UK tuition service FindTutors, part of GoStudent, is urging students to adopt five stress-reducing habits to better cope with the demands of this year’s exam season.
As spring exams approach, pressure is mounting on pupils across the country. The combination of revision, performance expectations, and long study hours has led to increased levels of anxiety among young people — despite growing awareness around the importance of mental health.
According to a 2024 report from the Association of School and College Leaders, 77% of teachers reported that their Year 11 pupils were experiencing mental health issues directly related to exam stress. NHS data shows the broader picture, with anxiety referrals for children having more than doubled since pre-pandemic times.
Offering guidance to students and parents, Tiara Junanto of FindTutors — a former teaching assistant — outlines five key tips that can help young people stay mentally strong and emotionally balanced during exams.
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Preparing for and sitting exams can be incredibly stressful, and without the right tools or knowledge to deal with this, it can quickly spiral into more serious issues.
“The most important thing by far is sleep. We’ve all been there, working on a particularly tricky subject late in the day, and it is tempting to keep going at the expense of a good night’s sleep. This is almost always a mistake, with poor quality or insufficient sleep shown by multiple studies to reduce your attention span and how effective your brain is at understanding things. Aim to get at least 8 hours a night, even on busy days.
“Alongside this comes exercise and nutrition. Grabbing the microwave meal or skipping that run to do a few extra hours of revision sounds like a good idea, but if you have weeks or months to go until the end of exam season it will quickly catch up with you. Exercise can be a fantastic stress reliever and provides your brain with a much-needed break from studying.
“As exams get closer, try and share your feelings with other students or friends, discussing your experiences can help you feel more in control of situations and hearing that others are going through a similar time can be reassuring. But make sure it doesn’t just become a competition to see who is doing the most revision, which is never helpful. Also make sure that you get help from a professional, if you need.
“On the day of, or night before, exams, try and take some time to relax. Techniques such as deep breathing exercises or mindfulness can help you feel less stressed and if you’ve already put in the work, will be more beneficial than any last-minute cramming and certainly better than a night without sleep.
“Finally, don’t discuss the exam with your friends afterward. It is very tempting to try and compare answers to reassure yourself that you have done well, but this can be unhelpful for both you and your friends when you are powerless to do anything about the outcome. This is especially true if you still have more exams to come. Try to let it go and forget about it.”
