5 tips to keep the stress at bay this exam time

During exam season stress levels are high and as we focus on the looming days to come it can be easy to forget how important it is to look after yourself as well. Not only will taking extra care of your physical and mental health help you retain more information during those late-night study sessions, but it will also prevent you from feeling overwhelmed by the workload.

Below are some tips to save you from excessive stress during your exams:

One thing at a time

If possible, get your coursework deadlines out of the way before cramming for exams. This may sound counter-productive but if you try tackling too much at once everything will suffer.

Look after yourself

Drink more water and eat healthy foods. As much as it is tempting, now is not the time to binge on junk food, it will make you feel sluggish. Healthy snacks like fruit and nuts are easy to pick at and are often cheap too. Also, don’t forget to keep hydrated to keep the headaches at bay.

Really look after yourself

Exercise – the one thing no one feels like they have time for and the one that would inevitably end up on this list. Cardio is great for working off the nervous energy if you have a gym membership, are part of a sports team or are brave enough to go for a run in the real world.

If that’s not your type of thing there are plenty of options to choose from which can be done during breaks from revision. For example, Pilates and Yoga can be done from your bedroom with no equipment necessary and you won’t disturb anyone around you. They are both remarkably calming as they force you to focus on your movements and breathing making them a great way to de-stress.

You’ve earned a break

The importance of taking breaks from revision has been stressed to us on numerous occasions over the years, but leaving the house is also key to maintaining your sanity. It’s easy to get so lost in cramming for exams that you get sucked into the black hole which is our bedrooms. Getting some fresh air and soaking up whatever valuable minutes of sunshine are available during these breaks can prove more beneficial than you might think. Even if it’s just a change of location from your living space to the library – a change of scenery will help keep you focused and stop your thoughts from drifting.

Meeting up with friends on occasion will also help, such as meeting for coffee at your favourite café – just because it’s May doesn’t mean you can’t be sociable. If this makes you feel guilty then revise with them or discuss together which topics you are struggling on. After all, they might be able to phrase things which will make the information ‘click’.

Seriously, look after yourself

Look after your mental health too, whether that’s through meditation, practising mindfulness or just listening to calming music. There are plenty of apps available on both android and ios which can guide you through this.

The point is, just because you are revising does not mean you can neglect looking after yourself. You will be thankful for any effort you made when exams are finished. As it has been said time and time again, you need to find what works for you. That may not be the same as your friends and peers but, once you do, time spent on revision will be much more effective and you will feel a lot happier during the whole process.