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Wellbeing advice

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Exams can come with a lot of pressure, and if you're feeling anxious or stressed you're definitely not alone. Lisa Hellawell, Proactive & Embedeed Wellbeing Lead at LSBU, shares some advice:

  1. Schedule regular study breaks and use alarms to remind you. Remember, breaks are productive and improve your focus. It’s also worth taking whole days off to give yourself time to properly unwind.
  2. Get moving. Walk, dance, wiggle – moving your body in whatever way is accessible to you can prevent stress and anxiety from building up. We’d recommend intentionally moving your body every day.
  3. Get outside. Fresh air and naturally green spaces can boost our mood and reduce stress levels. The more daylight we get, the better. Getting exposure to daylight early in the day will help you fall asleep in the evening, which brings us to…
  4. Prioritise your sleep. As tempting as it is, studying late at night is usually more disruptive than helpful. It will end up making it harder to focus, learn and recall information. We recommend that you stop studying two hours before bedtime, and wind down with non-screen-based activities such as reading a book, listening to a podcast, or having a chat with someone.
  5. Maintain perspective and encourage yourself. We can all experience thoughts such as ‘I can’t do this’ and ‘if I fail, my future is ruined’. But remember that thoughts aren’t facts: we have power of them. Say positive, affirming things out loud to combat negative thoughts. For example, you could say ‘I have done exams before and I can do them again’ or ‘My worth is not defined by my exam results’. Add statements like these on your mirror, phone background, kettle or any other place you see often!  And when you see them, repeat them out loud to train your brain to be affirming, rather than critical.
  6. Speak to someone. Remember, you are never alone. Talking to someone about how we’re feeling usually makes us feel better. It doesn’t matter if this is a friend, family member, teacher or a stranger. If you are feeling overwhelmed and unsure what to do next,  you can call Samaritans on 123 123, NHS on 111, or in an emergency, 999.

If you join LSBU in 2023, please feel free to reach out to talk about your mental health. Visit our Health and Wellbeing page for more information.

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