6 Must-Know Tips for Mental Stability During Exam Season

Exam season - two simple words that can make any student feel pressured. Maintaining mental stability during exam season is a major challenge for most young people.

Sleepless nights studying, pages filled with highlighted notes, and the constant worry about whether you'll make it through. Are you caught in this stressful cycle?

Don't worry, in this article CHUS will introduce practical methods to help you maintain mental stability, study effectively without being overwhelmed by stress. These tips for stabilizing test-taker psychology have been successfully applied by many people.

Master these methods to prepare for a super stressful exam season

Sleep - eat - rest properly: The first foundation to maintain mental stability during exam season

Sleep enough, sleep on time to let your brain rest

When you sleep, your brain isn't "taking time off" but performing the important process of consolidating knowledge and memories. Lack of sleep puts your brain in a state of high-intensity activity without recovery time.

Research shows that students who get 7-8 hours of sleep each night have 40% better memory capacity than those who don't get enough sleep. This is an effective way to stay calm before exams that many psychologists recommend.

8 hours of sleep each night - a "superpower" that helps maintain mental stability during exam season, reinforces knowledge and increases concentration

Practical tip: Try to sleep before 11 PM, keep a regular sleep schedule even on weekends. Turn off your phone or switch to "do not disturb" mode 30 minutes before sleeping.

Alternating study-rest schedule helps reduce fatigue

Studying continuously for 3-4 hours isn't a sign of diligence but the fastest path to exhaustion and inefficiency. The brain cannot maintain intense focus for long periods.

Try applying the Pomodoro method: 50 minutes of focused study, 10 minutes of rest. After 4 such cycles, take a longer break of about 30 minutes. This method helps the brain have multiple "refresh" periods and maintain energy better. Taking care of and maintaining mental stability during exam season also includes knowing when to rest.

The Pomodoro method - the secret to effective studying that helps the brain "refresh" and maintain energy long-term

What to eat to reduce stress and improve concentration?

Foods you should eat: fish, nuts, green vegetables to maintain mental stability during exam season

Food doesn't just provide energy but directly affects your mental state and ability to concentrate. Some "superfoods" for your brain that you should add during exam season:

• Salmon and fatty fish: Rich in Omega-3, helps improve memory and reduce anxiety
• Walnuts, pumpkin seeds: Contain vitamin E and antioxidant nutrients
• Berries (blueberries, strawberries): Provide antioxidants, support brain health
• Dark green vegetables: Rich in B vitamins, folate, help maintain energy and stable mood

Adding the right nutrients - the key to helping your brain work effectively and reduce stress before exams

Stay away from sugar - coffee - energy drinks

Before exams, many students have the habit of drinking coffee or energy drinks to stay alert. However, too much caffeine can cause hand tremors, rapid heartbeat, anxiety, and difficulty concentrating. Maintaining mental stability during exam season starts with eliminating unnecessary stimulants.

Instead:

• Drink plenty of water - sounds simple but not everyone does it
• Try light green teas, providing just enough caffeine along with antioxidants
• Eat lightly before exams, avoiding being too hungry or too full

Caffeine and sweets - "enemies" of concentration and mental stability during exam season

Worry less - breathe easier with these relaxation techniques

Try 4-7-8 breathing when feeling stressed

The 4-7-8 breathing technique developed by Dr. Andrew Weil can calm your nervous system in just a few minutes:

1. Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds

2. Hold your breath for 7 seconds

3. Exhale slowly through your mouth, making a soft blowing sound, for 8 seconds

4. Repeat 4-5 times

Immediate effects: slows heart rate, reduces blood pressure, brings a sense of calm. To maintain mental stability during exam season, this technique is especially useful before entering the exam room.

Medical-grade breathing technique - an "emergency tool" to eliminate anxiety in just minutes before an exam

Meditate for a few minutes each day to "reset" your mind

Meditation doesn't require you to sit for hours or become a monk. Just 5 minutes daily to focus on your breathing, observing thoughts without judging them:

• Choose a fixed time: early morning or evening before sleep
• Sit comfortably with a straight back
• Focus on your breathing, count from 1 to 10 and repeat
• When thoughts appear, gently bring your mind back to your breathing

Simple meditation method - a 5-minute daily secret for relaxing your mind and improving focus

A tidy study space - much easier to concentrate

Keep only necessities on your desk

Your study space reflects your mind. A messy desk with stacked books, snacks, phone, computer running multiple applications... forces your brain to process too much information at once.

Organizing your study space neatly is a great way to maintain mental stability during exam season.

Minimalist study space - the key to increasing productivity and reducing distractions during exam preparation

Create a comfortable feeling with lighting and scents

The study environment should be tidy and should create a comfortable feeling so test-takers can maintain mental stability during exam season:

• Lighting: Prioritize natural light or lamps with warm white tones
• Sound: Try instrumental music like classical music, alpha waves, or white noise
• Scents: Lavender essential oil helps relaxation, mint or lemon essential oils help alertness

Multi-sensory learning environment - the secret to creating an optimal space for knowledge absorption

Sleep well for a clear mind: What can you use for support?

Suggestions for some easy-to-use and effective aids

Good sleep isn't always easy, especially during stressful exam seasons. Some natural and safe supports:

• Caffeine-free herbal teas: Chamomile, lotus seed, lavender... help natural relaxation
• Aromatic essential oils: Lavender, rose, or sweet orange help create a pleasant atmosphere
• Sleep aids: Soft pillows, mild yellow night lights, eye masks
• White noise apps: Sounds of rain, ocean waves help mask outside noise

Natural sleep therapies - "secret weapons" to improve sleep quality during exam preparation

When to use them, and how long is reasonable?

For the methods above to be most effective:

• Drink herbal tea about 30-45 minutes before sleeping
• Diffuse essential oils in your room 15-20 minutes before bedtime
• Create a regular nightly habit, not just when you're already stressed
• Avoid looking at your phone or computer at least 1 hour before sleep to limit blue light

Perfect timing - strategy for using sleep support tools most effectively before exams

You don't need to be perfect - just know how to maintain mental stability

Studying day and night may not be the best approach

Quality of study is more important than the number of hours you spend. Studying all day and night not only exhausts you but also reduces your ability to absorb and remember. An important tip for stabilizing test-taker psychology is knowing when to stop and rest.

Principles of effective studying:

• Understand which time frame you study best (early morning, late afternoon...)
• Rest at the right time so your brain has time to "digest" knowledge
• Review knowledge at different times to increase long-term memory retention

Misconception about effective studying - quality of study is more important than hours spent in a chair

Don't force yourself to be as good as others

Comparing yourself to others is the fastest road to stress and self-doubt. Each person has their own learning pace and strengths. To maintain mental stability during exam season, you should:

• Focus on your own progress instead of looking at others
• Set goals appropriate to your abilities and conditions
• Acknowledge and reward yourself for every effort, no matter how small

Comparing yourself to others - a "psychological trap" that makes you lose confidence and increases study pressure

A little positivity makes everything easier

Positive psychology isn't magic but has real effects on study performance and exam taking. Reducing exam stress often starts with changing how you talk to yourself:

• Replace "I'm going to fail" with "I'm doing the best I can"
• Write down 3 things you know for sure you're good at
• Visualize yourself calmly and confidently taking the exam

The power of positive thinking - "mental weapon" helping you stay confident and calm before exams

Wrap it up

We hope that the information CHUS has provided has helped you get through these stressful exam periods. Knowing how to stay calm before exams not only helps you achieve good results but also protects your long-term mental health.

Remember that exam season is just a phase, and its results don't define your entire future or your worth. Taking care of and maintaining mental stability during exam season is no less important than studying.

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