Handling your stress this exam season
For anyone preparing for exams this week, there are many ways to combat and deal with the stress and anxiety that may come with them.
‘Stress is the feeling of being overwhelmed or unable to cope with mental or emotional pressure’ according to mentalhealth.org. Stress is common in many people due to it being the body’s natural reaction when under pressure or when feeling threatened (NHS)
Stress can have a positive impact on us, it can help motivate us to keep going on tasks that are difficult but we know that they need doing, for example that college essay that has been sitting there for two weeks half finished with a deadline of 11:59 pm tonight. On the other hand stress can also have a negative impact on us, both physically and mentally. It can lead us to be unable to complete daily tasks or keep on track when we are working.
The NHS say too much stress over a long period of time can lead to ‘a feeling of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion’. It is important that we can learn to recognise the symptoms and feelings of stress so we can take action and reduce how stressed we feel.
During the run up to and during exam season many people, especially students, teachers and parents will probably be noticing a rise in how much they stress. The first thing to know are the signs of too much stress and burnout, then you can try and find the cause and then find a way to lower the levels of stress that you are feeling.
Some of the most common signs include:
having trouble concentrating
overthinking about little things
trouble sleeping
eating more or less than usual
having a lack of self confidence
feeling overwhelmed
constantly feeling worried or scared
headaches
being forgetful
avoiding certain things
After recognising that you feel stressed it is vital to find out what is causing it because then you can learn ways to lower the levels. Sometimes stress could be caused by something small like being worried about being late or something bigger like going for your first job interview. No matter how small the problem it is can cause stress and it is always important to recognise it.
Some things that may cause stress include:
exams
unexpected life changes
health issues
money difficulties
feeling lonely
pressure at work or school
pressure at home
Stress affects each and everyone of us and we all learn to overcome it in different ways. There are multiple ways that you can combat stress, some things may be small others may be big. Stress is a natural thing that happens to us but sometimes it can become too much and it is important to find something that can help you keep your stress at a reasonable level,.
Some ideas include:
being active, go on a walk around the block or to the park
meet up with some friends or family
read a book or even write a book
sing along with your favorite music
watch your favorite movie
have some time to yourself
ask for help from your parents or peers
try and be positive
try some breathing exercises
If you are struggling to cope you can speak to your GP who will be able to recommend future steps to help. Other advice on stress management can be found at:
or find out more in the HUB