Exam stress is very real. One study showed that students saw a spike in cortisol, which is a hormone that is caused by stress, leading up to exam times. What’s more, the study showed that those students with high cortisol levels were more likely to achieve lower grades than expected. There are steps that all students can take, in order to reduce their stress levels and help ensure that they have the best chance of getting their deserved grades and avoiding the so-called stress bias.

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Organize Your Space

Your workspace needs to be well organised. If your notes, text books, and study notes are a mess, you will spend more time sifting through piles of paperwork than actually learning. Failing to find the notes you’re looking for will also increase stress levels, which make it harder to concentrate and absorb information.

Organize Your Work

When it comes time to study, you should have a clear understanding of the topic you will be learning. More than this, though, you should know what elements of the curriculum you will be covering, how long you will be working on it, and when it is time to finish. Use flowcharts and notes, add sticky notes to pages you need to study, and organize your revision.

Practice Old Exams

Examination boards are careful not to repeat questions from one year to the next. However, looking back at old papers offers a number of advantages. You will become familiar with the structure and format the exam will take, and you will get some insight into the topics that will be covered.

Take Regular Breaks

Regular breaks help with long-term information retention. Blasting through hours and hours of revision could prove counterproductive, and try to do something constructive or healthy with your time off. Vitamin D is very beneficial to the brain, so get outside and take a walk.

Eat Well

Ensure that you stay well hydrated, because this will keep your brain in top form. Similarly, eating brain snacks that are rich in Omega oils will benefit you. Natural adaptogens, like Pure Brainpower, can also help increase dopamine and serotonin levels, which will help with logic and data retention.

Get Lots Of Rest

Sleep is vital. Without it, we can be left feeling fuzzy. We struggle to take new information on board, and remembering large amounts of data on too little sleep is almost impossible. Ensure that you get a minimum of eight hours rest a night. Rest is not only important during revision stages, but also leading up to your exams.

It might be tempting to stay up late the night before an exam, to cram in an extra couple of hours, but those extra couple of hours revising could leave you drained for the actual exam.

Reward Yourself

Reward yourself throughout your revision. If you get a good 6 hours done in a day, reward yourself with a meal out with friends, or watch an episode of your favourite TV show. Reward yourself when your exams are over, too. Take a break with friends, or do something you love. The reward will stimulate the brain and give you a reason to power through difficult periods.