This podcast peels back the curtain on the pervasive issue of exam stress as my expert guest, Leanne Upton, a dedicated pediatric nurse from Vita Health Group, brings her seasoned perspective into the conversation. We tackle the roots of this anxiety, from the relentless clutches of social media to the weight of societal expectations. But it's not all about the challenges; we're offering up a treasure trove of strategies for supporting your student's emotional well-being, emphasizing the power of open communication and the necessity of a calming presence in the whirlwind of exams.
This episode isn't all talk; we're arming you with actionable wisdom—think of it as your academic stress-busting toolkit. Discover why hitting the hay at the right time, munching on brain-fueling foods, and stretching those limbs can revolutionize your study sessions. I also guide you through creating a 'calm kit' for those peak moments of panic, and Leanne shares real-life stories from her practice in Leicestershire, showing just how transformative staying organized and ahead of the game can be. So, whether you're a student in the eye of the exam storm or a parent navigating these turbulent waters, tune in for a life raft of advice from the heart of pediatric care.
This podcast peels back the curtain on the pervasive issue of exam stress as my expert guest, Leanne Upton, a dedicated pediatric nurse from Vita Health Group, brings her seasoned perspective into the conversation. We tackle the roots of this anxiety, from the relentless clutches of social media to the weight of societal expectations. But it's not all about the challenges; we're offering up a treasure trove of strategies for supporting your student's emotional well-being, emphasizing the power of open communication and the necessity of a calming presence in the whirlwind of exams.
This episode isn't all talk; we're arming you with actionable wisdom—think of it as your academic stress-busting toolkit. Discover why hitting the hay at the right time, munching on brain-fueling foods, and stretching those limbs can revolutionize your study sessions. I also guide you through creating a 'calm kit' for those peak moments of panic, and Leanne shares real-life stories from her practice in Leicestershire, showing just how transformative staying organized and ahead of the game can be. So, whether you're a student in the eye of the exam storm or a parent navigating these turbulent waters, tune in for a life raft of advice from the heart of pediatric care.
Yes, time for another of the Making People Better podcast from Vita Health Group. Thanks so much for joining us. I'm Glenn Tomses and, of course, the aim of this series, we hope, is to raise awareness of what Vita Health Group has to offer, and to do that, I'm joined on each episode by various experts in their chosen field. Today's episode is all about exam stress. That's right, exam stress, and to chat about this I'm joined by Leanne Upton. Leanne is a registered pediatric nurse and she joins us online from Leicestershire. Leanne, how do we find you? Hi, glenn. So, leanne, you are a registered pediatric nurse. What exactly does the job entail?
Speaker 3:By background. I'm a registered pediatric nurse and I have been working in the school nursing team for the last seven years, supporting children and young people aged five to nineteen years. So nationally, the role of a school nurse is very similar but obviously differs dependent on local offers. Predominantly, we work towards public health initiatives, supporting with emotional wellbeing, consonants issues, behaviour and taking active role in safeguarding.
Speaker 2:OK, now tell us about that role in more detail. Of course you're part of Leicester City, so within Leicester City you do get a lot of referrals, is that right?
Speaker 3:Yes, so within Leicester City we receive referrals from professionals. Parents and young people themselves can refer at dropping clinics or via chat health, which is a confidential text messaging service. We cover a cluster of schools in different teams and we complete holistic assessments, either face-to-face or via the phone, and we either provide targeted support through our service or signpost or refer to an alternative service that is best placed to support the young person.
Speaker 2:Exam stress, Leanne, is quite a thing these days, isn't it? I mean, I remember when I went to school and was preparing for exams. Yes, it was a stressful time, emotional time, and you just knuckled down and got on with it. But today it's more apparent, isn't it? Why do you think that is?
Speaker 3:I think young people have a lot of pressures on them from society, social media, and it's building up that resilience to be able to cope with the exam stress and just stress in general.
Speaker 2:And as part of your job, you do a lot of emotional wellbeing, don't you? For people and students, young people who want to undertake exams. I mean that emotional wellbeing is very important, isn't it?
Speaker 3:Yes, part of that emotional wellbeing support is often triggered by exam stress, and that can result in young people feeling quite low in mood, being at risk of maybe harming themselves through self-harm, or so what we do offer is, like I say, that holistic assessment, and if it's identified that those thoughts and feelings are triggered by exam stress, then we will offer support around exam stress.
Speaker 2:Do you find that exam stress is isolated, or are there other factors that contribute towards this?
Speaker 3:So exam stress can be isolated. It's understandably a very stressful time, particularly as we can't control the outcome, and young people can put a lot of pressure on themselves to perform, and they can be fearful of the shame and embarrassment if they don't do as well as they hoped. This is also where parental or carer support can be important. As a parent, you can be supportive by talking to your child about their exams positively and praising them for trying their best without putting unnecessary pressure on them. And if people are putting unhelpful pressure on you, it's important to talk to them about how it's making you feel, because they might not realise and sometimes, when we feel overwhelmed, it is hard to make changes on our own, and parents and carers can also support by helping their children to implement the coping strategies for exam stress that we will talk about soon. And young people may also have contributing stresses such as illness, bereavement, relationship or friendship difficulties, and if you're already feeling this pressure, then this can heighten exam stress.
Speaker 2:And what are some of the typical symptoms of exam stress? I mean, how do you identify it?
Speaker 3:Exam stress can affect anyone, and most people do feel pressure, stress and anxiety when it comes to exams. We've all had exams and most of us will remember how we felt. Anxiety is the feeling that you get when you're worried or scared about something. Sometimes anxiety can be helpful as it keeps you safe from danger, and some people, in relation to exams, are really motivated by the pressure. However, sometimes it can feel overwhelming and make us feel panicked.
Speaker 3:Symptoms of anxiety vary from person to person. You might feel your heart beating really fast, feel sick, dizzy, clammy and, in particular with learning, you might have difficulty concentrating or remembering things. Anxiety can have an impact on daily living, so you may have trouble sleeping, a decreased or increased appetite, or not be able to enjoy exercise or activities that you used to. Nerves are a normal feeling, the same as we feel happy, angry, sad or excited, but when this is stopping you from living your life with enjoyment, then it is important that you make some changes or seek support and, in particular, with exam stress, young people can feel generally run down or run well, they may be irritable and snappy towards others and they may feel restless and can be tearful or crying. Often, and like I said, sometimes we don't recognize this ourselves, and it might be a family member or a friend that notices these signs.
Speaker 2:Leanne, very important to talk about your stress, isn't it? I mean, a lot of people, particularly young lads, they keep their feelings to themselves. They don't want to talk about how they feel. It is so important, even in older age. It's important to how you're feeling, if you're feeling depressed, if you're feeling stressed, anxious about anything, so important to talk about it, isn't it?
Speaker 3:Yes, definitely. I mean. There's the old saying, problem shared is a problem halved, and I think just talking things through with somebody it can process a lot of those thoughts that you have in. Lots of people have other ideas about what might help with. Like you say, all stresses all through life and it's really important that we can all identify somebody that we can talk to, particularly for children and young people, a trusted adult, whether that's somebody at home or somebody at school or a professional. There's obviously lots of services out there as well professional services where people can access for support and talking therapies and for children and young people, there are services there as well that are 24-7, such as Childline, and services such as Give as A Shout, and we also offer that service as well through our chat health text messaging service. So there are routes for young people, adults, to take to access people to talk to and it's important not to bottle all of that up.
Speaker 3:It builds and builds and, yeah, it's important to share those problems and get some support.
Speaker 2:So a lot of support out there. What coping strategies can be put in place then, Leigh Ann.
Speaker 3:Planning ahead and creating a timetable can be really helpful. This can include focus on subjects that a young person is finding most difficult, or subjects that they particularly want to succeed in to pursue college or a chosen career. A timetable also helps to avoid leaving revision to the last minute and cramming it in the night before the exam, which, for most people, is not productive During revision. It is important to remove or reduce distractions, particularly in this day and age mobile phones, and turning it off or leaving it in another room while you work and help. The timetable should also be realistic and include regular breaks. This is a time when you could check your phone as a reward, and it is suggested that a 10-minute break is taken for approximately 45 to 60 minutes of revision.
Speaker 3:However, everybody's concentration levels are different, so young people need to work out what is right for them. It is really important that the timetable reflects work-life balance, and so you should include some free time for relaxation and activities that are enjoyable and socialising with friends or family. On the morning of an exam, it is helpful to plan ahead as well, so getting any equipment ready the night before, having your clothes out in your bag packed or your lunch made and getting up just 10 minutes earlier will help you to arrive for the exam in plenty of time and give you time to go to the toilet, for example, before it starts.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you're so right. I mean, planning is really what it's all about, isn't it? And it does help reduce that anxiety and that stress. What about a healthy lifestyle then, leanne? Can this support anxiety and exam stress?
Speaker 3:Yes, definitely so. Sleep, diet and exercise all play a very important part in not only our physical health, but also our mental health. Most people will recognise that without a good balance of these three things, we can feel a lack of motivation and less able to deal with stresses that we face day to day. Young people need approximately nine hours of sleep a night to keep them fit, healthy and emotionally well. There are the more commonly known ways to help with this, such as no caffeine before bed, sleeping in a dark room, but there are other things that can help. A relaxing and consistent bedtime routine can help get the body and brain ready for sleep a warm, relaxing bath, reading a good book in bed to help unwind, or listening to calming music or good ideas. One of the best ways to get a good quality night's sleep every night is to keep bedtime and wake up times on school days and weekends at around the same time, and this helps your body clock get into a regular rhythm. There is also a link that not getting enough sleep has an impact on heating, a healthy diet and appetite. Also, particularly with young people, what I often hear is that they don't eat breakfast because they are tired, so they would rather have an extra 10 minutes in bed and breakfast is such an important meal to regulate our blood sugars and help with concentration at school, and it is really important before an exam. There's nothing worse than you're tumbling and rumbling in an exam, and refuelling your body will help with your performance and is another reason to be organised and planning ahead.
Speaker 3:A healthy, balanced diet is important, along with eating regular meals throughout the day. This can help with concentration, improve mood and reduce anxiety. Planning when to eat your evening meal will aid your sleep, as if you skipped the meal, you might not be able to get to sleep if you are hungry, but also if you eat late at night. It can be hard to sleep with a full stomach that is busy trying to digest food. It is also important to keep well hydrated. Young people should be aiming to drink approximately two litres of water or sugar-free juice per day, whilst avoiding energy drinks. Energy drinks will have a negative impact on performance, stress levels and behaviour, as, although they initially can make an individual feel more alert, within a short space of time a sugar crush is likely to occur.
Speaker 3:Simple, healthy changes to your lifestyle are much safer than any drink. The NHS recommends an hour of physical exercise every day for the under 18s. And not only is exercise beneficial for your physical health, but also your emotional health. Exercise releases and orphans, which are feel-good hormones, or happy hormones, and these are produced by your brain into your body and they give you a happy feeling, helping to reduce stress levels. There is also a strong link between exercising and getting better sleep, and this doesn't have to be joining the gym. It can be going for a walk on your break, it could be a short YouTube exercise video and you live in room. Any movement, but especially outside in the fresh air, is great.
Speaker 2:Some great advice there, liam. Thanks so much for that great advice. Indeed, it's interesting what you say about those energy drinks that the youngsters always think you know we'll give them more energy. It's a short burst, but it doesn't last long and many respects has negative impacts, doesn't it? What about other strategies that support with exam stress? What can you suggest there?
Speaker 3:Relaxation and breathing techniques can be used during revision in an exam and could be incorporated into your relaxing sleep routine. Square breathing is easy and quick to learn and can help to refocus if you are feeling overwhelmed. Square breathing involves four steps, each lasting four seconds breathing in, hold in the breath, breathing out, holding the breath. So if you imagine a square or draw a square with your finger in the air, you move around each side of the square every four seconds. Continue into breathing. Hold, breathe out. Hold until you feel calm that's a good one.
Speaker 2:I'm gonna try that one. I'm gonna give that a go.
Speaker 3:It's something that you can do without anybody else noticing that you're doing it. So if you are in an exam and you have those feelings of being overwhelmed, what you've been practicing, that, you can do that in your head and it's quite personal and private to you. There is also the practice of mindfulness, which is about taking the time to stop and focus. Over the course of the day, you will often react, to feel and do things without thinking about them. When you stop and focus on your thoughts, feelings, behavior and everything around you, you can start to practice mindfulness. So take a moment to think about where you are sitting right now. Now ask yourself the following questions what surface is my body in contact with? What does it feel like? Is it cold, hard, soft or something else? What can I smell? What can I hear? What can I feel? How am I feeling I'm? Once you have started to ask yourself these questions, the next step in practicing mindfulness is acceptance. Accept how and what you feel in that moment, without judging yourself, your behavior, your thoughts or emotions, and this is called the practice of mindfulness.
Speaker 3:Some people find it helpful to have a kit that they go to for when they need to feel calm. These kits can be made from things you may already have in your home and should include something for all five of the senses so touch, sight, hearing, taste and smell. For example, this could be a nice hand cream, a fluffy blanket or a fidget toy. It could be a photo that brings back a happy memory. You can include some headphones for listening to music and something that, when you taste it, makes you feel happy, such as a small piece of chocolate or a sweet, also water, and really focus on what you are eating or drinking. The smell elements is actually about your breathing. You could draw yourself a square, for example, to remind you of the square breathing technique.
Speaker 2:Wonderful, all right. Some great advice there. And that breathing and also the water as well. We don't drink enough water generally. I certainly don't myself, but Young people need to, you know, as you said earlier, keep well hydrated. What about other top tips that you might have, leanne?
Speaker 3:So trying to smile and stay positive. There are lots of pressures put on young people around their exams and we want them to achieve to the best of their potential, but there are always other options and often alternative routes into most careers. All you can do is try your best and for that you can be proud of yourself. It's important to reward yourself after an exam and do something fun and hopefully apply in. Some of the strategies discuss will make things feel a little easier and it's just really important that If a young person is struggling with exam stress and they do recognize that that is having an impact on their daily life, it's really important to reach out to a trusted adult or professional for further support.
Speaker 2:Leanne, some great advice there. Thanks so much for joining us on today's podcast. Of course, leanne up to the registered pediatric nurse and it's all about, of course, exam stress today and how to alleviate that stress. You know, talk about it. Talk about how you're feeling to people and you know, your family, your friends, close people to you talk about and just get that sort of weight off your mind. Don't let things get on top of you. So important to talk, isn't it, leanne?
Speaker 3:Yes, definitely, like I say there's. There's lots of people around you for you to reach out to, so make sure you do do that.
Speaker 2:Absolutely all right. Well, thanks for joining us on today's podcast. That's Leanne up to there to say, a registered pediatric nurse working in Leicestershire another one of our making people better podcasts here at Vita Health. And if you want more details on what Vita Health can do to help you, head over to the website. Lots of details on there VitaHealthGroupcouk. I'm Glenn Thompson. Do join us and do check out the other podcast in the series. But it's been good to have your company today. Thanks so much.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening to this making people better podcast, part of the well-being series from Vita Health Group. Improving your lives, physically and mentally, drives everything we do, and getting you back to doing what you love is our priority. Vita Health Group making people better wwwVitaHealthGroupcouk.