Top five tips to prepare for board exams and deal with exam-related stress

The board exams are just round the corner and it brings with it tremendous stress both for the students and parents. Psychologist Shweta Khurana shares tips on coping with exam-related stress and maintaining good health before exams. Khurana states that in Psychology there is a saying that "Eustress and distress kills". A little bit of anxiety can be good if it is kept under control as it can enhance the childs performance.

A tip while prepping for exams is to divide the course syllabus into smaller parts for the day. Khurana says that when children think that there is too much to do they stress over it and worry that they will not be able to cover even a small bit, so dividing the course into smaller parts will help in the long run as the student realises that they have covered a major portion of the course over a period time. The feeling will give a lot of satisfaction and will build confidence.

Another advice is to start doing the test papers between the time of 9.30 am and 1.30 pm, which is the usual time when the board exams are held. It will help in adjusting the body clock to that time and build a writing pattern and there will not be much difficulty on the first day of the exams. 

Long periods of study time without breaks can make students lethargic and stress them out. Khurana suggests to take a break, go to a nearby park or lie down on the bed for a little while. One mistake people make is that they start using their phone, but that is not a part of the break. Looking at the mobile screen will stimulate the brain further and make the brian tired. Therefore, it is better to go for a walk or do some relaxation exercises. Lying down or resting also gives some peace.

Studying for long hours can make children, especially teenagers hungry. When children get bored they tend to eat things which are unhealthy. What happens is that unhealhty food makes you sluggish and tired. It makes people sleepy therefore the energy goes into a different zone. It is advisable to have a quick healthy bite, which also gives more energy to continue further with the studies. 

One more thing to keep in mind is to try to not be a night owl. When we sleep at night the brain restores all the information and keeps it in the memory which helps to retain all the information. So get the minimum eight hours of sleep. Get up early in the morning and study, she says.