How to beat exam stress
Nov 17, 2002
Last week we discussed study habits and how to beat stress during exams. This week, let us focus on the factors that affect deep relaxation, exercising, and digestion
Nutrition with Grace Canada
Last week we discussed study habits and how to beat stress during exams. This week, let us focus on the factors that affect deep relaxation, exercising, and digestion.
Digestion: If a person is in a stressed state the body is programmed by nature to divert blood and energy away from the digestive tract in favour of the skeletal muscles and the brain.
These changes in blood flow and energy levels affect digestion negatively, causing stomachaches, indigestion, headaches and other problems.
Tension in the body muscles may increase to an uncomfortable level and the mind may become erratic, unable to think clearly or remember those facts we already know. Additionally we may experience a general sense of uneasiness.
Caffeine: During exams, students tend to take a lot of caffeine-containing beverages like coffee to keep awake.
Most people can take up to 150-225 mg of caffeine in a cup or two of tea, coffee or soft drinks. But for those who are sensitive to caffeine, even small amounts of it can cause symptoms such as, bad moods, nervousness, irritability, heart palpitations and disturbed sleep.
If a person is already feeling stressed and anxious, and is sensitive to caffeine, taking caffeine containing beverages can, make matters a lot worse.
Refined foods: It is not unusual for students to resort to refined foods as a snack or even to make a meal out them. However, refined foods, such as cake, biscuits, white bread, sodas and other soft drinks contain a lot of sugar and very little nutritional value. That is why they are known as empty calorie foods. The sugar in these mentioned drinks and foods provides a quick surge of energy and an instant lift in mood, but this lasts for a very short time and is followed by low blood sugar.
This fluctuation of blood sugar from high level when you have just eaten refined foods to low levels after the foods are digested and used up, may cause a person to become, irritable, tired, sad and unable to concentrate.
Sleep: The need for sleep varies. Younger children may need 10-11 hours of sleep per night and teens may need between eight and nine hours.
Yet, most students get less than six hours or less of restless sleep during exams, waking up in the morning generally still tired. Sleep and rest are very essential to clear thinking, good health and it enhances mental and physical performance.
It is important to remember that academic success does not depend only on the number of hours spent studying. Additionally, the quality of the hours needed to study has to be good and is greatly affected by the quality of sleep the night before.
Recommendations:
Encourage your child to avoid or decrease the amount of refined foods. (Sodas, cake, white bread, biscuits and all caffeine containing beverages).
Decrease the amount of salt in food. Eat regular planned meals in a relaxed environment and get regular exercise. It is important to eat three well balanced light meals and two snacks in between.
Do not let your child leave home without breakfast. How your child performs in the morning greatly depends on the type of breakfast eaten.
Relax! Here is a popular exercise known as diaphragmic breathing. When performed properly it yields good results.
Find a quiet comfortable place, sit or lie down.
Place feet slightly apart. Place one hand on your abdomen near the navel. Place the other hand on your chest.
Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth.
Concentrate on your breathing. Notice which hand is rising and falling with each breath
Gently exhale most of the air from your lungs
Inhale slowly counting to four. As you inhale, slightly extend your abdomen causing it to rise about an inch.
Make sure you are not moving your shoulders or chest. As you breath in, imagine fresh air flowing in and into all parts of your body.
Pause for a second, then solely exhale to a count of four.
As you exhale, your abdomen should move inward.
As the air flows out, imagine all you tension and stress leaving your body. Repeat the process until you are relaxed.
Last week we discussed study habits and how to beat stress during exams. This week, let us focus on the factors that affect deep relaxation, exercising, and digestion.
Digestion: If a person is in a stressed state the body is programmed by nature to divert blood and energy away from the digestive tract in favour of the skeletal muscles and the brain.
These changes in blood flow and energy levels affect digestion negatively, causing stomachaches, indigestion, headaches and other problems.
Tension in the body muscles may increase to an uncomfortable level and the mind may become erratic, unable to think clearly or remember those facts we already know. Additionally we may experience a general sense of uneasiness.
Caffeine: During exams, students tend to take a lot of caffeine-containing beverages like coffee to keep awake.
Most people can take up to 150-225 mg of caffeine in a cup or two of tea, coffee or soft drinks. But for those who are sensitive to caffeine, even small amounts of it can cause symptoms such as, bad moods, nervousness, irritability, heart palpitations and disturbed sleep.
If a person is already feeling stressed and anxious, and is sensitive to caffeine, taking caffeine containing beverages can, make matters a lot worse.
Refined foods: It is not unusual for students to resort to refined foods as a snack or even to make a meal out them. However, refined foods, such as cake, biscuits, white bread, sodas and other soft drinks contain a lot of sugar and very little nutritional value. That is why they are known as empty calorie foods. The sugar in these mentioned drinks and foods provides a quick surge of energy and an instant lift in mood, but this lasts for a very short time and is followed by low blood sugar.
This fluctuation of blood sugar from high level when you have just eaten refined foods to low levels after the foods are digested and used up, may cause a person to become, irritable, tired, sad and unable to concentrate.
Sleep: The need for sleep varies. Younger children may need 10-11 hours of sleep per night and teens may need between eight and nine hours.
Yet, most students get less than six hours or less of restless sleep during exams, waking up in the morning generally still tired. Sleep and rest are very essential to clear thinking, good health and it enhances mental and physical performance.
It is important to remember that academic success does not depend only on the number of hours spent studying. Additionally, the quality of the hours needed to study has to be good and is greatly affected by the quality of sleep the night before.
Recommendations: