Whenever exams knock at the door, the aspiration and anxiety of scoring high grades surge at a different level, and why not? We have been told that results will influence one’s future. The better we perform; the brighter will be the future. But no one ever prepares us to handle this inevitable pressure.
We gradually learn that taking too much stress hinders our ability to think clearly. Many times, due to peer pressure and societal pressure, teenagers get into depression and sometimes follow the erroneous path.
Lack of preparation, poor test history and fear of failure could become the reasons for teens to get into anxiety. It is a common phenomenon to associate our self-worth with the successes at school. At least that is what we saw transpiring around us since childhood. Due to this pressure of performance, we sleep badly, our waking hours go in studies and preparation for the upcoming exams but seldom do people know that are suffering from extreme anxiety.
One can easily acknowledge anxiety through physical, emotional, and behavioural symptoms. In most cases, one experiences headaches, diarrhoea, excessive sweating, and shortness of breath due to anger, fear, helplessness, and disappointment of an upcoming test. All these issues directly affect the mental health of the teens and create negative thoughts. However, succumbing to anxiety is detrimental to both health and the prospects. One must learn to control as well as handle the stress.
Here are some tips for your adolescents to manage stress:
Distress Call
The quickest and most effective way of eliminating stress is to meditate. Meditation for half an hour will not only release stress but also help to focus your attention. It helps to gain a sense of peace and balance the emotions. Another way is to close your eyes and take several long deep breaths. Breathing in this way will calm your nerves down.
Break Time
As soon as you notice yourself losing concentration, take a good break of 15-20 minutes. Listen to music, dance on favourite song, or talk to a friend, it will refresh your mind and improve creativity. Taking breaks after long hours of study prevents study fatigue, keeps you focused, and helps you regain motivation for a longer time.
Skipping Meals Not Allowed
It is important to maintain your health and nourishment. Skipping meals can make teens anxious or jittery. Healthy gut will energize you to study efficiently as brain primarily runs on glucose and if it can’t pull sugar from blood, it loses the ability to focus. So, make sure you are eating healthy meals daily. Do not skip meals, in fact snack breaks is what you should look forward to during exam preparations.
(Edited by Monica P Singhal)