5 Tips For Managing Anxiety During Tests

Whether you need to score high to get a good overall grade or you're trying to enter college or a grad school program, exams can create a lot of stress. This is a common response, especially if the stakes are high. However, some people have more than just a bit of nervousness. They experience something called test anxiety.

In this article, we'll look at test anxiety, the symptoms it can sometimes cause, and five tips to overcome it.

What is test anxiety?

Test anxiety is a specific form of performance anxiety. It can be similar to the anxiety many people feel in situations such as public speaking and auditioning. Test anxiety might be described as a combination of tension and symptoms that stem from the fear, worry, or dread of failing an exam.

Most exams are important, and if they aren't passed, there may be consequences. This can create stress. If there are high stakes, test anxiety can also cause some people to catastrophize and make failing seem even worse than it is. For instance, someone might feel they may never get a job if they do not pass the test to enter their university of choice.

Like other similar situations, the anxiety related to taking a test can also cause physical symptoms, such as:

• Headaches
• Light-headedness
• Rapid heartbeat
• Sweating
• Shortness of breath

These symptoms can make concentrating more difficult and may make an exam feel practically impossible. This can cause students to "blank out" on questions or take too long on them, making them prone to leaving subsequent ones unanswered.

Because of this, it is estimated that those with test anxiety perform around 12 percentile points lower than those with little to no tension. Anxiety can also reduce working memory, confuse reasoning, and increase the chances of making mistakes, which can decrease test scores.

If you are a student who experiences test anxiety, you are not alone. By learning specific skills and strategies, you can learn how to cope with test anxiety and reduce its negative impact on your performance. Below are five of the top tips to help you reduce test anxiety and succeed in class:

1. Practice relaxation techniques

There are many evidence-based strategies for physically and mentally relaxing before and during your exams, which may lead to better overall performance. One primary way to do this is through deep breathing. You might perform this type of breathing anywhere from 2 to 5 minutes at a time, slowly allowing your lungs and abdomen to fill up with air and then gradually exhaling.

Guided imagery is another method for putting yourself in a more peaceful headspace. To relax and stay calm, you might picture yourself on a sunlit beach or a quiet forest. Similarly, before the exam, you might also try to find a nice, quiet place to unwind and focus on positive thoughts.

If you experience muscle tension, you can try a practice called progressive muscle relaxation. This technique may allow you to notice muscles in different areas, such as your arms and shoulders, and then relax or loosen them up one by one. 

2. Pay attention to the essentials: Diet and sleep

The importance of lifestyle habits, such as what you eat and how you sleep, can apply to many types of anxiety. Research shows that a balanced diet is optimal for brain functioning, and certain nutrients may even reduce anxiety, especially those rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Although caffeine can give you a boost at the start of your day, avoiding caffeine may help calm anxiety. Caffeine is a stimulant and can contribute to the worsening of anxiety symptoms. Some carbohydrates found in processed foods can also affect mental health, so it may help to avoid these as well before a test.

Like diet and nutrition, sleep can also contribute to your ability to stay focused and even put you in a more positive mood. You might want to avoid staying up too late the night before a test, even if you're studying. Instead, preparing for the test well in advance may be best and going to bed early.

3. Avoid cramming the material

Cramming may negatively affect information retention. If you try to absorb too much information too quickly, you might forget specific details. Forgetfulness can also lead to self-doubt on a test and consequently cause anxiety.

One suggestion for avoiding exam anxiety is to develop a study plan early on. With the right plan, you can spend time creating a solid foundation of knowledge, which may help you sit for the exam feeling more confident and prepared. 

For example, you might benefit from reviewing the material gradually each day leading up to the exam. You can also write specific notes and review specific pages of material to promote learning retention. By allowing yourself more time to prepare and study the course material, you may be more likely to trust your abilities and do well on the test.

4. Pace yourself

Most exams have a time limit, making you think you need to rush through the questions on your test. However, taking a moment to breathe deeply and read the instructions carefully can help you maintain mindfulness of the task at hand. If you find yourself feeling stressed, imagine you're in a quiet room, rest your mind for a moment, and then focus on the question to find the best answer. This may reduce the likelihood of making a mistake. 

If you are having trouble with a question, it may be best to temporarily skip it and move on to the next, returning to it later. Freezing on a question can be common in those with test anxiety, so this strategy may allow you to continue with the test and not get hung up on a specific test problem.

It’s also recommended that you try to avoid becoming overly concerned with how your peers are progressing through the exam. Some students like to breeze through exams, but this can cause other classmates to panic and feel like they are going too slowly. Instead, sign a mental agreement with yourself to stay focused on your own paper and commit to your own progress. 

5. Practice positive self-talk

Test anxiety may cause negative thoughts that make people doubt themselves or think of the worst-case scenario. Changing this negative mindset may be one of the most effective ways to beat test anxiety. As you change your perspective, you can help cultivate more positive emotions like confidence and optimism. 

If you frequently have low morale when it’s time to take a test, sometimes positive self-talk may be an effective way to fight any doubts you might have. For example, you might tell yourself, "I have given myself plenty of time to study, and I am prepared for this test."

Finding help to relax during exams

Managing test anxiety may take effort, but once put into practice, you may see improvements rather quickly. However, if your test anxiety is severe, you may benefit from a personalized approach from a professional. Mental health counselors often provide their services to help people overcome test anxiety. In addition to identifying any underlying causes, they can help you develop strategies for maintaining focus and calmness during exams.

You might benefit from online therapy if you don't feel comfortable with traditional in-office counseling. With online therapy, you can speak to a licensed counselor from the comfort of your home in a way that's comfortable for you, such as audio, video, or live chat. This may also save time, allowing you to skip the commute and devote more time to your studies.

Online therapy has been the subject of much research in recent years. A study published in JMIR Mental Health showed that online cognitive behavior therapy can reduce symptoms of anxiety.