Mindfulness: Techniques to Deal with Exam Stress and Anxiety

A week before exams, 14-year-old Arnav experienced a stomachache almost every day. He also complained about difficulty breathing the night before his Math exam.

Several students like Arnav suffer from chronic exam stress. And these warning signs highlight the same issue. It is not difficult to identify a student in stress.

However, despite these red flags, many stakeholders believe that exam stress is part and parcel of a student’s academic journey. And many times, this negligence turns out to be fatal.

Year after year, India continues to lose students due to exam stress.

And the last decade saw a huge spike in the number of student suicides due to academic stress.

<Student suicides soar 4% annually (increased from 6,654 to 13,044 in the last decade. The overall suicide rates increased by 2% in India, but student suicides surged by 4%>

It’s high time we address these issues and protect our youth from the devastating consequences of exam stress.

Let’s understand student stress and figure out ways of handling a student in stress.

Be with us.

What is Stress?

As per the World Health Organization, stress is a state of tension that we experience while dealing with a difficult situation. It is a natural reaction (or a human response) to address threats. It is natural for everyone to feel stressed. But it is important to manage our stress levels to lead a happy and fulfilling life.

An individual’s response towards stress management in everyday life largely affects his/her well-being.

In the case of students and stress management, things are a little different. Because it requires a collaborative effort by parents, teachers, and counselors, etc. With a spike in mental health issues, most traditional and online schools are focusing on stress management techniques for students.

But before we discuss student stress management in greater detail, let’s understand the typical signs of stress to identify these red flags.

What are the Signs of Stress (Student in Stress)?

Experiencing a range of difficult emotions and stress often makes a student irritable. Stress can also be identified with signs like anxiety, restlessness, nervousness, and constant sadness. A student under stress is often uninterested in school activities. And in extreme conditions, unmanaged student stress can also lead to suicidal thoughts.

Let’s delve deeper into the reasons for stress in students now.

What are the Common Reasons for Stress in Students?

Parental Expectations

In Indian society, academic excellence is often overrated and culminates in a liability for students. As per a study, almost 2/3^rd (66.67%) of students felt parental pressure to perform well (academically). And this constant exam stress takes a toll on a student’s mental health.

Poor Study Skills

It is obvious that students with poor study skills tend to feel more overwhelmed than others. It is obvious that managing studies can be tough with a time constraint. And very often this leads to heightened levels of student stress.

Fear of Failure & Academic Stress

Academic stress is a big problem for several students. So much so that stakeholders are prioritizing stress management activities for students to deal with this issue.

The table below shows the top reasons for academic stress in students.

Reason of Stress	%
Trouble understanding the material	27%
Excessive load of assignments	18%
Boring, impatient, and angry teachers	17%
Homework	15%

The fear of failure in exams is a major reason for student stress. In most cases, it is aggravated by bad study skills, negligent parenting practices, and an unplanned approach towards exams.

Other Reasons

Financial struggles, body image issues, relationship issues, social media addiction, and unrealistic expectations are some other reasons for student stress. Other than this, many students also feel stressed out due to the uncertainties of future life/career pathways.

After these reasons, let’s explore some stress management techniques for students.

How to Help a Student in Stress?

For student stress management, try the following:

Stress-Busting Foods- Studies suggest some incredible benefits of food items for stress management. Include complex carbs (with feel-good chemicals), oranges (curb stress hormones), pistachios (healthy fats), and almonds (improve the immune system) to manage student stress.

Meditation- Meditation makes a student self-aware, lowers heart rate, and reduces negative feelings. Help the student with these mindful practices to reduce exam stress.

Encourage Communication- Emotional support is as important as other stress management activities for students. Encourage open communication, and help the student socialize with friends/peers to reduce stress.

Optimize Study Hours- Setting goals and following schedules are great for students and stress management. Strong study habits reduce academic stress and eliminate the fear of falling behind.

Sleep Hygiene- Adequate sleep rejuvenates the body and mind. So, inculcate good sleep habits in the student right from the start.

Before we wrap up, let’s take you through some quick tips for student stress management.

Realistic Tips to Reduce Stress in Students

Try gratitude activities like writing a thank you letter, or listing down the things that one is grateful for.
Plan ample physical activities for a student in stress.
Help with time management to avoid stress.
Make time for hobbies like music, dance, sports, etc.
Plan some activities like positive self-talk, group presentations, etc., for student stress management.
Reduce the pressure to excel in academics. Instead, focus on the student’s strengths to plan the right career paths accordingly.

The Bottom Line- Well-Being Matters!

For most students, exams are scary, and failure is nightmarish. But with constant efforts (stress management techniques for students), we can help a student overcome this stress. The key is to work on building strong study skills, following planners, starting preparation well in time, and revising regularly.

Let’s prioritize student stress management. And help them navigate through tough times with resilience!

Thanks for Reading!

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is stress management important for students?
A student in stress cannot achieve his/her academic and personal goals. However, stress management activities for students help them manage difficult situations better.
What are the effects of stress in students?
Student stress management is important because a student in stress loses his/her learning ability. Constant stress also creates problems like focus, irritability, anxiety, social withdrawal, etc.
Cite some examples of stressful situations for students and how to deal with them.
Exams, relocation, school change, social pressures, relationship issues and uncertainty about the future are some of the common reasons for student stress. Caregivers must plan some stress management activities for students to help with these issues.