Rebooting Your Nervous System
Our bodies take on all different types of stress everyday. Right now, you may feel as though this feeling of
stress is constant, which inevitably makes you feel tired and unmotivated. The best way to beat the stress
is to understand it and learn how we can prevent overloading our nervous systems with stress hormones.
When we are under pressure, our bodies produce stress hormones, which can trigger responses. Some of
these responses are healthy and motivate us to work hard. However, a lot of the time it can lead to panic
and worry, which never has a good effect on our mental or physical health. One of the main stressors for
many of us at the moment is the dreaded end-of-year exams. Lots of us have been buried in books for the
past couple of weeks, and as important as it is to ensure that we are working hard, it is also important to
give ourselves a break and reboot our nervous systems so that we avoid a mental crash.
Sweat It Out
Doing regular exercise has many physical benefits, as you know. It can also help us to relieve ourselves of
the tension we have been holding on to in preparation for our exam seasons. Moving can help us give our
minds a break from the endless information absorption and actually help us process and remember the
content better. The hormones released during exercise include endorphins, dopamine and cortisol, which
help to relax. Cortisol specifically helps us to regulate our body’s response to stress as it dictates our fightor-flight response. When we hold on to too much stress, our adrenal glands produce hormones like
adrenaline, resulting in our minds and bodies going into the fight or flight response, which can be
detrimental to our learning, as we are unable to focus due to our panicked state. Personally, the only way I
can relax is by hitting hard cardio, but activities like yoga or weights can also be beneficial for relieving
stress. Find what is best for you and try to fit some movement into your revision timetable.
Work-Life Balance
As important as it is to try to keep yourself from being distracted during this period, it is also important that
you give yourself a break from the books. One student, Mikayala, who studies Biomedicine and has a lot of
stressful exams, told me that she finds being able to see her friends whilst studying is what keeps her
relaxed during this stressful time. Being able to get out of that stress zone can really help prevent burnout
and help our brains process information.
Organisation and Routine
No matter what, organisation is the best way to stay on top of your revision and help you relax. If we have a
goal, in order to acheive it, we need clear steps. The best way to do this is to start by seeing what topics
you are able to actively recall, and what topics need work. Once this is establioshed, you will know what
you need to work on the most and can begin to make a timetable to follow. Effective scheduling also allows
you to get breaks for exercise and to see your friends, rather than cramming information. Sometimes you
have to be strict with yourself in order to see results, so try to make a timetable that suits you, but will also
help you effectively revise. Additionally, look at what study techniques will work for you. One of my
favourites is the Pomodoro technique. This is a very popular technique which involves studying for 25
minutes and then having a five-minute break. Repeating this for 2-3 hours can really help you to get work
done without feeling as though you have been working for a long time due to the consistent breaks. I like to
double this when my deadlines are coming close and study for 50 minutes with a ten-minute break. This
normally rounds up to about 4 hours of work.
Study Sesh
All of us are in the same boat right now. Why not grab a few friends and have a study sesh in the library or
cafe? Studying with friends can be a really good way to learn content and not feel the pressure, as you are all helping each other. Of course, this is not an excuse to have a big catch-up whilst your notes collect dust.
Motivate each other to get work done, and you’ll find that it doesn’t even feel like you’ve done schoolwork.
Confidence In Yourself
My sister gave me this advice. If you have important exams coming up and you have put the work in, there
is no need to stress. Trust in yourself and remember how all your hard work will pay off. Convincing
yourself that you will fail will only lead to panic, which is never good for any high-pressure situation. Remain
calm, trust yourself and tell yourself that you will succeed. Most of the time, the key to peace lies in our
mindset.
Finding peace during this stressful period is what you need in order to thrive. Reassure yourself that good
times lay right around the corner and that all you need is this final push to get to the endless days of sun
loungers and beach days. Trust yourself, do the best that you can, and watch all your hard work pay off.