Exam relaxation techniques and tips

I am not going to be that condescending gobshite that tells you all that it will be grand, and sure the exams are not the be all and end all.

That is not fair, and I wanted to kick any adult in the shins who said that to me when I was sitting my leaving cert and other exams.

I would like to give you a few techniques that could help calm you down and keep you all focused in what can be a quite stressful period in your life. Please try them, and hopefully the will benefit you in the coming weeks.

1. The Magic moment technique

For the next few nights as you are about to fall asleep I want you to do a few things.
I want you to think of the happiest moment you can remember in your life. The actual moment, not just a time in your life. It could be a holiday you were on and a particular night, it could be your first shift with someone you fancied for years, anything.

I want you to fully engage yourself in that moment and try to sense every feeling of that moment; the smell, the emotion, the contentment, the happiness, the weather. Literally everything you can think of.

While thinking of that moment, take ten very deep and focused breathes in and out, while squeezing together your thumb and forefinger on each hand tightly.

I want you to do this every night before you fall asleep and when you are walking into your exams next week, just squeeze your thumb and forefinger together if you feel anxious. Watch what happens.

2. Visualisation 

This is a powerful technique to calm anxiety. What I want you to do is take 5 minutes each day, find a quiet spot, close your eyes and begin to breathe deeply, in and out.

While doing this I want you to picture yourself sitting in the exam and seeing the questions and being very happy with the questions that have come up. Everything you wanted has come up. I then want you to picture yourself walking out of the exam hall, beyond proud of yourself, knowing everything went as well as you could have imagined.

Do this every-day leading up to exams. This calms the mind and helps prepare you mentally for each exam.

3. Headspace

Download the headspace app on your smart phone. Listen to this as you are getting ready for bed. Mindfulness is a key contributor to calmness and this guides you through it. When you are calm, your mind will focus and concentrate on the tasks in hand. Trust me on this one.

4. Food and Drink

Avoid stimulants and energy drinks full of caffeine. Caffeine increases heart rate and really plays havoc with stress and anxiety. Drink loads of water as when you are hydrated you focus and concentrate better.

Ask your parents to buy Matcha Green tea (powder form) from any health store as a substitute for tea and coffee. This is incredible for relaxation, but still gives you plenty of energy.

At times like this we tend to eat processed and take away food, which puts serious pressure on the digestive system which then makes you lethargic and unable to focus while also releasing cortisol, the stress hormone.

Foods such as seeds and nuts, fruit and vegetables must be promoted at this time.

Fish is also an amazing brain food, allowing for healthy brain function.

5. Sleep

Sleep is key, and I really know how hard it is to sleep when anxious or stressed. Ask your parents to pick you up a magnesium supplement from the health store. This relaxes the nervous system and promotes heathy and deep sleep. Also perhaps look at an L-theanine supplement which is an amino acid that is incredibly calming in times of stress and can aid in sleep.

6. Exercise

This can’t be emphasised enough. Ten minutes every evening, just get outside. Breathe in the air fill your lungs. It does not have to be hard, but increasing the heart rate and moving promotes seratonin activity and allows for better brain function.

7. Self compassion

You have come a long way. Be proud of yourselves, seriously. Every night as you lay in bed, congratulate yourself for what you are doing. This positivity releases hormones that relax you and boost your mood. Show yourself some love.

8. Talk

This may be something you have heard a million times, just talk. It’s critical. I cocooned myself in my teenage years and generally spoke to no one. It destroyed many relationships and it made life very hard for me, harder than it had to be. What you are all doing is tough, it’s stressful, it’s exhausting, but there are thousands feeling your pain. Don’t do it alone. Admitting you are anxious or stressed is not a weakness, in fact it’s a strength and is a testament to your character and personality. Every day, spend five minutes speaking to a loved one. They are there to support you, and by talking to them you are letting them know that you appreciate their support.

Guys, best of luck. I hugely admire teenagers in this country. You have a lot more to deal with than I did. There is more pressure, more stresses, but there is ultimately more opportunity. Please do me one favour, start investing in your mind’s so you can cope with these stresses. Meditation, mindfulness , counselling or whatever you feel helps your mental fitness.

Good Luck Everyone