As exam season is creeping up on us, I would like to discuss what exam stress may look like and how you can manage it.

According to a 2005 study, 40 percent of students in Canadian universities reported experiencing high stress and 48 percent of students experience the most stress while studying or preparing for an exam. Mild stress induced by  an upcoming exam can be healthy and normal as it may promote productivity; however, excess stress can be problematic, as it can interfere with your ability to perform well. 

A study by Dr. Ping and others,. explored test anxiety in medical students and determined whether it affected their exam performance. They concluded that students showing signs of anxiety before an exam led to a downward progression of their exam performance. 

Exam-related stress can develop for various reasons, and students can take preventative measures to manage it. The main causes of stress can be lifestyle issues such as inadequate sleep, poor nutrition, excess stimulant use (like consuming too much caffeine) and insufficient exercise. Moreover, poor studying habits can contribute to high stress levels among students.  

Trying to memorize your notes, rather than trying to understand the bigger picture, or cramming the night before — which we’ve all been guilty of — can induce stress in students. Psychological factors we usually overlook can play a huge factor in our stress levels, such as negative thinking and self-criticism. Perceiving yourself as “not smart enough” can hinder your exam performance. 

Students may experience physical symptoms such as trembling, feeling hot or flushed, cold sweat, bladder or bowel upset and an abnormal heartbeat. Psychological symptoms can include feeling terrified or afraid, tense, worried, and stressed and have difficulty concentrating. These symptoms suggest that exam stress can manifest in various ways and we should not be excessively stressing as it can immensely affect our overall well being. 

A study by Dr. Lewis and others explored exam stress on working memory in young adults. His team discovered that exam stress are linked to elevated cortisol levels,also known as the “stress hormone. That increase might be associated with the component of working memory. 

There are numerous healthy strategies for students who are experiencing exam stress. Exercise can greatly help alleviate stress and your overall health. Students may feel overwhelmed and say that they do not have time to do it, but doing a 15 minute exercise such as going for a walk or walking up and down the stairs has shown to be enough. 

Taking breaks has been proven to be beneficial as our brain sometimes needs them when we’ve been sitting for too long. Schedule short breaks, or try the pomodoro technique, a method based on 25-minutes of focused work broken up by five minute breaks. 

Making a mental or physical timetable can help you motivate yourself to study. Defining the study blocks in your schedule can allow you to prioritize effectively for your exams. Your schedule may look like this: setting aside an hour to study for biology, then taking a 10-minute break, then transitioning into an hour study block for chemistry. This not only organizes your day, but also prevents you from burning out on a particular course.

Music interventions have also been shown to reduce test anxiety. A study aimed to assess the influence of music on anxiety levels of pharmacy students related to test preparations, and the results concluded that active playing and passive listening to music were equally effective in reducing test anxiety. Thus, the use of music can help alleviate test anxiety in students. 

There is no perfect “one-size-fits-all” approach to strategies to help you with exam stress. Many students like to use various or only one strategy to help cope with stress. Remember to breathe, relax and trust your potential! Good luck!