Study and exams can be stressful for many people, but there is heaps of advice on how to combat that stress. With so many people going through the same emotional states, there is almost too much advice for how to deal with study stress and to help students relax. 

Anyone who has gone through tertiary education can attest; exam time and studying can get stressful. Even for the end of high school, getting into that study crunch can be a time of frayed nerves, simmering tempers and overall stressful existence. You should never feel guilty or bad for feeling stressed or overwhelmed; instead, acknowledge those feelings and leverage some techniques to overcome and diminish them.

The act of studying has been around for about as long as humanity has, and so has a host of methods for overcoming the stress associated with it. It doesn’t matter if you are taking an online masters degree in school counseling or if you are a high school senior preparing for your finals, overcoming study and exam stress will not only leave you feeling happier, it’s likely to help you perform at your best as well. What works for one person, of course, might not work for you, but there is a wide array of time-tested techniques for reducing study stress that you can try.

Plan it Out, Structure Might be Your Friend

Many people find that when they feel like they have some control over their future, stress melts away. Building up a structured study plan can do that for students. Some key ideas when structuring your study include:

  • Priority study: It’s likely that you know which subjects or areas of a subject are your weakness; start there and see if you can get past or improve those weaker areas.
     
  • Bite-sized chunks: Don’t try to study a whole subject at once. Pick one idea or one topic and focus on it before moving to another. Setting specific topics and ideas to certain days can be a good way to vary your schedule and stop the material getting stale as well.
     
  • Use time effectively: It’s likely that you’ve already heard of things like the Pomodoro Technique. If Pomodoro or another similar technique works for you, make use of it! The Pomodoro Technique involves working or studying for 25 minutes, then having a 5-minute break. Many people find that studying in this way helps them prolong study sessions.

One of the important things when you create a study plan is to stick to it and be consistent. When you are feeling in control of what you are doing because things are going to plan, you are likely to feel a lot less stressed!

Mindfulness, Meditation and Staying Relaxed

While it might seem stupid to say ‘don’t stress by being more relaxed’, that is sort of the idea here. If you take the time throughout your day to sit and breathe, let your mind wind down a little and simply exist, you might find it does wonders for your mindset for the rest of the day. There are many more involved guides that you can find, but in a nutshell, mindfulness can look like:

  • Meditation: Sitting and focusing on just existing and breathing, and letting your mind unpack things can do a world of good.
     
  • Breathing exercises: Using techniques like box breathing can help to center you and reduce stress. Box breathing is when you breathe in for a count of four, hold for four, then breathe out for four as well.
     
  • Muscle relaxation: This is a technique that some people use to help them sleep and to quiet racing minds. Starting from your toes, you tense and then relax as many different muscle groups as you can, working your way up to your head.

If you engage in any of these activities over a prolonged time, you’ll likely feel a lot calmer and less stressed overall in your life, not just in high-stress situations like exams and study.

Get Those Fat Naps

We’ve all been there. It’s a couple of days before the exam, and you have way too much material to prepare for. Why not drink some coffee and stay up, cramming all night? Well, losing out on sleep is going to make it less likely that you retain any of that information, and you especially don’t want to head into the exam in a state of zombie-like headfog. Staying up all night does not sound like the actions of someone who is calm and in control. You need sleep, and you need good sleep. Here are ways to try and ensure it:

  • Bedtime rituals: You probably shouldn’t do anything particularly exhilarating right before bed, but some light reading or listening to calming music is a great way to tell your body it’s time to hit snooze. Put away your phone, or at least turn the screen light down a bit.
     
  • Keep a schedule: If you go to bed and get up at the same time every day, your body will remember and getting to sleep will be much simpler.
     
  • Just sleep: Don’t pull all-nighters. It’s tempting, we know! But don’t do it, you do more harm than good in almost every case.

They say lack of sleep is equal to being drunk for making bad decisions. Would you study or go to an exam drunk? We didn’t think so. Get those naps.

A Sluggish Body Breeds a Sluggish Mind

It can be really hard when you’re stuck in study mode to do it, but stopping staring at your computer screen for hours and doing some exercise might be the perfect thing to refresh your mind and fight off stress. Short exercise and movement sessions around the study session can be simple:

  • Keep it regular: You don’t need to go crazy and hit the gym for an hour, but if you have a regular routine of running or biking a couple of times a week, don’t put that aside in study crunch time. The exercise will help you to sleep, de-stress, and you might find you recall the study materials better!
     
  • Exercise break: We mentioned the Pomodoro Technique earlier. What better way to fill that time than going for a short walk or run, before returning to the materials feeling refreshed and more awake.
     
  • Stretch: Circulation and energy levels can suffer if you sit at a desk for hours at a time without moving your body. Getting up and moving around just enough to stretch out can be a game-changer for your focus and mental fitness.

Just like many other things we’re discussing, keeping your exercise regular will make it simpler and easier to keep moving.

Your Brain Needs Fuel, But Fuel it Well

When you’re stressed and under the pump, it can be really easy to take shortcuts or let other things slide, and things like food and drink are very common ways for people to crash out. Unfortunately, if you eat and drink garbage, you’re more likely to suffer stress later. Instead, follow these suggestions:

  • Stay away from stimulants: If you can, limit your caffeine and sugar intake. Energy drinks and coffee might perk you up briefly, but there is always a cost to pay later.
     
  • Eat healthy: You should do this anyway, of course, but don’t feel tempted to splurge or crash out on your diet because you feel a little stressed. Take the time to make or order a nice meal and enjoy it. You’ll find that good fuel will carry you further than trash will.
     
  • Hydration: Don’t neglect water. Being dehydrated is not going to do you any favors. 

There is plenty of good food and drink that won’t lead to a sugar crash and will help to fuel your brain cleanly for hours.

Final Thoughts

Stressing for exams or over study is something that millions of people have gone through. It’s normal, and how you feel is natural. It’s also something you can take control of and overcome! If some of these techniques don’t help you, others surely will, and if none of them do, well, this list is not exhaustive. There are hundreds of different techniques to overcome study-related stress, and some will surely work for you.

Taking control of your stress while studying can lead to better results and set you up with stress mitigation skills for life. Keeping calm might not be easy, but it is relatively simple.

Further Reading:

How to Choose the Perfect Career Path for Your Skills and Interests

The Role of Networking in Career Growth and Professional Development