Exam are important part of student life as they help in judging how much a student has learned from day-to-day classes. It is an unavoidable part of academic life which every student has to go through. For many students, exams bring fear, stress, anxiety, and self-doubt. Students may go through shallow breathing, sudden blank mind, sweaty palms and a racing heart. A little nervousness is fine but excessive anxiety can affect the performance negatively.
So, we are here to help you out! There are simple breathing techniques that are natural, simple and will calm your minds in a few seconds. These techniques activate the relaxation mode in human body thereby reducing stress hormones. Let’s read about these techniques and how you need to do them in before or during your exams.
Why Does Exam Anxiety Happen?
Before understanding the techniques, let’s read why the exam anxiety occurs. This happens when human brain considers exam as a threat. This triggers a fight or flight response which leads to releasing of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. This leads to an increased heart rate, shallow or fast breathing, tensing up of muscles and cloudy thinking.
How Breathing Techniques Help in Exams?
It has been observed that controlled breathing signals the nervous system that there is no threat and this leads to slowing of heart rate, clearing of mind, and relaxed muscles. The breathing exercises improve oxygen supply to the brain thereby improving emotional control, increasing focus, and providing mental clarity.
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5 Breathing Techniques That Work in Seconds
Are you someone who gets anxious as the exam time approaches? Well, here are five breathing techniques that will making you feel calm in a few seconds.
1. Deep Belly Breathing (Diaphragmatic Breathing)
This technique is best to feel calm immediately and get mental clarity which is necessary in exams. It is a natural and highly effective breathing method that will help you normalize your breathing.
How to do it:
Sit in a comfortable position or stand straight, place on hand on your chest and the other on abdomen. Now inhale slowly through your nose for about 4 seconds while you feel your belly expand. Hold for 1-2 second and exhale slowly through mouth for 6 seconds. Repeat this for 5 to 10 breaths.
2. 4–7–8 Breathing Technique
This technique is best for mental reset, and rapid stress reduction. It is extremely effective when anxiety is at its peak which generally happens before examinations. This technique allows better oxygen circulation while all the tension is being released by exhaling.
How to do it:
In this technique, you need to inhale quietly through your nose for about 4 seconds. Now hold your breath for 7 seconds and exhale slowing through mouth for 8 seconds. Repeat this breathing technique 4 times.
3. Box Breathing (Square Breathing)
This breathing technique known as box breathing or square breathing helps in improving control, focus and emotional balance. It is used by professionals and athletes during high-pressure situations to get metal control quickly.
How to do it:
Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 4 second and then exhale through mouth for 4 seconds. Hold again for 4 seconds. Now repeat this for 1-2 minutes.
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4. Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana)
This technique is best for balancing emotions and calming your racing thoughts. This is an ancient breathing technique which is ideal for student who feel restless or overwhelmed during exams.
How to do it:
Sit upright and relaxed, now close your right nostril with a thumb, inhale through left nostril, close the left nostril with your ring finger, exhale through the right nostril. Now inhale through the right nostril, exhale through the left. Do this for 2-3 minutes.
5. Physiological Sigh (Fast Calm Technique)
This breathing technique is best for students who feel intense nervousness or sudden panic during exams. It is one of the fastest ways of reducing anxiety and calming you withing 10 to 15 seconds.
How to do it:
Inhale deeply through your nose, take a second short inhale again without exhaling, now exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat it for 2 to 3 minutes.
How to Use These Techniques During Exams?
You can practice 4-7-8 or box breathing technique before the examination to calm the nervous system. While waiting, you can do belly breathing to stay relaxed and during exams, you can do the physiological sigh. Once you are finished with your paper, you can do alternate nostril breathing to reset your mind.
Exam anxiety is common, it doesn’t show you are weak but is just a natural response to a situation when you feel the pressure. At Tagore Public School, we ensure that students take exams as a challenge rather than perceiving them as a threat. We encourage them to practice breathing before exams to help them calm down and perform with a clear and happy mind.
