Survive Final Exams with Less Stress and More Energy, with These 6 Tips

Final exam stress relief sounds like an oxymoron. After all, the term “final exam” sounds pretty ominous and, well, stress-inducing. While we can’t offer you much help in memorizing all those organic chemistry formulas or German noun cases, thankfully, we can share some of our best advice for making it through exams with more energy and less stress.

Keep reading for our top five easy-to-implement final exam stress relief strategies.

1. Buddy up.

Studying with a friend can help you tackle challenging topics since two heads are better than one. If you prefer to cram solo, text your study buddy instead. You can quiz each other, fill in the gaps in study guides or simply vent about how hard the material is!

2. Strategize your caffeine consumption.

Yes, caffeine can be a helpful nootopic to assist you with focus and energy. But too much and it goes from study aid to major distraction. Instead of guzzling cup and cup, be smart about your caffeine – especially during more stressful times like exam week.

3. Don’t overdo it.

While all of our productivity tips can come in handy when you’re desperately needing final exam stress relief, tip #1 in that blog is especially helpful. While you might be tempted to pull an all-nighter to cram in as much as possible, research suggests that can backfire.

Instead, set your timer for 90 minutes, turn your phone to do not disturb and buckle down. Then, set another timer and take a break for 5 to 10 minutes. Get up, stretch, drink some water (not more coffee, seriously!) and scroll social for a few before getting back to the books. Repeat as needed.

4. Plan your schedule.

When the going gets tough, the tough… write it down. You have 24 hours a day all semester long, but those hours feel much shorter as exams draw near. When you feel overwhelmed, hatch a plan and put it down on paper.

Tentatively plan each day hour by hour. Sketch out time for rest (more on that later), work, studying, breaks and other obligations. This will help you see what’s realistic for you to achieve and which classes are going to need a Hail Mary pass (we’ve all been there). Adjust the schedule as needed, but use it to keep you focused.

5. Have an emergency plan.

Test-day jitters are real, but having a final exam stress relief plan in place can help you regain control faster. Think about what stresses you most, then find a solution if that happens. Bring along extra pens or make sure your laptop or tablet is fully charged (and bring your charger). Make sure you eat to avoid feeling woozy come test time – pack a snack just in case. Hydrate but not too much.

And practice your favorite stress-busting technique. Maybe you wear lavender oil on your wrists to sniff as needed, practice yogic breathing to unwind or go for a run before the big exam to blow off steam.

6. Make time for rest.

Sleep matters – especially during exam week. In fact, it’s the time when your brain sorts all those short-term memories (aka the studying you did today) and processes it for long-term storage. Try these 11 easy tips to get a good night’s sleep during finals.

Make our Hello Dreams™ sleep strips with Melatonin & Calm Down™ herbs your go-to P.M. final exam stress relief tool. Before bed, let one melt on your tongue about 10 minutes before you want to drift off to sleep, then swallow. With more than melatonin, the six herbs in our Calm Down™ Blend offer time-honored support for sleep.

Good luck, take a deep breath and know that you will survive finals week!

 

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.