When another school term begins, this often means another exam period is approaching. During this time, many students experience an increase in stress levels, and can struggle finding a balance between studying and prioritising their mental health. Feeling stressed over exams is completely normal, and even healthy to a certain extent, because this can motivate us to revise hard to achieve good grades. However, nobody wants to feel exhausted and drained in the process, so here are some handy tips on how to cope with and minimise stress. 

Firstly, i'd strongly recommend scheduling downtime, rather than just scheduling study sessions. This way, you won't feel as though you're procrastinating studying, because your downtime is apart of your routine. You could spend this time trying to unwind through practices such as meditation,yoga or exercise, but also activities like phoning a friend or spending time with your family can also greatly lower your stress levels. This is because you are doing something you enjoy, and by doing so, giving yourself more energy, lowering the likelihood of you becoming drained later on in the term. 

Another temptation I think we have all done during exams is reaching for junk food. The convenience of fast food can make us believe that we are doing ourselves a favour, by allowing us more time to revise, rather than making a healthy meal. However, fast food decreases our brain performance, which can leave us feeling tired and unmotivated. On the contrary, by eating healthier options, our brain becomes more stimulated and, therefore, more likely to retain information. This way, we are optimising our study time.

Despite these, everybody copes with stress differently, so these ideas may not work for you, and that's completely fine. My advice would be to explore different ways to reduce your stress levels, until you find an activity that really suits you. Remember that, even though grades are important, your health truly does matter the most.