How is your wellbeing doing during this exam period?
If you are having a tough time, it's really important to prioritise and take time out to fill up your cup and look after your mental health.
We've spoken to Jamie Gilbert, aka Mr G, who is a teacher and an an expert in teaching students who have ADHD. He regularly posts content to his 1.2 million TikTok followers about ADHD, mental wellbeing, and lots of other things.
Check out this five top tips on how you can look after your wellbeing during your exams.
Hi guys! These are five top tips to help manage your mental health during the exam period.
The first step is to connect with people. If you're struggling with your exams, speak to a trusted member of staff at school who can help and guide you.
The next step is movement. Don't underestimate the power of movement. A quick walk, a dance, a jog can regulate a nervous system when you're feeling overwhelmed.
Next tip is kindness. Acts of kindness can improve your mental health and boost your self-esteem. If you know somebody who is struggling with their exams, reach out for help. Show that kindness. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. And by you offering that act of kindness, that's also helping the person and yourself as well, because you're getting an intrinsic reward.
The next tip is to learn new skills, learn new skills and acquiring new information can boost self-confidence. So that could be when you procrastinate and you really putting off your revision for a difficult topic. But if you push through that difficult topic and you give everything you've got and when you get that, when it clicks, you get that lightbulb moment that's going to give you a massive boost of dopamine and serotonin.
The next tip is linked to mindfulness, being emotionally aware of the present moment. Try not overthink and worry because that's going to create anxiety which will impact upon your exam technique. You're going to have an exam timetable with lots of exams in a short period of time. So it's really important you're looking after your stress levels and prioritising your mental health.
1. Connect with other people
Mr G recommends speaking to a trusted member of staff at school if you are struggling with your exams. They will be able to help and guide you. Here is a guide on how to ask your teachers for help with homework, but these tips about asking for help can also be applied to exams.
2. Be physically active
Mr G says you shouldn't underestimate the power of movement; a quick walk, a dance or a jog can help regulate the nervous system when you are feeling overwhelmed. Mr G gave us some more tips about how to reduce stress and anxiety during your exams. Give it a read!
3. Give to others
Acts of kindness can boost your mental health and improve your self-esteem. If you know someone who is struggling at the moment, perhaps with their exams or something else, why not out reach out to help them? By you offering that act of kindness, this can help yourself too because these acts offer intrinsic rewards. An intrinsic reward means that it has a positive impact or provides positive and happy feelings to yourself directly afterwards.
4. Learn new skills
Learning new skills and information can boost your self-confidence. You might be procrastinating which means putting off learning about a difficult topic in your exams right now. If you push through and give it everything you've got, there's nothing better than experiencing that 'lightbulb moment' when you get it!
This gives you a massive boost of dopamine (a neurotransmitter in your brain which is known as a feel-good chemical) and serotonin (another neurotransmitter that helps regulate many body functions including your mood) which can help you to feel happy.
5. Being mindful
Try not to overthink and worry and instead, pay attention to the present moment. Overthinking and worrying creates anxiety which will have an impact on your exam technique. When you're managing an exam timetable with lots of exams in a short period of time, it's really important to look after your stress levels and prioritise your mental health.
If you need support
You should always tell someone about the things you’re worried about. You can tell a friend, parent, guardian, teacher, or another trusted adult. If you're struggling with your mental health, going to your GP can be a good place to start to find help. Your GP can let you know what support is available to you, suggest different types of treatment and offer regular check-ups to see how you’re doing.
If you’re in need of in-the-moment support you can contact Childline, where you can speak to a counsellor. Their lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
There are more links to helpful organisations on the BBC Bitesize Action Line page for young people.
How to reduce stress and anxiety during exams with Mr G
TikTok teacher Mr G gives us some tips about how to reduce stress and anxiety during your GCSE or National exams.
How to stop worrying? video
Ami Charlize and Radio 1’s Dr Radha chat through what you can do if you're feeling worried or anxious.
Understanding feelings of anxiety and low mood
Advice from a consultant psychologist on understanding and managing difficult feelings
