everybody is different. What might work for one student in terms of taking a break may not work for another. I would advise not going longer than 90 minutes without taking at least a 10-minute break and getting some rest.

If you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed about your exams, it is always helpful to talk to someone and tell them how you are feeling. You can talk to a friend, a family member, a work colleague or lecturer. There is always somebody you can turn to who is willing to give you the support you need.

When you are feeling the pressure of an exam, it is useful to focus on what is within your control. This helps lower stress levels. You can focus on what you study, how you study, when you study and where you study. You can control how you look after your physical and mental well-being. There is no doubt that there will be things outside of your control, for example the questions that might come up in an exam. Once you focus on what is in your control and accept the things that are outside your control, this will help manage the stress and pressure that comes with exams.

This article sign posts you to some of the ways you can curb the stress you might feel while studying for your exams. In addition to what I have discussed here, have a think about what has worked for you in the past when you were feeling stressed or anxious. Lean into the strategies that work for you!