It’s Exam Time in Ontario High schools! Last week during my sleep workshops, students expressed how the end of semester heightens their levels of stress and anxiety. The pressure to hand in assignments and prepare for exams ramps up, which can be challenging or even overwhelming.

Stress and anxiety are part of being a human. A little stress is good as it motivates us to get things done and to move forward. Too much stress can be debilitating and can lead to flight or freeze reactions, which can be detrimental to our physical and mental wellbeing.

Here are few strategies to maximize learning during these stressful times:

Make sure you are getting adequate amount of sleep. Learning gets consolidated while you are sleeping, so sleep is part of studying! Please refrain from pulling an all-nighter – it will not serve you well in the long run.

Make sure you move – get some fresh air, go for a short or long walk, jog, or run, or do those pushups and sit-ups.

Do your exams prep in 20 – 30 minutes blocks, and divide the information into chunks by using the chunking process i.e., take big chunks of information or a difficult concept and reorganize it into smaller bits. This will make it easier to process information. Then take a 5 – 10 minute break – meditate, do some jumping jacks, or go for a short walk.

Stay off your phones/screens close to bedtime – it will negatively impact your sleep and your learning process.

Keep hydrated, eat well, and be mindful of your caffeine intake. Remember, caffeine has a quarter life of 12 hours. It will still be in your system 12 hours after ingesting it.

Good luck in your exams. Sleep well. You guys are doing great!