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Here’s 5 Tips to Cope with Exam Pressure
A bit of stress in the exam hall can help improve performance, but too much stress can put mental and physical health at risk. When under pressure, it may be trickier to remember techniques to help you to feel calmer.
Here, Naomi Humber, Head of Mental Wellbeing at Bupa UK shares five tips to help stressed students feel grounded as they tackle their exams.
Here are 5 grounding techniques for exam anxiety:
Reset your breath
Concentrating on your breath can help you to feel stiller and less overstimulated by your thoughts. Take note of your breathing – does it feel faster than usual? Sit yourself upright, and try to slow your breathing by taking slow, deep breaths down to your tummy through your nose, then exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat this slowly, focussing on the air you exhale until you feel calmer.
Try the 5-4-3-2-1 technique
This technique focusses on all your senses to help you feel connected with your environment. Sit down comfortably, shut your eyes, and take a few long, deep breaths. When you’re ready, open your eyes and slowly start to take in your surroundings.
If possible, name out loud:
- 5 things you can see around you.
- 4 things that you can touch. Think about the texture of your seat, how your skin feels, etc.).
- 3 things that you can hear – for example, the breeze, birds.
- 2 things you can smell – it could be the smell of freshly brewed coffee, or the rain after a dry spell.
- 1 thing that you can taste. You could even treat yourself to some tasty sweet or chewing gum if you have it to hand at this stage.
Make a calming playlist
Think about music that you like that encourages you to stop what you’re doing and take things at a slower pace. The act of making this playlist in itself can be a good way to distract your mind. Once you have a list of songs that make you feel better and calmer, where possible, play this to yourself whenever you’re feeling overwhelmed.
Make time for activities you enjoy
When you’re under pressure, making time to do things that you enjoy can help you to feel more relaxed. Where possible, don’t let these activities fall out of your schedule – whether it’s reading, exercising, or making time to pamper yourself.
Talk to a loved one about how you’re feeling
When you’re feeling stressed, sharing what’s on your mind with someone you trust can make a huge difference to how you’re feeling. Getting your thoughts out of your head can help you to feel more positive about them, whilst also giving others the chance to offer their perspective and potential coping techniques that have worked for them in the past.
If you find that you’re still struggling after talking to someone else and it’s impacting your ability to live well, speak to a health professional who can give further support.
*Naomi Humber is the head of mental well-being at Bupa UK.
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