Revision time: coping with exam stress

Exams are just around the corner! Revising for GCSEs and A-Levels is a stressful time for even the most laid back of students. Donna Smiley looks at ways to keep exam stress under control…

Revision: Find a quiet and comfortable place to study whether it’s at home, school, college, university or local library. Draw up a timetable setting out each subject you have to revise for and a time frame. This will keep you focused on one subject at a time. Revise in 20 to 60 minute chunks.

Nutrition: Fueling your brain with the right food will provide you with
the physical and mental energy you need to focus. Eat at regular intervals to keep energy levels stable. Eat a balanced diet, including fish, bananas and blueberries, to help with concentration. It’s also important to stay hydrated so drink plenty of water and avoid caffeine drinks which heighten stress levels.

Exercise: Exercise makes the heart pump faster, which in turn provides the brain with oxygen, allowing you greater concentration. Thirty minutes of exercise a day is enough. Go for a walk, run, or do any sport which you enjoy.

Exam day: The day has finally arrived, you’ve done all the revision you can, so try not to panic. Eat a hearty breakfast; natural complex carbohydrates like wholegrain cereals and bananas slowly release energy. If your mind goes blank in the exam room, take a few deep breaths. One of the most common errors is to misread the question so make sure you understand what has been asked.

Complementary therapies: If you’re struggling to cope and need extra help NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) can reduce anxiety and improve performance. Jonathan Conway, who runs The Conway Practice says: “NLP anchoring techniques can help the student stay calm and in a resourceful state to take the exams. Self hypnosis techniques are also useful.”

Jonathan Conway, Hypnotherapist NLP Master Practitioner and Coach,
01273 540425/07956 855 027, www.theconwaypractice.co.uk