Exam Stress – Calming your Nerves before Exams

The exam season is now upon us. This can be extremely stressful for many students and it is normal and common to feel anxious at this time, also known as exam stress. However, you don’t want your anxiety to affect your performance as being too nervous can affect memory, concentration and cause “blank-outs” during the exam.

Here are some effective ways to calm your nerves before your exams and tame your exam stress:

• Nutrition and herbal supplements – commonly used supplements to calm nerves include: Passionflower, Kave, St John’s wort, Lysine and Magnesium.
• Healthy Diet – Avoid excessive caffeine or alcohol, Drink plenty of water, and eat a healthy balanced diet. You should be looking for food rich in these nutrients:
  • Magnesium rich foods such as Spinach or Swiss Chard
  • Zinc-bearing foods such as Oysters, Cashews, Liver, Beef, Egg yolks, Omega-3, Salmon,
  • Foods with Probiotics, like Pickles, Sauerkraut, and Kefir
  • Vitamin B such as Avocado, Almonds
  • Eat foods rich in antioxidants such as Beans: red, pinto, red kidney
    • Fruits: apples, prunes, sweet cherries, plums, black plums
    • Berries: blackberries, strawberries, cranberries, raspberries, blueberries
    • Nuts: walnuts, pecans
    • Vegetables: artichokes, kale, spinach, beets, broccoli
    • Spices: turmeric and ginger
  • Practice Calmness. Here are some calming techniques for settling the pre-test nerves.
    • Glitter jars
    • Roll feet over a golf ball
    • Crunches
    • Look outside
    • Spins
    • Jumps
    • A warm bath with Epsom salts
  • Get enough sleep – studies show that the majority of students fail to get enough sleep on a regular basis. Insufficient sleep can lead to depression, memory problems and diminished critical thinking skills. Try to get 7-8 hours of sleep a night especially before your exams.
  • Practice deep breathing – Studies show that deep, slow breathing can help manage nerves and avoid panic attacks.
  • Think positively – If you believe it you can do it! By focusing on the preparation, you have done and the information you have learned then you will go in less nervous and have more faith in your abilities.

One test will almost never make break you career. Good health and study habits will help boost your confidence and reasonable expectations will stop you putting too much pressure on yourself just do your best!

Overall Good Luck in your exams!

Remember, it’s not the end of the world if you don’t get the results you want or need! You can always resit your A-Levels or study Level 4+5 Diplomas to help boost your education options.