Test anxiety is that nervous feeling you may get when you’re about to take a test. It's normal to feel some pressure before an exam, and a little stress can actually help you focus and do better.
But for some people, the worries are so strong that they can’t concentrate and don’t do as well they'd like.
Test anxiety is a type of performance anxiety — a feeling you have when how you do really matters to you. You might have performance anxiety when trying out for the school play or getting ready for a big game.
The good news is that you can lessen test anxiety, but first it’s helpful to understand what it is and why it happens.
What Happens With Test Anxiety?
When you're under stress (like right before a test), your body releases a hormone called adrenaline, which prepares it for danger. This is the "fight or flight" reaction. It’s what causes symptoms like sweating, a pounding heart, and fast breathing.
Test anxiety can also cause you to feel "butterflies" in your stomach, or have a stomachache or headache. You might be shaky, or feel like you might throw up or pass out.
You may feel stressed by how your body reacts: "Oh no, my hands are shaking.” And you might worry about doing poorly or forgetting what you studied.
The more you focus on the negative things that could happen, the stronger the feeling of anxiety becomes. This makes you feel worse and can make you more likely to do poorly on the test.
Who's Likely to Have Test Anxiety?
People who worry a lot or are perfectionists are more likely to have test anxiety. It can be hard for them to accept mistakes they might make or get anything less than a perfect score.
Students who aren't prepared for tests but care about doing well are also likely to have test anxiety. If you know you're not ready, you may worry about doing poorly. You might feel unprepared because you didn’t study enough, the material’s tough to understand, or you’re tired from not getting enough sleep.
How Can I Overcome Test Anxiety?
There are lots of ways to stress less over tests:
- Start studying the day the teacher first says there will be an exam. That way you won’t be cramming at the last minute.
- Schedule study time. Put it in your calendar or set an alarm on your phone to remind you.
- Focus on smaller chunks of material during study sessions so they’re easier to handle.
- Ask someone in the class if you can study together to keep you on track.
- Try breathing exercises to relax.
- Remind yourself that you don’t have to get a perfect score on every test. Everyone slips up, so keep mistakes in perspective. Think of them as chances to learn for the next time.
What If I Need Help With Test Anxiety?
If your test anxiety is too hard to handle alone, talk with a parent, teacher, or school counselor. They can help you learn ways to beat it. They may suggest that you visit a therapist, who also can help.
Test anxiety won't go away overnight. But dealing with it can help you handle stress better — even when you’re not taking exams.
FAQs
Here are some actions you can take that may help lower your test anxiety:
- Learn how to study efficiently. ...
- Study early and in similar places. ...
- Set up a consistent pretest routine. ...
- Talk with your teacher. ...
- Learn relaxation techniques. ...
- Get some exercise. ...
- Get plenty of sleep. ...
- Don't ignore other problems.
Regular exercise, adequate sleep and good nutrition are all important components of a lifestyle that will keep stress at a minimum. The day of a test, be sure to eat an adequate breakfast and avoid caffeine as it will only contribute to anxiety. Be early for your exam to reduce anxiety.
Is test anxiety related to fight or flight? ›
Students with test anxiety will experience rushes of adrenaline before and throughout their test. Adrenaline blocks the brain from thinking and triggers a flight/fight response. You can learn how to control and recover from these adrenaline bursts. Physical activity can help burn off adrenaline.
What is the best medicine for test anxiety? ›
A review published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology shows that propranolol works best as a short-term treatment for specific types of anxiety, such as performance anxiety, social anxiety and specific phobias.
Does test anxiety ever go away? ›
They can help you learn ways to beat it. They may suggest that you visit a therapist, who also can help. Test anxiety won't go away overnight. But dealing with it can help you handle stress better — even when you're not taking exams.
How to stay calm during a test? ›
Keeping calm in exams
- Pace yourself. If you find yourself rushing through the questions, purposefully slow down. Try and avoid skim-reading or scrolling to quickly.
- Breathe. It's common to hold your breath or breathe shallowly when nervous. ...
- Check in. Now and then, check in with your posture and how your body is feeling.
Test anxiety consists of:
- Physiological overarousal – often termed emotionality. ...
- Worry and dread – maladaptive cognitions. ...
- Cognitive/Behavioral – poor concentration, "going blank" or "freezing," confusion, and poor organization. ...
- Emotional – low self-esteem, depression, anger, and a feeling of hopelessness.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1 exercise for anxiety FAQs
It involves identifying 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. By doing so, it helps shift your focus from anxiety-provoking thoughts to the present moment.
What is the psychology behind test anxiety? ›
You may become anxious because you cannot predict the outcome of a test. Even if your locus of control is internal, you may feel temporarily helpless in a testing situation when you know you have not studied enough. Feeling guilty for not meeting your responsibilities may cause you to experience test anxiety.
What are two symptoms of test anxiety? ›
Physical symptoms can range from increased heart rate, sweating, dry mouth, to shaking, fainting, panic attacks, vomiting and nausea. Cognitive and behavioral symptoms can include negative self-talk and cognitive distortions that lead students to avoid studying or testing situations.
It's normal to feel nervous about upcoming tests. However, if you experience overwhelming or debilitating levels of stress or anxiety before, during or after a test, you may have 'test anxiety.
What triggers anxiety test? ›
Poor study habits, poor past test performance, and an underlying anxiety problem can all contribute to test anxiety. Fear of failure: If you connect your sense of self-worth to your test scores, the pressure you put on yourself can cause severe test anxiety.
How to fix test anxiety? ›
The following are strategies to help you reduce test anxiety:
- Preparation. Part of preparation is developing good study habits. ...
- Time Management. ...
- Reflect on past successes. ...
- Develop a routine. ...
- Embrace behavioral relaxation techniques. ...
- Maintain a realistic viewpoint. ...
- Remain focused. ...
- Rest.
The top 10 medications for anxiety are summarized below:
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. ...
- Tricyclic antidepressants. ...
- Azospirodecanediones. ...
- Antipsychotic medications. ...
- Antihistamines. ...
- Monoamine oxidase inhibitors. ...
- Alpha-blockers (also called alpha-adrenergic antagonists)
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): This is the most common type of psychotherapy to help manage anxiety disorders. CBT for anxiety teaches you to recognize and identify thought patterns and behaviors that lead to troublesome feelings. You then work on changing the thoughts and your reactions to triggering situations.
How do I stop worrying after a test? ›
What you can do to reduce stress
- look after your physical health – do moderate exercise and sleep well.
- be social – make plans to see friends and family, either physically or virtually.
- check in with yourself about how you're feeling, eg through mindfulness meditation.
- write a list of things you are grateful for.
Waiting For Test Results: 6 Practical Tips to Ease Scanxiety
- 6 ways to manage test stress. ...
- Acknowledge your emotions. ...
- Practice self-care. ...
- Reach out. ...
- Practice mindfulness. ...
- Relax your body to ease your mind. ...
- Seek distractions. ...
- Ask for support.
The PFT anxiety-removing techniques are as follows:
- Be well-prepared for the test. Do not start "studying" (exercising) for the PFT a week or two before the test. ...
- Test yourself; take the PFT once a week. ...
- Maintain a healthy lifestyle. ...
- PFT-taking meals. ...
- Test the way you train. ...
- Relax. ...
- Treat yourself.
Practice relaxing with deep breathing exercises to help clear your mind of negative thoughts and to focus on positive thinking, which will help reduce stress levels. If you find yourself thinking negatively, quickly replace those thoughts with positive thinking.
