Hypnotherapy for Exam Nerves

How to cope with exam nerves

Most people experience some degree of anxiety about exams.

Whilst a certain amount of exam stress is and can be used as a motivating force, it is important to keep on top of exam anxiety.

An important way to do this is to be organised.

Some people suffer with  exam stress more than others.

For those people, it is important to learn some stress reduction techniques as well as using specific study tips for revision.

Useful stress reduction ideas

Don’t drink too much coffee, tea and fizzy drinks; the caffeine will ‘hype’ you and make your thinking less clear.

Eat healthily and regularly; your brain will benefit from the nutrients.

The physical symptoms associated with stress are caused by the hormone adrenaline, which is necessary to prepare the body for the ‘fight or flight’ reaction.

When overproduced by chronic stress, it simply causes unpleasant physical symptoms rather than of being any use to you.

Physical activity will use up the adrenaline, for the purpose it is intended.

This can help to reduce some of the unpleasant physical effects associated with stress, such as racing heart, over-breathing and muscular tension.

Build some regular moderate exercise into your day to boost your energy and clear your mind.

A brisk walk for 30 minutes is as good a form of exercise as any and doesn’t need much planning in advance.

Try out some relaxation techniques.

They will help to keep you feeling calm and balanced, improve your concentration levels and help you to sleep better.

Get into a sensible sleep pattern; make sure that you stop academic work at least an hour before you go to bed and then do something relaxing so that your sleep is refreshing and useful.

Don’t work half the night and then get up late instead.

Symptoms that you might feel

Test anxiety is a feeling of agitation or distress. Test anxiety may be a physical or mental response you experience, such as feeling “butterflies in your stomach,” an instant headache, or sweaty palms before or during an exam.

Symptoms include:

• Headache
• Upset stomach and other gastrointestinal problems
• Shortness of breath
• Sweating
• Feeling afraid
• Feeling negative or anxious
• Depression
• Crying
• Pacing or fidgeting
• Racing thoughts or blanking out

This can be dealt with easily with Hypnotherapy…All that is needed is for your mind to finally realize you know the material and everything is just a review. Take your time not to cram but, slowly let the information make its way through your brain and digest it so it can recall not race throughout.

Help during the revision period

Create an overview of what you want to revise and break each subject down into manageable chunks. If you already know that topic or chapter move on to things you are not so sure of. Just refresh alittle and move on to the next.

Ask your tutors for practice questions/past papers.

Set definite start and finish times for your studying, sometimes smaller groups or even quiet time might be better then with larger groups where distraction might cause you not to be completely in the moment.

Aim to break your studying up with five minutes break every 20-30 minutes. Change your environment take a walk- eat-drink give your mind a break from the subject.

Review in small portions of the chapter checking what you know and what you don’t know.

Quiz yourself with cards or as a game with others to have fun letting go of the tense studying methods.

Practice making plans and answering questions under timed conditions.

Plan on a peaceful nights sleep, no cramming before exam.

Other tips for dealing with pre exam nerves

Believe in yourself.

You wouldn’t have been given a place on the course if you didn’t have the ability to do it.

Therefore, if you prepare for the exams properly you should do fine, meaning that there is no need to worry excessively.

Be realistic.

Success is wonderful, by all means aim high.

But keep things in balance.

If you create unrealistic goals, you will only be disappointed.

Aim to do your best and for yourself, rather than for friends or your parents.

Recognize that none of us can be perfect all of the time.

Take steps to overcome problems.

Don’t battle on alone, get help from a tutor if you don’t understand a topic.

Hypnotherapy, Hypnosis and Cognitive services can provide REAL help to cope more effectively within yourself and to gain a clearer perspective on your test nerves

Don’t keep things bottled up.

Confiding in someone you trust and who will be supportive is a great way of alleviating stress and worry.

Keep things in perspective.

The exams might seem like the most crucial thing right now, but in the grander scheme of your whole life they are only a small part.

If nothing seems to be helping.

Some people find that despite all their best efforts, anxiety levels simply keep on rising.

This can be self-defeating and you can go round and round in circles.

If this is happening, then do not hesitate to contact for a FREE Consultation to discuss how Hypnotherapy can help YOU.

Sometimes a single 60 minute session of Clinical Hypnosis is all you will need, although often a couple of sessions is most effective..