How to Deal with Exam Stress by Understanding Your Brain, Thoughts, & Behaviours
- Dr Bobby Sura
- Apr 30
- 2 min read
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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