Practical Tips for Reducing Test Anxiety

Practical Tips for Reducing Test Anxiety

Study Effectively:

     1. Study in a quiet, neat, uncluttered, distraction free place.

       2. Make sure notes are legible, and easy to follow  

          3. Set up a study schedule. Factor in breaks (at least every 30 minutes, if not 15 minutes). Get up, stretch, get a snack. Include a test-free activity about every two hours or so, to give your brain a break to process information.

         4.When possible, study when you are most alert & feel awake. Could be at night or morning, whenever you are most able to focus.

         5. Teach yourself to pace your study time. For example, after 90 minutes of math work, take a 30 minute break doing something FUN.

         6. Talk out loud while solving problems or learning information. Saying & hearing information helps to embed it in memory.

         7. Ask yourself what you problem/questions you are most afraid of-and study that material more.

         8. But review previously learned material. It will help build your confidence & that way you will have a good base of material.

         9. DO NOT CRAM THE NIGHT/DAY BEFORE. You will stress yourself out more and won’t learn any new material.

         10. Reward yourself when you feel you’ve worked hard or learned a concept.

Reducing Anxiety about Test-Taking:

       1. Take care of yourself.  DO NOT SKIMP ON SLEEP, EVER! Get at least 8 hours a night…especially before the test. If you have trouble sleeping try using melatonin to help you sleep about a week/few days prior to the test (so you know how it affects you). Eat healthily and work in some physical exercise every day. Exercise helps burn off stress & excess energy.

         2. Take practice exams.

         3. Come prepared to the test with all necessary supplies, etc.

         4. Dress comfortably.

         5. Remember to check yourself & relax as necessary.

         6. Use positive self-talk. “I got this!” “ I can do this.” I KNOW this.” Find a sort of “mantra” and say it over & over until you believe it. Practice it during studying.

Effective Test Taking Strategies:

       1. Make sure you read/listen carefully to instructions. If you can, write down most important parts or underline them (especially pay attention to “not” or any/all types of words

       2. Do a “brain dump.” Write down all the info you are afraid you will forget. For example, write down a formula that is right on your mind or names of people. That way you will have it down if you freeze.

       3. Preview the test.  Look over the sections of the test. Think about the total amount of time that you have to complete the test.  Look at the point values that you can earn on each section of the examination.  

       4. In multiple choice, don’t get sidetracked looking for patterns (like the last 3 answers have been C, so it must be C).

       5. Don’t rush. If you find yourself rushing, put your pencil down, take a deep breath, let it out slowly, repeat your mantra, do this 3-4 times, then resume the test

       6. Unless you have evidence otherwise, go with your 1st response. Don’t 2nd guess yourself.

       7. Save hardest ones for last.

       8. Use time leftover to check answers about which you were unsure.

Dr. Sarah Graves, LSSP

Sources:

1.http://www.interventioncentral.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/pdfs_interventions/testtips.pdf

2.http://www.adaa.org/living-with-anxiety/children/test-anxiety

3.http://www.aboutourkids.org/files/articles/test_anxiety_E.pdf

Tips on Reducing Anxiety

 

Tips on Reducing Anxiety (so that you control it and it doesn’t control you).

1. Reward yourself for effort. People with anxiety are afraid to start projects, or answer questions, because they fear being wrong so much. If you start a scary math problem or begin a project-tell yourself “Good job. You were scared, and you did it anyway).

2. Use a ton of positive self-talk. Find good things you did & praise yourself in your head or out loud.

3. Use thought-stopping techniques when you get in the negative thought cycle.  For example, “Math, I can’t do math, I am STUPID at math, I am going to fail.....NO, I won’t talk to myself that way, I CAN do math. I CAN DO THIS. I am smart and I work really hard. I will NOT fail. If I fail though, my parents, friends, and family still love me. I will not be attacked or beaten up. I will not be stoned with rotten peanuts, and I bet I will do better than I think I will.” Feels odd, since you are probably used to beating yourself up in your head, but it will work if you do it.

4. Learn relaxation techniques (listed below). Practice them 2-3 times a day, so that you can do them before & during the test. These will take practice and it will be hard, BUT, there is NO RIGHT OR WRONG WAY TO DO THEM:) You can adjust them to fit you & your situation. The idea is to get your mind of the source of the anxiety (stupid tests) and be more in the present and focus on your body, so that your mind can relax & focus on what is most important.

A. Deep breathing. Inhale slowly through your nose on a count of 5, exhale very slowly on a count of 10 through your mouth. Pay attention to your breathing and imagine the breath is stress & anxiety leaving your body.

B. Close your eyes & imagine a place & time where you are most relaxed. Then imagine what you would hear, smell, and feel at that place. Really focus on being there in your head, so that you can give your brain a break. Your body will naturally start to relax as you remember & start to almost “experience” that place.

C. Progressive muscle relaxations

Starting with your toes and moving up, tighten/squeeze your muscles as tight/hard as you can for a count of 5. Then let them out for a count of 3. Move to one foot, then the other, then one calf, then the other, then one thigh, then the other,  then your rear, then your belly, then your fingers on one hand, then the hand, then do your hands one at time, then your arms one at a time, then your shoulders (both), then your neck, and finally your face. You should feel less tense when you are done.

5. Exercise daily. Moderate to rigorous exercise helps reduce stress AND burn off excess energy.

6. Get good sleep. Turn off all electronics (yes cell phone/tablet/tv ) & do non-stimulating things before bed (like reading a physics textbook). Make sure your room is dark, quiet (use a fan or humidifier to filter out noises), and cool.

7. Consider taking melatonin to help regulate sleep (talk to your doctor to make sure it is ok).

8. Avoid caffeine when possible. It will ramp you up & make anxiety worse.

9. Get some sunshine & time outside. Both are proven to lift moods & reduce anxiety.

10. Fish oil has been shown to reduce anxiety (and depression in people with clinical depression). Talk with your doctor to see if taking fish oil would be safe. The fish oil needs high levels of EPA to be most effective.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry/201111/fish-oil-and-anxiety

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2011/11/19/fish-oil-calms-anxiety-osu-study-finds.html

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/746870

Dr. Sarah Graves, LSSP

Sources:

1. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/relaxation-technique/SR00007

2. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/stress/relaxation.htm

3. http://www.spring.org.uk/2011/08/feeling-anxious-5-scientifically-proven-relaxation-techniques.php

Dealing With Stress

Hi, I’m Dr. Sarah Graves, the School Psychologist here at Community ISD. Like Mr. Zach Snow and Mrs. Amanda Snow (no relation) I am housed out here in the TRIBE unit. Mr. Snow mentioned this blog and I thought it would be a great way to get information regarding mental health and behavior management topics out to our Community. So here we go…..

Stress. We all have it. We all know what it is. But how well do we really manage it?

For example, my daughter had RSV and was quite sick (and clingy and fussy) for about 10 days. I was home alone with her, because my husband is deployed. By home alone I mean alone with three loud, demanding cats, three energetic dogs (including our large, blind foster Mastiff dog who attacked any animal but human), and a fussy 14 month old. I was stressed and overwhelmed, but refused to relinquish my super woman cape and admit it. One particularly bad morning I yelled at our exuberant, annoyingly happy dog for howling in excitement about her breakfast. A minor blip, but since I had not taken care of myself or my stress levels, I reacted poorly. The point being, we all do this, and like me, we probably all feel some sort of regret when do overreact. But how do we prevent our stress from taking over our lives?

First, some information on stress:
Women report higher levels of stress than men and tend to say they are not doing enough to manage it. Whereas, men report being less concerned with managing stress and are more likely than women to say they are doing enough to manage it. Women are also more likely to use a multitude of strategies to manage their stress, but men tend to report relying on sports to manage stress. HOWEVER, men are more likely to report being diagnosed with chronic illnesses such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease/heart attack. All of which are highly correlated with stress. (Stress and Gender)

The older you are, the better you handle stress (Stress and Generations).
Stress can significantly affect your health, including raising blood pressure, weight gain, insomnia, endocrine system problems, and heart problems, never mind those worry wrinkles (Understanding Chronic Stress).

Acute (finding out at 3 P.M. you have a major report due tomorrow at 8 A.M..) stress can be good because it “lights a fire under our rears”, but chronic stress (poverty, abuse, despising your job or spouse), can result in poor overall health and even death (Stress: The Different Kinds of Stress).
40% of adults say they lay awake at night, and 44% report their stress has increased over the past five years (The Impact of Stress).
People worry most about money, work, and the economy (The Impact of Stress).

Children of all ages get stressed, but aren’t able to verbalize it (Identifying Signs of Stress in Your Children and Teens).

Stress in children manifests itself in behavior or mood changes and physical complaints (as it does in adults) (Identifying Signs of Stress in Your Children and Teens).

Things that Influence Stress:

Outlook on life, the more negative outlook (expect worst to happen) equates with more stress.
Sleep
Exercise
Eating habits
Relationships
Animals

How to Prevent Stress from Running your Life

1. Get good sleep. No TV, computer, or other electronic device,(including your Iphone) ½ hour before bed. The lights on the screen stimulate the brain. Sleep in dark, cool room (again no tv!). No caffeine after 3 P.M., exercise, but not 3-4 hours before bed, go to bed around the same time every night and shoot for 7-8 hours of sleep a night. No alcohol, it interrupts the sleep cycle and can prevent you from entering the last stages of Non-REM sleep (that’s the deep, restful sleep that we crave).
2. Exercise. It releases those feel-good hormones, endorphins, which help battle stress.
3. Eat healthy. Comfort eating feels good in the moment, but is usually not healthy food, which can lead to feelings of guilt or shame and increased weight.
4. Be positive and compromise. Roll with the punches.
5. Take time EVERY DAY for YOU! This does not mean you and your husband or you and your 5 children. Take five minutes in the morning to enjoy your coffee or a brief walk around the parking lot at work. But do something, just for you. No one else.
6. Learn to say No when you are overburdened.
7. Learn to ask for help when you are overwhelmed (when you learn how, please tell me!!)
8. Learn to delegate, and realize it’s not going to turn out the way you would do it, AND THAT’S OK.
9. Use effective time management techniques. To reduce stress in the morning I get all our animals’ food made and ready, prepare my daughter’s lunch, and lay out both our clothes for the next day. That way when something goes wrong, I have fewer things to get done.

Brief Stress Relievers

1. Take a deep breath. Or ten. When your brain is deprived of oxygen it can’t think clearly and you are more likely to overreact.
2. Take a walk. Outside if possible.
3. Talk about it with a friend or a pet. Sometimes just saying “I’m stressed and need help” out loud, helps clear the mind and allow you to step back from the situation.
4. Laugh. Laughing relieves stress. Hang a picture or photo up that makes you smile.
5. Think of a happy memory involving a loved one. Thinking of the happy time can release endorphins (feel good hormones).
6. Pet an animal. Much research has shown that petting a cat and/or a dog lowers blood pressure quickly.
7. Ask yourself, “Can I control any of this situation?” If not, then let it go and work on the things that you CAN control.


Resources:
From the website, www.stressinamerica.org, created by the American Psychological Association
“Our Health at Risk” “Stress and Gender”
“The Impact of Stress” “Stress of Generations”
From the American Psychological Association Website.
http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/stress-myths.aspx
http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/understanding-chronic-stress.aspx
http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/stress-kinds.aspx
http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/stress-children.aspx
Pet Health Benefit
http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/health_benefits.htm
http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/guide/5-ways-pets-improve-your-health
http://www.ehow.com/about_6062567_cats-lowering-blood-pressure-humans.html
Other Resources:
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=59875


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