Exam Stress: Common Symptoms and Breathing Exercises Every Student Should Know
With exam season in full swing across schools and colleges, many students find themselves struggling with more than just difficult questions, exam anxiety can seriously affect focus, performance and emotional wellbeing. While a certain amount of nervousness is normal, excessive anxiety can lead to physical discomfort, negative thoughts and a mental block during exams. To help students manage stress effectively, psychiatrist Dr Kurinji G R, a consultant in psychiatry at Kauvery Hospital, shared practical breathing techniques and identified common symptoms of exam anxiety that parents and students should recognise.
Understanding Exam Anxiety and Its Signs
Anxiety doesn’t just affect the mind, it triggers measurable changes in the body and behaviour. Dr Kurinji explains that when anxiety rises, a student’s thoughts and physical state can spiral, leading to difficulties in concentration and self-confidence. He identifies four categories of symptoms:- Physical – Rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, dizziness, headaches, nausea, sweating, dry mouth and feeling faint. These somatic signs often appear when a student is overwhelmed by exam pressure.
- Emotional – Feelings of fear, helplessness, low self-esteem or uncontrollable crying or laughter, which can distract from exams and disrupt calm.
- Behavioural – Fidgeting, pacing, avoidance of study or exams, irritability and even substance use as a coping attempt.
- Cognitive – Negative self-talk, racing thoughts, poor organisation, comparing oneself to peers and the dreaded “mind going blank” during tests.
Next Story