How to Beat Stress and Succeed in Exams

If you're one of the many people who gets stressed out when it comes to taking exams then we have a few tips for you that will help you to overcome this and really concentrating on achieving good grades.

• Firstly, look after your health. It's too easy to cram so much information into your brain and also try to get on with the rest of your life. You'll end up burning the candle at both ends, so to speak, and this can seriously damage your health.

• Looking after your health means that you should be getting adequate rest. Eat and drink sensibly and in moderation, exercise your body and spend quality time on yourself.

• Studying at every available opportunity can lead to information overload. We suggest that you set yourself a program and stick to it as much as possible. Studying for 20 minutes at a time, followed by a 'reflection period' on what you have learned and then a 10 minute break - is ideal for optimum learning.

• Make your learning fun. If you have someone to study with then use the opportunity to test each other on what you've learned so far, when you're away from your books.

• If you find your mind begins to wander during your studies then it's time for a rest. There's no point in continuing at this time with your learning because your brain won't absorb the information as easily as it would if you were at your peak.

• Practice relaxation exercises. Try this - lie on your bed or sit in a comfortable chair. Close your eyes and relax every muscle in your body - starting with the feet and working your way up to your head. Then, imagine yourself walking down the steps from a balcony - into a lovely garden. Bring all your sense into play, your vision, smell, taste, hearing and touch, for example, smelling the roses and hearing the birds, tasting the sweet morning air and touching the petals of a flower. Let yourself remain in this state for a few minutes before opening your eyes, take a deep breath - and come back to the room.

• Do one thing at a time. Plan beforehand which subject your going to study and don't waver. If you get interrupted, put the interruption to one side until you're ready to deal with it (unless it requires your urgent attention).