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How to Deal with Exam Stress by Understanding Your Brain, Thoughts, & Behaviours

  • Writer: Dr Bobby Sura
    Dr Bobby Sura
  • 2 days ago
  • 2 min read

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Photo by George Dolgikh from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com Image 1326947

Exams can feel overwhelming — not just for students, but for families too. Sleepless nights, negative self-talk, panic, procrastination…it can all snowball. But what if we could reframe exam stress by understanding how our brain works, the thoughts it produces, and the behaviours that follow? Let’s break it down.


Understanding the Brain Under Pressure

Our brain is wired to keep us safe. During high-stress periods like exam season, the amygdala — the part of the brain responsible for detecting threats — becomes hyperactive. It can’t distinguish between a lion chasing us and an upcoming maths paper. To the brain, the following formula applies: stress = danger.


When this happens, we may go into fight, flight, freeze, or even fawn mode. This is why some students become irritable, some avoid revision, some go blank during tests, and others become overly agreeable or anxious to please. The goal is to move from being reactive to proactive — and that starts with awareness.


Thought Patterns That Feed Exam Stress

Our thoughts fuel our emotions. Repeated negative thinking patterns — “I’m going to fail,” “I’m not smart enough,” “Everyone’s ahead of me” — activate stress responses and lower confidence.


These thoughts are known as ANTs — Automatic Negative Thoughts. Left unchecked, ANTs can take over, limiting performance and damaging self-esteem.

The key is not to suppress these thoughts, but to challenge and replace them. It helps to ask:


  • Is this thought 100% true?

  • What would I say to a friend thinking this?

  • What’s a more balanced or empowering alternative?


Behaviours That Keep Us Stuck (& How to Shift Them)

Exam stress often leads to a cycle of unhelpful behaviours:


  • Procrastination (a form of avoidance)

  • Over-revising without breaks

  • Withdrawing from social connection

  • Perfectionism or all-or-nothing thinking


Breaking the cycle starts with small, consistent pattern interrupts:


  • Use the 90-second rule: Emotions last 90 seconds unless we fuel them with thoughts.

  • Set realistic, focused revision blocks (e.g., 25 mins on, 5 mins off).

  • Use movement, breathing, or positive self-talk to reset your state.

  • Celebrate progress, not perfection.


Regaining Control

When students understand what’s happening in their brain and how their thoughts and actions influence their stress, they start to feel more in control and with that control comes calm, clarity, and confidence.


Join My Exam Stress Workshops

To support students and families through GCSE exam season,  I’m offering a 2-hour workshops focused on:


  • How to manage stress by understanding your brain

  • Rewiring negative thought patterns

  • Practical strategies for emotional regulation

  • Building exam confidence through mindset and behaviour shifts


Email info@solihullwellbeingclinic.com to reserve a place or enquire further


Author

Gary Bennett

Certified Young Person Life Coach



Please do not hesitate to contact Solihull Well Being Clinic if you are in need of advice or specialist support. We have a number of services such as nutritional therapy, hypnotherapy for weight loss, chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, physiotherapy, clinical psychology, psychotherapy, drama therapy, sophrology, family therapy, psychiatry and sensory assessment/advice (including specialist assessment).


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