It's normal to feel nervous before an exam or important event, but are there some things you can do to help ease these uncomfortable feelings?
In this article, we look at some great pieces of advice which can help you to deal with stress and feel more relaxed for your exam.
Firstly, there are the obvious pieces of advice. We've all heard them before...Eat well, drink lots of water, keep active, make sure you have 8 hours of sleep.... But what are some other activities we can do to help us relax?
Ground yourself by focusing on your breathing. Research has revealed that deep breathing lowers your cortisol levels (your main stress hormone). Make sure you breathe deeply from your diaphragm. There are many breathing exercises online which you can try.
Go to your 'happy place'. We also know from research that serotonin is the main hormone that creates feelings of wellbeing and balances our mood. How can we create more of this serotonin? Think positive! Hey, don't roll your eyes! It can be as simple as thinking of a happy memory. Who wouldn't want to do that? Another way to increase serotonin is to get some sunlight.
Repeat positive affirmations to yourself. The research shows that doing this can aid in lowering your adrenalin levels, thereby reducing your stress. Have a look through these affirmations and find one that works for you.
Sing a song. Singing releases endorphins and again, lowers your cortisol levels. If you can't sing, and don't want to get a noise complaint from the neighbours, listen to quiet, calming music. Music like this has many benefits, such as reducing your pulse rate, blood pressure, and stress hormones.
Did you know that writing down your worries can have a positive effect on your exam results? Read more about this study here. Put all of your worries down on a piece of paper. It might help to express your feelings and ease the stress a little bit.
Be kind to yourself and look at the big picture.
Is it really going to be the end of the world if you don't do so well in your exam? No. Be proud of how far you have come already. As hard as it is, once you've finished your exam, try not to keep going over it in your head. Worrying about it isn't going to change your score. Every mistake is an opportunity to learn where you went wrong and improve your chances for next time.
If you need preparation help for your English exam, contact us to book a session: succeedenglisheducation@gmail.com