mentalhealthhqcicWith mock exams coming up it is not uncommon for a young person to feel some anxiety or nerves. Some anxiety or nerves would be normal, if it gets a bit out of hand it can affect performance which is something that most people would prefer to avoid. Managing exam anxiety is vital to help them get the most out of their mocks.
In the lead up to the exams, preparation is of course key but approaching the preparation with a degree of balance is important. While regular revision will help knowledge to be embedded, trying to cram in too much with little time to relax or exercise can be detrimental. Trying to cram up until bed-time can make sleep hard to come by.
Getting the Basics Right
First things first when looking at managing exam anxiety, it is good to make sure all the basics are in place to keep your young person well rested and well nourished. Sleep is a vital need, so every now and then try to check in on how your young person is sleeping. It is vital for learning and so much more. Anxiety can affect sleep which will in turn affect learning and recall. Getting some relaxation in before bed and a good routine is important for young people to get the learning they do into their brain. It also helps with many other things. So check in and see how they are getting on with their sleep. Look at putting some sleep hygiene in place if needed.
Diet – another thing which is important is that they are getting enough food in the course of their day. Having worked with young people for many years I know many don’t eat breakfast at all or fill themselves up with sweets. Lunch can then be patchy. Perhaps they can have a shake or a piece of fruit in the morning if it feels too early for them to eat. Whatever they do eat it needs to be regularly and reasonably healthily. Water intake is important too.
Exercise is a great way of reducing stress, and it is important for this to continue during revision time. If your young person does not really care for sport, encourage them to go out for a walk everyday. If they are a committed sports lover or high level athlete, revision can be fitted in around exercise. Exercise helps get rid of cortisol, the stress hormone and may clear their head a bit after some intense learning.
How can they manage anxiety on the day?
Anxiety in itself is a normal emotion which helps protect us, but there are times when it is less useful. Anxiety can cause blanking in exams. Get your young person to learn a technique to quickly relax themselves. I teach some form of 7:11 breathing to the young people I work with for example.
Help them to set realistic goals for themselves which are achievable. Good planning and preparation will help embed knowledge. Try to discourage all night cramming, this has been shown to be ineffective at boost8bg knowledge. Good study habits at school will carry over to university life if they go down that route or further adult education wherever they take it.
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