Exam Stress
At the time of writing we are hurtling towards the first exam season since 2019. Schools are reporting higher than usual levels of student anxiety among GCSE and A Level students.
Student stress can manifest in a number of ways: panic attacks, angry outbursts, defensiveness, self-harm, and disengagement to name just a few.
As exams approach, you may have feelings of ongoing pressure, fear of failure and worry about the future. This leads to anxiety which may trigger symptoms such as rapid breathing , churning stomach / IBS flare up and you may feel hot and sweaty - especially the palms of your hands. Intellectual control is lost and the original, primitive part of our brain takes over. Now just as when our fight or flight response is triggered during real life or death situations, let’s say we are being chased by a tiger! we will experience blood and adrenaline being pumped around the body , we will run for our lives and all of this energy and adrenalin will be dispersed. These days we are not usually being chased so when we are anxious and the adrenalin is flowing we have nowhere to run, so this build up of stress hormones is not discharged and so begins the vicious cycle of stress and anxiety.
What can we do to reduce stress at this tricky time?
Picture your success! It’s worth remembering that our brains cannot tell the difference between imagination and reality (that’s why we flinch at get scared watching horror movies) If we think about ourselves failing enough times then, even if failure is against the odds, we are almost guaranteed to fail. It’s time to really focus on what you want - show your subconscious what you want NOT what you don’t want. It’s a trick that many top athletes employ and it really works. Visaulise opening that envelope on results day and getting all the grades you were hoping for.
Store up good things - get into the routine of noticing what’s gone well. Note down things you’ve done that you are proud of. Notice things that have improved and the small wins you observe throughout the day. By recalling these moments our brain will release a flow of the ‘happy hormone’ Serotonin .
Breathe deeply: Spend a couple of minutes focussing on nothing but deep breathing - try breathing in for a count of 4 and out for a count of 6 and repeat 5 times. Shallow breathing sends a danger signal to the brain, so deliberate deep breathing is a great way to tell our primitive brain that it can stand down!
Stay active - this can, but does not have to mean going for a run or hitting the gym. A walk with friends or the dog will do the trick too. If you enjoy crafting, this is a great way to relax and engage a different part of your brain and will be a natural mood stabiliser.
Finally, obviously but rather boringly, avoid screens for a minimum of 30 mins before you go to bed, don’t be tempted to burn the midnight oil, set a regular bedtime and implement a calming pre bed routine.
Good luck, you’ve got this!
09 May 2022
