Psychology

Scientific methods to deal with exam night stress

speech ways to deal with exam stress essay

Does test stress often affect your grades? If so, you are not well. In this section, we share with you scientific solutions that are guaranteed to help you relieve stress. By doing this, I guarantee you will be a calm, happy and successful student, so let’s get started!

Clean your desk and room

Have you ever heard that “a messy table is a sign of a troubled mind?” This does not seem to be the only thing your mother tells you to clean your room, but it is also scientifically correct. The more clutter you have, the less you can focus on preparing for the exam.

This is because your mind is bombarded with many distractions, and it misleads you, and you get away from the main topic. Physical turmoil fills your mind and paralyzes your mind, and leads to stress.

To overcome this, do the following:

  • Reduce the confusion around you as much as you can and eliminate anything that does not need to be present, such as photos, snacks, fists, and so on. Keep them out of sight or completely out of your room.
  • Use a drawer and put your belongings in a drawer or shelf. All you need to have on your desk are the tools and books you need to do your current homework.

For leisure, read an article separate from the topics

Enjoyable reading has been shown to reduce stress by up to 68%. Studying calms your body by reducing your heart rate and reducing muscle tension, so the next time you feel stressed, choose a good book and read it in a fun way, which is very effective.

Scientific methods to deal with exam night stress

Reduce your sugar intake throughout the day

Research shows that the adrenal glands release cortisol during stress, which affects your blood sugar levels. So the more sugar you consume, the more stress you will have.

Did you know that what happens in the morning affects the management of the body more than any other time during the day? This is because your body regulates your blood sugar based on what you do when you wake up. Here are some practical tips to help reduce sugar intake and maintain a healthy diet:

  • Do not miss breakfast
  • Eat chocolate or sweet cereal for breakfast
  • Drink sugary drinks
  • Eat a high-protein breakfast that includes eggs, peanut butter, oats, or nuts.
  • Eat four to five servings of fruits and vegetables daily
  • Eat lots of fish

Use your mobile phone less

Research shows that excessive cell phone use not only causes stress but can also negatively affect your mental health. So it’s time to make a smart decision about your smartphone. Here are some things you can look for when selecting your items:

  • Check your social networks only once or twice a day.
  • Turn off all notifications.
  • Put your phone in flight mode or turn it off after 9 p.m.

Think of a good memory

Research shows that the natural chemical serotonin makes you feel good and helps your brain work full capacity. Positive thinking is a way to produce serotonin. Think of memories that make you laugh a lot and relieve stress.

Absorb sunlight every day

Another way to increase serotonin levels is to increase sun exposure. Every 5 to 15 minutes of sunlight a day helps keep serotonin levels within a healthy range, but if you are exposed to direct sunlight for more than 15 minutes, remember to use sunscreen and a hat.

Scientific methods to deal with exam night stress

Sing a little on exam days and nights

Researchers have discovered that singing can relieve stress and boost your mood, reducing the effects of stress. When you sing, you release endorphins, accompanied by a feeling of satisfaction, and the more you sing, the more endorphins you release and the lower your cortisol and stress levels.

Learn to use time management techniques

A student study found that those who learned time management techniques were less anxious to take the test than those who did not. Effective time management involves getting enough rest and sleep at night to give you more energy.

Do not do several things together.

Doing several things together is bad for your health because it raises your heart rate and blood pressure and causes stress. Doing several things simultaneously may seem like a waste of time, reducing the quality of your work.

How to avoid doing several things together:

  • Get rid of all the distractions before you start.
  • Close all unused tabs in your browser and close other windows on your computer screen.
  • Make a list of all the things you need to do during the day.
  • According to the list, do one thing at a time.
  • Set a realistic deadline for each task on the list.

Get enough sleep

The long-term study is tedious. Studies have shown that when it comes time to study, your stress levels increase. Stress and sleep have a two-way relationship. When you are stressed, sleep is difficult and may even lead to sleep disorders, and at the same time, having a good night’s sleep reduces the effects of stress.

Try these tips for a good night’s rest every night

Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time. It helps regulate the body’s internal time and optimizes the quality of your sleep.

Wake up, even on holidays

If you sleep late at night, try taking short naps during the day instead of sleeping long.

Keep your electronics away from your bedroom. Because the blue light emitted by your electronic devices such as phones, tablets, computers, and televisions especially disrupt your sleep.

  • Relax before going to bed.
  • Turn off all your devices one hour before bedtime.
  • Read a book
  • Listen to soft music
  • Think of a good memory

Use positive sentences

Repeating positive sentences is an effective way to calm you down and get rid of test anxiety. Studies have shown that positive sentences reduce test anxiety by lowering adrenaline levels. Here are some positive things you can say to yourself several times a day if you are stressed:

  • I focus more
  • I work hard
  • I give better exams
  • I enjoy the learning process
  • I do this test in the best way
  • Learning is meaningful and fun
  • I cultivate self-control (never use the word stress)
  • I love the challenge of trying

Scientific methods to deal with exam night stress

Be kind to yourself to cope with the stress of exam night

Anxiety becomes easy when you focus all your attention on the fear of it coming back. When you put too much pressure on yourself, stress opens the way to your life, making life easier and giving yourself a ring of fun. Research shows that self-sufficiency reduces stress and improves your sense of calm.

Ways to practice self-sufficiency

At the end of each day, write down your three successes. It does not matter how big or small these achievements are, such as completing a math problem and reading a history booklet chapter. The important thing is that you acknowledge these achievements.

Talk to yourself kindly. Talk to yourself as if you are your best friend.

Do something interesting every day because life does not always have to be very serious.

Set realistic goals for yourself because setting impossible goals does not prepare yourself for failure.

Exercise regularly

Research has shown that high-intensity aerobic exercise has a positive effect on a good mood, and this does not mean that you should prepare for two marathons, but it does mean that you should do a few regular exercises a day.

Do some forms of exercise (running, cycling, walking, light exercise) 3 to 5 times a week for 30 minutes each time.

Set daily goals and focus on their sustainability, even if it is small.

Studies show that repetition is more important than intensity when developing a new habit, such as exercise. Do your favorite exercises and find a sports partner. In this case, it will be much easier to continue working.

Do stretching exercises

Everyone knows that you need to increase your flexibility with stretching exercises, but did you know that stretching reduces stress as well as blood pressure? Therefore, they are also useful for reducing stress.

Do not forget to practice attention.

Mindfulness Stress Reduction (MBSR) is scientifically effective in reducing stress. Although originally designed to help hospital patients, MBSR is now used by many people, including students.

Attention is an exercise in awareness of mind and body. For example, to practice attention, close your eyes and focus completely on breathing. Please pay attention to each of your breaths and follow the air from where it enters the lungs and through the nose.

You can also lie on your back on the floor with your eyes closed and focus on your body, focusing on one area at a time. It would help if you did not practice mindfulness while sitting or lying down because you can do the same when walking.

Take a short walk

If awareness is not something that comes to mind naturally, it turns out that a short walk has similar beneficial effects on your stress level. Walking gives you time to think, and it will also be a good time to put aside studying. 10 or 20 minutes a day walking with family or friends is a good way to have fun.

Do deep breathing exercises.

Deep breathing lowers cortisol levels, and there are many deep breathing exercises you can try, but here are two things to start with:

Abdominal breathing: Sit or lie down comfortably and place one hand on the abdomen.

Take a deep breath through your nose; you feel your hand being pushed out because the air fills your lungs and now let the air out of your nose; repeat this 5 to 6 times.

Morning breathing

When getting out of bed, stand up straight, bend your knees gently, bend from the waist forward, and place your hands on the floor. Breathe slowly and return to your original position at the same time. Your head should be the last part of your body to stay straight. Exhale slowly, and at the end of the breath, return to a bent position and do this 5 to 6 times.

Try aromatherapy

Research has shown that aromatherapy has the power to stimulate emotions and memories and can affect your body through the nervous system. This makes aromatherapy an effective tool to help you cope with the stress of exams. Here are six perfumes or oils to reduce stress and improve sleep quality:

  • Lavender
  •  Lemon
  • Bergamot orange
  • ylang ylang

Scientific methods to deal with exam night stress

smoking

Several studies have shown that aromatherapy oils can lower blood pressure, heart rate, and even skin temperature and calm anxiety by calming the nervous system.

Get enough vitamin C.

Studies show that vitamin C (ascorbic acid) lowers blood pressure and cortisol, both signs of stress. The human body does not produce vitamin C, so it is important to include plenty of it in your diet. Here is a list of fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C:

  • Guava
  • Pepper
  • Kiwi
  • Strawberry
  • Orange
  • Papaya
  • Broccoli
  • tomato
  • Cabbage

Eat dark chocolate

Research has shown that eating a small amount of dark chocolate during the day reduces stress hormone levels, which is good news for chocolate lovers. But note that chocolate should be bitter (with 70% or more cocoa), and in addition, dark chocolate is a fatty food, so consuming more than 40 to 60 grams per day is not recommended.

Drink tea to reduce stress

One study found that black tea has health benefits that help reduce stress. Other teas strangely help reduce stress, such as peppermint tea, because it is a natural muscle relaxant. Chamomile tea helps with insomnia and reduces restlessness, and Lemongrass tea lowers cortisol and improves sleep. Enjoy a cup of soothing tea every day, and it will help you effectively prepare for your exam.

Write three things you are grateful for

I’m sure there are many things in your life that you are grateful for. Maybe you are grateful to have a loving family or loyal friends. Or maybe say thank you for passing your last math test.

Focus on progress, not perfection

Ever thought you weren’t good enough? Do you think that you can never achieve your goals? In this case, you may be a perfectionist. This is another way of saying that you are too hard on yourself, and that means you should focus on your progress, not your failures. Perfectionism may seem ideal, but it can sometimes be stressful.

Here are some ways to deal with it:

  • Replace realistic goals with striving for the impossible.
  • Celebrate small and big successes.
  • Make sure you take the time to do what you love apart from studying.
  • Invest in friendships that are more important to you.
  • Learn to use the words “acceptable” and “good” because if you are always aiming for “perfection,” you may not even progress.

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