How to survive exams

Want to help your child pass with flying colours? Maxine Frith offers a crash course in food, fitness and relaxation for young minds

GET MORE SLEEP

Research has shown that fatigue can play a key part in failure to perform well in the exam room.

One in five parents of teenagers taking GCSEs this year said that they knew their children had lost sleep because of concerns over the exams. Parents of even younger children have reported that the SATs are also causing their offspring sleep problems.

While older students tend to complain of insomnia, younger pupils are more likely to get to sleep but become stressed by nightmares. However, parents - and children - seem unsure about exactly how much sleep they should be getting, with a recent survey finding that only three per cent of schools gave advice on the subject. Pre-teens need nine or 10 hours of sleep a night, and adolescents need somewhere between eight-and-a-half and nine-and-a-quarter hours.

In order for your children to get this, experts from the Stressbusting website recommend taking all distractions out of the bedroom, such as televisions and computer games, and ensuring that the central heating is not turned up too high. Hot, milky drinks rather than tea (which, despite low amounts of caffeine, can still be a stimulant) can help. And eating a banana before bedtime may also help with sleep because its vitamin B content can reduce adrenal stress.

WATCH YOUR DRINKS

The general assumption has always been that boys tend to be less stressed about exams while girls will turn to endless cups of coffee to help them burn the midnight oil. But a recent study found that, in fact, two-thirds of boys said they relied on high-caffeine drinks to get them through the exam season - twice the proportion of girls who do the same.

So a ban on coffee and canned drinks such as Red Bull may be in order. Caffeine triggers high levels of the hormones adrenaline and cortisol, and therefore impairs the body's ability to deal with stress. Fruit juice and water will keep students hydrated, while herbal teas such as camomile have been shown to help with relaxation.

One in 10 parents of A-level students reported that their children had turned to alcohol to deal with exam stress, according to a recent survey. Alcohol is a depressant and dehydrating, so hide the alcopops until the exam results come through.

Research has also shown that artificial colourings and flavourings in soft drinks can have a detrimental effect on concentration. In one study, where children were allowed only fresh food and juices without any additives, rates of hyperactivity fell from 15 per cent to six per cent.

FEED YOUR MIND

Only a quarter of children are eating the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables a day and the average is less than three, according to research. So increase their intake of fruit and veg to boost brain power and concentration.

The cycle of SATs, GCSEs, AS- and A-levels can seem like a marathon for both children and parents, and it may help to treat the whole process like a sports event. As with athletes, high intakes of carbohydrates in the form of pasta, bread and potatoes can boost stamina and staying power. Oily fish will help to boost brain power.

While children should be able to get most of their nutritional needs from a balanced diet, vitamin supplements can help. Studies have suggested that supplementing children's diets with fish oils could also be beneficial. Fish oil is rich in EPA, a fatty acid that helps the brain send messages between cells and can improve memory, mood, concentration and behaviour. A pilot project is currently underway at a school for children with special educational needs to discover whether daily fish oil supplements can improve their performance in class.

Stress hormones also use up a lot of vitamin C, magnesium and zinc, so foods rich in these may be beneficial. Stress-busting foods include popcorn (for zinc), strawberries (vitamin C), and sweetcorn and raisins (magnesium). Avoid sugar as much as possible and encourage children to eat little and often.

LEARN TO RELAX

Even the youngest SATs students can benefit from relaxation techniques. Get them to lie down and conjure up a mental image of a favourite event or place, such as a birthday party or enjoyable holiday, and focus on that for a few minutes each day or during a break in revision.

Calm down by breathing through the nose and counting up to four, then breathe out and count back down, repeating up to 50 times. This technique can also be used if panic sets in during the exams themselves.

Psychologists David Fontana and Ingrid Slack believe that even young children can be taught transcendental meditation. The idea is to repeat a mantra every day. For children, this can be a word they say over and over again for a short time every day - when walking to school, for example. Children start with five minutes twice a day at the age of five and add one minute for each additional year of age. Dr Fontana says: "The more we can help children to be at peace with their own bodies the better chance we have of helping them to avoid [stress] in later life."

TAKE SOME EXERCISE

Stressed-out students can often feel that any time away from their books is an opportunity lost. But research has shown that exercise can boost the body's ability to cope with the rigours of exam time and improve concentration. Even a walk to the shops can help, say experts. A study by scientists at the University of Exeter found that children who exercise three or four times a week got higher than average exam grades at 11, and that the effect was particularly strong among boys.

Scientists believe that aerobic workouts improve mental ability because the exercise pumps more oxygen to the brain. Exercise can also promote the growth of new brain cells, with the most marked effect in the hippocampus area linked to memory and learning - the same region that is damaged by elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Yoga can also help: a study by the University of California found that when different poses were compared, the best mood-enhancing movement was to bend backwards.

MAKE STRESS WORK FOR YOU

It may seem counter-intuitive, but stress - in moderation - is not necessarily a bad thing during the exam season. A small amount of stress is necessary for the body to be able to cope with certain situations. It is an "early-warning system" to alert us to danger and raise energy levels.

When stress occurs, the body releases extra amounts of the hormones adrenaline and cortisol into the bloodstream. Adrenaline triggers an increase in heart rate and blood pressure, resulting in higher levels of blood flowing to the brain and improving mental alertness. Levels of blood sugar and fats also increase, boosting the body's energy.

So the extra adrenaline that is released during stressful times can actually boost concentration and performance. However, too much stress can cause the system to overload. Researchers from Yale University have found that if children have a problem concentrating, the adrenaline response can tip them over the edge and make it even harder to focus on exam questions.

Too much sugar combined with stress can also be detrimental to grades. In addition, the increased cortisol levels can dampen the immune system and lower a child's resistance to disease.

HERBS CAN HELP

While thousands of children take prescription medicines to control attention disorders such as ADHD, herbal medicines and supplements may be far better for alleviating the temporary stresses of exams. Not all herbal medicines are suitable for young children, but several preparations may be able to help GCSE, A-level and degree students.

Liquorice root can help to balance the stress hormones, while St John's Wort has been proven to reduce anxiety and alleviate depression.

A recent Korean study also found that the herbal preparation Cyperus rotundus reduced the physical and psychological symptoms of stress among medical students at exam time.

Another herb, valerian, has been marketed as "the calming herb for exam fever" and is widely available. However, scientists have warned that it can have a tranquillising effect and may make students too relaxed if they take it for the first time before a test.

In addition, acupuncture may help to reduce stress levels and improve concentration in the exam room, while hypnotherapy has been shown to benefit exam-phobics who go to pieces when they pick up their pen and test paper.

Sprinkling a few drops of lavender oil on the exam-taker's pillow may help them to drop off to sleep.

THINK POSITIVE

If all else fails, simply having a positive approach may help to boost performance in exams. Younger children should be encouraged not to see SATs as important exams, the experts say - and parents should not underestimate the benefits of having a sense of humour about the tests. Children laugh around 400 times a day, while adults only do so 15 times. Research has shown that laughter can increase oxygen to the brain cells, stimulate the immune system and trigger positive thinking.

Dr Nicky Hayes, chairman of examiners for one A-level board's psychology exam, told the Stressbusting website that she can see some students may have revised well but have simply panicked when faced with the test paper. "You can tell from their papers they've got the idea because they've done a bit, but haven't amplified it, so you can't give them the marks. They've thought: 'Oh my God, I can't do this', and have given up. You have to think positively."

Dr Hayes also says that parents should be more tolerant of niggles such as untidy bedrooms and teenage strops during the exam period.