Test Anxiety: More Tips for "The Day Before"

People who have test anxiety often experience heightened symptoms the day before the exam. While it's important to study for a couple of hours, cramming material into your head all day and night before the exam will only increase your anxiety and decrease your concentration. If you are becoming more anxious by the hour, try these stress-reducing ideas:

Make time for exercise. This isn't the time to meet with a personal trainer for that boot-camp-style workout, but about 30 minutes of aerobic activity can ease your stress level and help you to function better. If you aren't in shape and have not been exercising regularly, just go for a walk around the block or do something else that gets you moving.

Don't do anything overly tiring. This should go without saying, but don't wear yourself out the day before your exam. Save trips to the amusement park and home-remodeling projects for another day.

Review your test-anxiety emergency plan. If you panic during tests, try to think about these steps ahead of time: 1) accept the anxiety as normal (rather than fighting against it); 2) practice deep breathing (inhale deeply to the count of five, then exhale slowly); and 3) make a fist and squeeze tight, then relax your fist and imagine your whole body relaxing. You might want to practice these steps a few times the day before the exam, so that you know exactly what to do.

Have a relaxing evening routine. Brew a mug of herbal tea if you like, or settle into bed with a good book (nothing too suspenseful, though). Take a long bath, or play quietly with your children and/or pets. The point is to do something enjoyable and relaxing before going to sleep.

Hit the sack early. Finally, make a list of things you need for the morning and put it by your bed. Set your alarm. Then, when you're tucked into bed early, try this exercise: Starting with your feet, tense your muscles tightly while you breathe in (to the count of five), then release the muscle tension as you exhale and focus on the relaxed sensation. Repeat with every major muscle group, moving upward and ending with your face. Think happy thoughts and you'll be in dreamland before you know it.

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