The Suffolk Police Exam is coming up! If you experience fast heartbeats, racing thoughts, decreased focus, or an impulsive urge to bite your nails every time you think about it, you may be experiencing exam stress.

It’s common to experience exam stress, especially when you’re unprepared or find it hard to understand the curriculum. We can help with that. You can check out our Suffolk police course for more details.

Stress and Exam Performance: What’s the Link?

Candidates appearing for the Suffolk Police Exam can experience high levels of exam stress. It can negatively impact their preparation process and exam performance. Stress can distract and interfere with your ability to focus, perform and achieve your goals.

Moreover, stress can make it difficult to plan and prepare when your mind conjures up negative thoughts. Research shows that it is one of the most prominent factors contributing to bad performance and the risk of failure.

The Importance of Reducing Stress

Stress management is necessary to prevent other health conditions that may arise due to stress, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and anxiety. Moreover, stress can trigger the ‘fight or flight’ hormone norepinephrine, affecting your sleep cycle and cognitive functions.

By following our de-stressing tips, you will sleep better, reduce body tension, improve your mood, and be ready for the Suffolk police test.

1. Create a Plan

Set a goal and create a plan to succeed. If you can create a to-do list with all the tasks you need to prioritize, you can manage your time better. Understanding what you need to do can reduce stress. It also helps to find free time to relax. Moreover, ticking off things from the list can also keep you motivated.

If your Suffolk police test is coming up, create a list of things you need to gather to start your preparation. Once you have all the resources, you can similarly make a planner or timetable to follow.

2. Get organized

Having a decluttered, and organized space leads to a decluttered mind. Research shows that activities like decluttering and cleaning help reduce the symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression. It can also promote the feeling of achievement that can boost overall confidence. Try to engage in small activities that can help organize your study space.

3. Exercise Regularly

Research shows that calming exercises, such as yoga, walking, swimming, and cycling, can reduce stress by improving mood and relaxing the body. Breathing exercises can also help lower blood pressure and slow the heart rate, increasing oxygen exchange. Get up early in the morning and try exercising every day, even if it’s just for 5-10 minutes.

4. Spend Time with Loved Ones

Having a support system through friends and family can promote better well-being and coping skills. Spending time with the people you love can help you forget depressive and stressful thoughts. Research shows that socializing with people can act as a stress buffer to diminish cortisol response and stress by reducing neural activity in the brain. So, reach out to your friends and family if you want to talk to someone or need help.

5. Avoid Multitasking

You can’t read a book while watching the TV – multitasking requires focusing on more than one task at the same time. It can lead to frustration and feeling pressured, which can increase heart rate and blood pressure, causing stress. You may think you’re efficiently using your time while multitasking. However, it can waste time and negatively affect the quality of work.

6. Eat Healthily

It’s time to replace ‘stress eating’ with healthy foods. Eating foods rich in vitamin C can help stabilize blood pressure and cortisol, thus reducing stress. If your body feels healthy, your mind will feel better as well. You know the drill: drink plenty of water, eat a nutritious diet, and avoid junk food. It’s time you practice it too.

7. Sleep Better

Sleeping allows our brain to relax and recharge. Sleep and stress are related to each other in two ways. A lack of sleep can affect mood, lower energy levels, and hinder your ability to perform daily tasks. Not being able to perform efficiently can lead to increased stress. On the other hand, stress can cause insomnia. The continuous feeling of worry and anxiety can leave you sleepless at night.

In a nutshell, lack of sleep can affect the body’s stress response system by triggering it to produce the stress hormone cortisol, leading to future sleep disruption. Therefore, make sure to get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep every night.

8. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a calming activity that helps you become more aware of your surroundings and promotes living in the moment. It is associated with low levels of stress.

Try this: Sit in a quiet space, close your eyes, and try to focus on the sounds in your surroundings. The simple act of being mindful of your surroundings can help you feel relaxed.

9. Get Morning Light Every Day

Do you often feel tired and drowsy in the morning? A morning walk may be able to fix that. Sunlight exposure can signal the brain to release serotonin, a hormone associated with elevated mood and happiness. Moreover, it can make you alert, energized, and improve your memory.

10.  Treat Yourself

It’s all about feeling better. Reward yourself with something you like every time to complete a task or accomplish a goal. Small celebrations can help you de-stress and motivate you to continue.

Don’t let the stress of the upcoming exam get in the way of your career goals.

Civil Service Success can help you succeed in the upcoming Suffolk Police Exam

If the thought of preparing for the Suffolk police exam is causing you stress, we have news that will help you feel better. Our comprehensive Suffolk police course is starting in May to prepare candidates for the 2023 Suffolk police test.

It’s your chance to get your dream Suffolk police job. Register now to save your seat!