The DAT exam is one of the most competitive, and aspirants must put their best foot forward to get a good score. There are different issues that aspirants tend to face while preparing for the exam. However, test anxiety and stress is an underrated and ignored issues. Students don’t need to live with their families while preparing for the exam.
Some students avoid their homes and sacrifice everything, like accommodation and comfort, to prepare for the exam. The lack of healthy food, bad sleep cycle, wrong eating, and lifestyle habits, followed by a lot of mental pressure, is a big challenge that can invite physical and mental issues to the students at a tender age.
Stress and anxiety is a common thing that happens among youth who is planning to sit in competitions. Be it the face-to-face competition to get admission to your dream dental college or finish the DAT destroyer, there are various reasons why students have sleepless nights. Children tend to have these feelings all the time, but they forget that they don’t heed the consequences of these things, which tend to occur later.
So, if you can relate to these things, now is the time when you should deal with it. Dealing with it does not mean you have to embrace what you feel, but you have to take steps to move forward and not take these feelings a hand over you.
Here are some tips to help you deal with the anxiety of the DAT exam.
1. Mental Training
If you are preparing for a highly competitive exam, it is obvious that you have the constant feeling of missing out on things and getting anxious about the same. You can calm your mind by diverting it into different kinds of activities. You can begin with a meditation once a day. If you are a beginner at it, you can try closing your eyes followed by an inhale and exhale of 30 repetitions. It will take 10 minutes, but once you open your eyes after doing it, you will feel relaxed and better.
It is a good activity, and you can increase the meditation time once you develop a habit of doing it. Mental activity helps in various things in life. It will help eliminate the random negative thoughts that tend to occur in children’s minds when they study.
2. Keep Up With The Health Checks
You cannot achieve the best score on your DAT test until your health is right. Hence, there are two things that you need to do. The first one is that you need to fix your sleep schedule. You should take proper 7-8 hours of sleep. If you have chronic sleep deprivation, it will end up straining your nerves, and further will reduce your cognitive skills. The lack of sleep can also reduce your IQ and hamper your concentration power.
You can consider following a nighttime routine to help you unwind better. For example, setting a bedtime alarm will be a reliable idea. Also, it would be best if you altered your environment to be conducive to your sleep cycle.
3. A Balanced Diet
DAT exam preparation consumes a lot of energy, and the subjects are all set to brain you at the end of the day. Hence, to match the effort and energy it takes to prepare for the exam, you must have a balanced diet.
When you eat a healthy diet, you are helping yourself to keep your stress levels down. Cortisol is a hormone that causes stress in the body. If you want to reduce the body’s stress levels, the best way is to include magnesium in your diet. Food items such as nuts, green leafy vegetables, and raw cocoa have a high magnesium quality. Also, try and avoid taking food items that are high in calories. You should avoid drinking your calories. You should prefer eating a low-sugar diet and try to switch to food items that are rich in proteins.
A healthy diet includes proper water intake, too. You should drink atleast 2 liters of water in 24 hours. If you are not drinking water in the right amount, it can create havoc in your system, especially when you are under pressure.
4. Cater To Your Hobbies And Interests
If you are preparing for a competitive exam like DAT, it does not mean you have to swim in the ocean of books and stay there all day long. You have to divide your day so that you are studying, to rest, and of course, taking time to do the things you love. It can be any hobby or any activity that you are interested in.
Hobbies and interests keep a person occupied with meaningful things. Also, these things are a great way to destress the mind and body. You don’t have to have a hobby since your childhood. You can discover and rediscover your hobbies as an adult and stick to them.
5. Take Some Body Challenges
Body challenges mean indulging yourself in physical activity. They are good for the brain and help release the body’s stressful hormones. They release feel-good hormones in the body. Further, when indulging in any physical activity, you can focus on improving the brain’s cognitive performance and see an enhancement in problem-solving abilities.
Also, there is a great improvement in a person’s long-term memory. There are different body challenges that you can choose from. You can enroll in a yoga class or any cardio exercise.
6. Give Yourself Some Breaks Because You Deserve It
After all these things, your stress and anxiety while preparing for the exam will reduce if you give yourself essential breaks. The breaks can be short naps or a session of your favorite game after a productive study session. You will feel rejuvenated, and there shall be no lack of motivation to study for the next round.
Conclusion
Anxiety and stress are common signs among students preparing for the DAT exam. The competition and exam applicants are increasing; hence, students leave no stone unturned to give this exam their best shot. But not at the cost of their mental health. These tips will help students reduce their anxiety levels and perform their best to get an amazing DAT score.
