Before seeing these tips from a physiologist, I invite you to watch this video in which the best advice for a student is provided.
To activate the subtitles in Spanish, you must click on the rectangle icon that appears at the bottom right:
[mashshare]Physiologist, sleep and stress management expert, Dr. Nerina Ramlakhan reveals her best tips to help students prepare for exams and lower their stress levels:
1) Avoid nutritional stress.
Students need to eat healthy and stay well hydrated, especially during exam periods. So, as difficult as it may be, avoid microwave foods.
Eating right will optimally maintain blood sugar levels so your brain is able to absorb the information.
Students should also cut back on caffeine after 14:00 PM to optimize sleep quality. It is a great myth that drinking coffee and staying up late will help us to better review the exams.
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2) Take regular breaks.
Our ability to concentrate runs in cycles of approximately 90 minutes. After this time, the working memory in the prefrontal cortex shuts down and it stops retaining information. After 90 minutes of studying, be sure to get up and move around a bit.
Even a five to ten minute break can help 'unload' working memory, so we return to the task with renewed interest.
Go for a healthy snack, eat a piece of fruit, drink water, or just get up and stretch for five minutes.
During these breaks, don't check your email or surf the internet. You have to give your brain a complete rest.
3) Have good sleep hygiene.
We should always practice good sleep hygiene on a routine basis. This becomes even more important during stressful periods and difficult times in our life, whether it be physically or mentally.
Get used to relaxing before going to bed, reading or watching something easy.
Dr. Nerina Ramlakhan said that you have to give your body and mind a chance to relax and recover. This not only improves concentration, but it will also help reduce anxiety.
Do not study in bed and have at least one hour free from technology (Facebook and Twitter included) before getting into bed.
Students must also learn to nap. Research shows that even a single five to ten minute nap sometime between 14:00 PM and 17:00 PM can significantly improve cognitive performance.
4) Take a deep breath.
It's as simple as that. If you feel overwhelmed and anxious, stop what you are doing and take a deep breath.
As you exhale, imagine that you are blowing out a candle and your exhalation will be longer and slower than usual.
This has a calming effect. and it is a very useful resource to relieve stress.
Repeat this several times and you could even do some kind of exercise while breathing this way, for example some squats.
Nursing students taking an exam in China.
5) Activate other parts of your brain.
Another reason to get regular rest and change activities is to involve other parts of the brain.
To make sure you use different parts of the brain, do something totally different during your breaks. Try doing a little yoga, for example.
Physical activities are highly recommended during those breaks. However, watching TV or browsing your social networks will not have the same effect.
6) Be aware of your own body.
Don't ignore unusual symptoms that disrupt your physical well-being.
If you start to suffer from issues such as headaches, insomnia, changes in appetite, skin problems, crying, anxiety or depression, they may be signs that you are not doing something right.
Although these symptoms can be attributed to stress and may be temporary, they remain issues that need to be addressed or could be made worse.
7) Face the worst possible scenario.
We can feel overwhelmed if we do not confront the anxieties and fears that lie in our subconscious. I invite you to put those fears down on paper. Write down everything that could happen if things don't go the way you expect.
After writing down your fears, ask yourself: Could you live with this scenario?. Below you can write what you would do if things don't go the way you expect. Build a contingency plan.
Having a 'plan B' will alleviate that overwhelming feeling that stresses you out.
8) Manage perfectionism.
Don't be too hard on yourself. We can all have aspirations and we can all strive to be the best, but you also have to be realistic.
Learn to ask for help and to say NO when the pressure starts to reach unhealthy levels.
9) Give yourself a pat on the back.
Recognize your merits when you've done something right.
Stay upbeat even when things are looking bad and focus on the little things that went well, like getting a seat on the bus, a nice cup of tea, or getting a nice text message.
Research shows that people who do this type of exercise are healthier and better able to cope with stress and adversity.
Excellent advice thank you very much !!!!!