Exam Stress: Just The Facts

Exams can feel stressful because we can't totally control the outcome.

A little bit of stress can be a motivator, and help you perform well.

However, it’s important to recognise when you’re feeling stressed and take steps to keep it in proportion. Most people experience pressure, stress and anxiety when it comes to exams, and people deal with it in very different ways.

You might experience:

• Problems with concentration, or find you struggle to remember things
• Problems with sleeping
• Feeling irritable and annoyed
• Feeling generally run down or unwell
• Anxiety and depression

Dealing with exam stress

We’ve got lots of great tips and ideas for how you can deal with exam stress, including:

• Exams: How to get organised– From creating a revision schedule to making sure you take regular breaks, get some ideas on how to get organised well in advance of exam time
• Tips and techniques for surviving exam stress– Eat well, sleep well, don’t leave revision to the last minute and steer clear of the energy drinks. Discover more tips like these to survive your exam period
• Your 12 steps to get your through exam day– Have a good breakfast, arrive in plenty of time and head to the loo before you start are just some of our 12 ways to get you through the days your exams fall on
• Our exam stress animation
• Support through your exams podcast– Listen to school nurse Leanne Upton as she offers exam stress support and advice

Remember, your school nurse is always available to discuss any concerns or worries you have about exam stress in the run up to your exams and during the exam period too.

How to get help

If you have any more questions on this area or would like to speak to somebody about this topic, have a look at the links or search for your local services in the blue box below. Alternatively you can always contact your school nurse.

• w: Childline- Exam stress and pressure
  
• w: NHS - Coping with exam stress