How to Stay Calm before an Exam: the night before and the morning of the exam
Our top tips for remaining calm on the day of your exam/s
If you have exams coming up, it’s natural to feel stressed. To perform at your best on the day it’s essential that you try to remain calm so that your brain can think clearly and remember key information. Here is what we suggest you do the night before and on the day.
The night before…
Don’t cram and work till late
Try to resist working till late in the evening before bed. If you mind is stimulated you will find it difficult to get to sleep and this will mean you’ll wake up sluggish and tired on exam day. We suggest you finish revision before dinner the night before your exam then take the evening to relax: run a bath, watch TV, do some cooking or some exercise. This way you’ll feel rested and ready for the exam, rather than frazzled from cramming.
Talk to a friend or family member
If you're feeling overwhelmed, talk to a friend, flatmate, family member, or counsellor about your feelings. Sometimes, expressing your worries can help alleviate stress. Surround yourself with people who support you and don’t forget, you’ve worked hard and all you can do is your best.
Have an early night
Make sure you get enough sleep the night before the exam by having an early night. Lack of sleep can negatively impact your cognitive function and increase stress levels so try to get as much sleep as possible.
Visualise success as you drift off to sleep
Spend some time visualising yourself succeeding in the exam. Imagine yourself feeling confident and performing well. Perhaps imagine yourself opening the text or email on results day and feeling that rush of joy! It might sound silly but putting yourself in a positive mindset has been proven to boost confidence, performance and outcomes.
The morning of the exam…
Have a healthy breakfast and drink lots of water
Try to eat a healthy breakfast which gives you the nutrients you need to work at your best. If that fails, have your favourite breakfast! You deserve to have a good morning before the exam so eat whatever feels good. The main thing is to drink lots of water - this is important for exam performance because it supports overall brain function, enhances alertness and focus, improves memory retention, reduces fatigue and stress, and prevents dehydration-related symptoms such as headaches.
Do some ‘box breathing’
Practice deep breathing exercises to calm your nervous system. Inhale deeply through your nose, hold for a few seconds, and then exhale slowly through your mouth, hold at the bottom and then breath in again. This is called ‘box breathing’ and you usually do this for 4 seconds, for example:
Breath in for 4 seconds
Hold at the top for 4 seconds
Breath out for 4 seconds
Hold at the bottom for 4 seconds
Repeat for a few cycles
Don’t forget to pack everything you need into your bag: calculator, phone, notes, water, snacks, any medication you need.
You’ve got this!
p.s if you’re doing a re-sit, why not get in touch with us for a FREE consultation.
