Exams are incredibly stressful, no matter what your age. For teenagers though, who are also dealing with the pressures of hormones, friendships, extra-curricular pursuits and home life, exams are particularly challenging. With that said, it’s really important for parents to try and be as supportive as possible to help their child get through exam stress and this period without too many hiccups. Here’s some advice on supporting your child through exam stress from our friends at Brampton college in London, Vitiminology and Efamol.
Spot the Signs
Keep an eye on your child and try and look out for signs of exam stress. If they aren’t eating much or eating more than usual, not sleeping well or worrying a lot, these are all indications that your child might be suffering with stress. Other symptoms are things like headaches, stomach pains, hopelessness, and irritability. If you are worried about your child, get in touch with their teachers and see if there is anything they can do to help, as it might just be that your child need a little extra support at school.
Healthy Lifestyle
Try and ensure your child is making healthy lifestyle choices before and during exam period. If they aren’t getting enough sleep or eating a lot of unhealthy snacks and fizzy drinks, they won’t be able to concentrate in school or when they’re revising. What’s more, if they’re not getting enough nutrients or rest, they may be more at risk of become unwell, which will only make matters worse. With this in mind, make sure your child is eating a healthy, balanced diet and going to bed at a reasonable time. When they’re studying, keep them topped up with water so that they don’t become dehydrated and perhaps a healthy snack, such as grapes or carrot sticks and hummus.
You should also encourage exercise, as this is great for boosting energy and reducing exam stress. Even if it’s something simple like taking a walk or playing football in the garden, it’s important that they take some time away from their desk and get the endorphins pumping.
Supporting brain health
Brilliant B Vitamins
The eight water-soluble B vitamins come into play at multiple points in the metabolic processes of the brain and nervous system. The B vitamins are so important that each one has its own doorway into the brain across the blood-brain barrier[1]! Look out in particular for these brain superstars:
Vitamin B12
Adequate levels of this vitamin are crucial for maintaining cognitive processing power and regulating the nervous system[2]. Vitamin B12 supports the production of neurotransmitters, accurate cell replication and the integrity of the myelin sheath that surrounds nerves. Testing of your serum B12 levels is a useful place to start when supplementing this important vitamin, especially for vegans and vegetarians as vitamin B12 is only available in animal-derived foods. Natural sources include beef, liver, chicken, fish, shellfish, fortified breakfast cereal and eggs.
Vitamin B9 (folate)
Vitamin B9, also known as folate, helps to convert food into glucose, which is used to produce energy. Sufficient folate intake is needed to keep homocysteine at safe levels for the brain[3]. High homocysteine levels in the blood can damage the lining of the arteries and increase your risk of heart disease, dementia and stroke. Natural sources include dark, green leafy vegetables, beans, peanuts, sunflower seeds and seafood. If you are supplementing Vitamin B9 chose those containing the bioavailable “folate” rather than “folic acid”[4].
Vitamin D3
Vitamin D has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in the brain, protecting it from everyday damage[5]. Research also suggests that vitamin D is vital for maintaining signalling pathways used in memory and cognition and associated with larger brain volume. It isn’t easy to get vitamin D3 naturally from your diet so supplementation can help but the flesh of fatty fish such as salmon, egg yolks and milk will provide small levels.
Essential fatty acids
Sixty percent of the brain is made up of fat, underlining the importance of maintaining a good supply of appropriate fatty acids for the brain’s maintenance and repair[6]. Two kinds of fatty acid have attracted the most attention for their use as supplements to support good brain and nervous system function:
Omega-3
Derived from marine sources, these long-chain fatty acids are incorporated in cell membranes and, in particular, the sheaths surrounding nerve cells. Oily fish is incredibly important in the diet as it contains Omega 3 DHA which contributes to normal brain function7. Importantly, eating fish, rich in Omega 3 DHA is essential when pregnant and for breast feeding mothers as it helps contribute to the normal development of the baby’s brain and eyes.[1.1] There are some simple and effective ways to introduce oily fish such as opting for Salmon en Croute or making homemade paté with mackerel or trout.
Look for supplements providing krill oil, fish oil, fish liver oil or, especially useful for vegetarians and vegans, algal oil.
Magnesium
One thing that is essential during the stressful exam period is sleep so introduce magnesium into your diet or take a supplement. Magnesium levels in the body have long been thought to affect anxiety and mood and may help to keep those pre-exam nerves under control. Natural sources include dark leafy green vegetables, some fatty fish, nuts and bananas.
Food supplements should not replace a balanced diet or healthy lifestyle.
Preparation
When it comes to exam prep, it’s never too early to start revising. The sooner your child starts their revision, the more likely they are to feel confident when they eventually enter the exam hall. Perhaps encourage them to put together a revision timetable, in which they allocate time for each of their subjects, and perhaps a little extra time to those areas where they might be struggling. After all, there’s no point in spending the same amount of time studying something they’re already fantastic at as something they’re not doing too great with. You should also encourage them to factor in some breaks into their revision schedule, as its important they still make time for socialisation and relaxation.
Emotional Support
Make sure your child knows that you have their back and are there to talk to should they need some advice or just someone to vent to. No matter how organised they are, there’s still the pressure of doing well so that they can move onto the next stage of their education, so there’s a chance that your child might get upset or frustrated during exam period. Try and be patient with them and appreciate the fact that they might seem a little grumpier than usual due to exam stress. Let them off the household chores for a while, as this will just add to their stress. You should also reassure them that you are proud of them no matter what grades they get, as long as they try their best.
Find opportunities to talk to your child throughout exam period to help alleviate exam stress, reminding them that nerves are perfectly normal. Ask them how they’re feeling and ask them if there’s anything you can do to help. You don’t have to be brilliant at a particular subject in order to provide a helping hand to your child, sometimes all it takes is holding up flash cards. Don’t underestimate your ability to help your child through this challenging time and any exam stress they may be experiencing.
Giveaway
The past two years have been a challenge for millions of people, with many of us using the time to re-focus on our health and wellbeing. And like so many aspects of our health, brain health is crucial and there has never been a better time to look after it than now.
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[1] Kennedy DO. B Vitamins and the Brain: Mechanisms, Dose and Efficacy–A Review. Nutrients. 2016 Jan 27;8(2):68.
[1.1] The beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 200mg of DHA in addition to the recommended daily intake for Omega 3 fatty acids for adults i.e. 250mg DHA and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).
[3] Beydoun MA, Shaked D, Hossain S, Beydoun HA, Katzel LI, Davatzikos C, et al. Vitamin D, Folate, and Cobalamin Serum Concentrations Are Related to Brain Volume and White Matter Integrity in Urban Adults. Front Aging Neurosci. 2020 May 25;12:140.
[4] Ferrazzi E, Tiso G, Di Martino D. Folic acid versus 5- methyl tetrahydrofolate supplementation in pregnancy. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2020 Oct 1;253:312–9.
[5] Miller BJ, Whisner CM, Johnston CS. Vitamin D Supplementation Appears to Increase Plasma Aβ40 in Vitamin D Insufficient Older Adults: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. J Alzheimers Dis. 2016;52(3):843–7.
[6] Chang CY, Ke DS, Chen JY. Essential fatty acids and human brain. Acta Neurol Taiwan. 2009 Dec;18(4):231–41.
School photo created by master1305 – www.freepik.com
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Having a balanced lifestyle and looking after the physical and mental health being of our children is so important when they are sitting exams. My daughter is a teacher and exam marker and I know from her the stress children are under. Preparation is the key to sucess
My son just had Year 6 SATS and he was extremely anxious. He had trouble sleeping and showed some obsessive traits like overthinking his breathing & needing his duvet to be just right.