The Alphabetic approach to beating exam stress

With the exam dates fast approaching, students are already under stress. Unnecessary stress can slow down your brain's capacity to absorb information and make you feel tired easily. There are many effective ways in which exam stress can be handled efficiently, to reap excellent results in the forthcoming months. Given below is an edited version of the original article published sometime back.

Here's the A to Z of beating exam stress, according to the Hindu.

A: Attack anxiety.
Try deep breathing exercises. Train the mind to be attentive, strengthen it and reinforce it every day with healthy habits. This keeps the brain alert while studying, and helps keep the person calm.

B: Brain not to be overloaded.
Maintain a regular routine in terms of food, sleep, and getting fresh air and sunlight. Wake up early and go for a walk; chat as you walk and reduce stress.

C: Chill pill, not coffee or cola.
Though a cup or two may help stay awake at night, it’s not right to drink many cups. Coffee and tea are diuretics and dehydrate the body.

D: Dine-in, not dine-out.
Dining out during exams may give you gastroenteritis. It is good to eat home cooked food and include a lot of fresh vegetables and fruits.

E: Exercise. 
Exercise helps develop physically, mentally and improves posture. Mobilising the body gets the muscles going, increases adrenalin and prevents spine problems.

F: Fight, don't give up.
Put in the maximum effort and overcome any problems such as dyslexia, attention disorder, emotional problems and just believe in yourself. Reinforce faith and keep telling yourself you can do it.

G: Group learning.
Studying can be a collaborative process. Group learning increases confidence reduces anxiety and stress and has a positive effect on the learner.

H: Hug.
A loving and warm environment and a hug now and then make all the difference. Hugging releases a hormone called oxytocin which is said to increase levels of social interaction, and have anti-stress effects.

I: Identify right.
A good time and place to study can make a great impact on studies. Start with a warm-up in the morning and take up a light subject. Then go on to Math and Science. Study languages in the evening to reduce stress.

J: Jam.
Just a minute on the mobile phone and the social networking may help with exchanging notes and asking doubts. But it should completely be avoided at night.

K: Kindness.
Kind words and unconditional support speak a lot to the stressed student. Avoid comparisons, especially with yourself, siblings, friends, and friends’ children.

L: Learning.
Learning can't happen if the content is not covered properly. Memorising, binge-studying, not making notes, are real problems. Focus on one thing at a time, plan the day, and use mind-mapping techniques.

M: Motivation.
Motivate your child, focus on the positives. Highlight the strengths and help overcome weaknesses.

N: Nutrition.
A nutrition-rich diet and snacking on almonds and fruits help concentrate more on studies.

O: Own up.
It is important to understand where the fear and anxiety is coming from. Parents should not ignore physical symptoms and seek a doctor’s help immediately.

P: Pep talk.
A pep talk and joking about things can relieve stress. Talk to friends casually and do not spend the day worrying about exams.

Q: Quit worrying about the future.
Do not talk about long-term goals. Focus on the short-term ones and try to achieve them. The rest will fall into place.

R: Realistic goals.
Do not have unrealistic expectations or set unreachable goals. Unrealistic goals cause the most stress.

S: Socialise in person.
Instead of using the social media, take a break and meet your friends, even if it is for a few minutes. Do not speak about studies.

T: Timetable. 
Make a timetable and stick to it. Pin it up in a prominent place so that everyone can read it and follow it.

U: Unwind.
Share your thoughts and emotions with your family. Create a special family time, no matter what. Stick to the routine and it helps beat the stress.

V: Ventilation.
Throw open the windows and let in fresh air and natural light. Good ventilation lifts your spirits up.

W: Water.
A small headache may be due to dehydration and not stress. Place a bottle of water close to your study table and reach for it every now and then. Lime juice helps bring in the vitamin C.

X: X out junk food.
Junk food has no nutrition. It must be avoided during exams. Indulge in home-made French fries? Yes, you may, occasionally.

Y: Yoga.
Yoga sharpens the mind and improves blood circulation. Doing the Surya Namaskar early morning wakes both the body and mind.

Z: Zzz.
Adequate and sound sleep is a must in the daily routine. It's good to study during the day at the same time as exam days. Relax for at least half an hour before bedtime and cut off from studies to sleep well.

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