Keep calm and get good grades

Welcome to my post about how yoga reduces test anxiety.

But before you read, imagine yourself back in school. You have never been more confident going into a test before. The teacher passes out the test and says the infamous words, “you may now turn your test over and begin.” Just as fast as your classmates start, all your studying leaves your mind. Your heart is in your stomach and the nausea sets in. Those once solid facts are replaced by insecurities and a fear of failing. Before you know it, the teacher calls time and you fell victim to your test anxiety once again. As the difficulty of tests increase, so does the number of children affected by test anxiety. Luckily, there are many ways in which yoga reduces test anxiety and can help to better prepare your child for standardized testing.

What Is Test Anxiety

Students experience stress at a higher rate

Test anxiety is the fear of failing that you get before or during important tests. Children who appear to do well in class but then perform poorly on exams or quizzes may suffer from test anxiety. Although symptoms can vary greatly, more common ones include nausea, excessive sweating, and shortness of breath. According to the National Foundation for Educational Research’s 2010 study, test anxiety can affect anywhere from 10-40% of students and this statistic is increasing more as standardized testing increases.

How Yoga Reduces Test Anxiety

Yoga is the perfect resolution for any test anxiety. The physical poses refocus the attention span while breathing exercises clear the mind of anxious thoughts. The following breath techniques bring in fresh oxygen to the areas of the brain responsible for decision making and problem-solving while calming the rest of the brain and the accompanying negative emotions.  An easy visualization to help clear the mind is to imagine positive thoughts coming to you as you inhale and anxiety or worry floating away on your exhale.  These techniques double as ways to calm any racing thoughts so that test questions may be thought through. Try practicing them in the classroom or home with your students or child!

Alternative Nostril Breathing to wake up the brain.

Alternate Nostril breathing has so many benefits.  For test takes it not only calms the central nervous system but also energizes the brain and increases mental clarity!  Wow, calmness and clarity before a test, who wouldn’t want that?  To do it powerful breath, bring your right hand to your nose and exhale out.  Cover your right nostril with your right thumb. Inhale through your left nostril and cover the left side nostril with your right index finger. Remove your right thumb from the right nostril and exhale out.  Inhale through the right side then cover with the right thumb.  Remove the index finger from the left side and exhale.  Repeat this process.

alternative nostril breathing

Last recommended breath is 4-Count Breath. You can do this breath anywhere and anytime your student or child feel those nervous butterflies in their bellies.  To do this breath, I like to first exhale out, then start with a slow inhale for four counts. Say silently to yourself, “inhale for 4,3,2,1”.  Hold your breath for no more than 4 counts then exhale out for 4 counts (4-3-2-1). Hold out before the next inhale again, for no more than 4 counts.  Repeat for about five times. If the student is still nervous, repeat a few more time until a sense of calmness starts to appear.

Reading, Writing and Breathing! Get calm and ace the test!

Yoga Poses to Reduce Test Anxiety

The yoga poses are just as beneficial as breathing practices. Bringing the attention out of the emotions in the head and placing it on the physical movements, it is a great way to move around test anxiety. As we stretch, our muscles release tension where stress can build up over time. These poses are designed to relieve stress, refocus attention and awaken the body. Many of the following poses can be done at home prior to a test or at school in a chair during testing.

Childs Pose (on a desk or on the floor)

Scoot back from the desk to keep the spine long. student can place their arms on the desk and fold the arms or extend arms in front.  Place your forehead on the desk or on your folded arms.  Breathe in and feel your back expand, exhale out feel the body relax into the seat. This resting pose grounds calms, and soothes the brain, making it a therapeutic posture for relieving stress.   While at home, the student can practice this poses while on the floor or in their bed.

Child’s pose can be done on the floor or on a desk

Eagle Pose

Eagle represents balance, concentration, and focus. Eagles are not easily distracted and if they do, they refocus on their goal.   To do eagle pose in a chair, students can sit up tall.  Cross your arms and left your elbow and forearms in front of your face.  If sitting, students can cross their legs and squeeze legs together.  If standing, students will balance on the left leg, bend at the knee and cross the right leg over.   Take a few breathes in and out then repeat on the second side.  Eagle Pose stretches the shoulders and upper back while strengthening the thighs, hips, ankles, and calves. It builds balance, calm focus, and concentration.

Eagle pose in an upright position

Side stretch or Crescent Moon

Another stretch to create a little energy during testing.  Sit tall on your seat. Lift one arm up and lean over to the right side of body and repeat.  For crescent moon pose, lift both hands and clasps your fingers. Breathe in and stretch up tall, breathe out, lean over to the right side, breathe in, get tall, breathe out, lean over the left.   Be sure to not be distracting in this pose in order not to disturb other students who are taking tests.

Reach up and stretch! An easy way to bring energy to your body

Seated Twists

Another perfect pose for creating some energy during a test is a seated twist.  Start by sitting straight on your chair.  Breathe in sit tall, breath out, place right hand on your left knee and twist.  Breath in, sit straight, breath out and twist to the other side.  If it doesn’t cause a distraction, students can use their chair or desk to create a deeper stretch.

easy seated twist pose

At home, my favorite pose to help a student calm down and get centered prior to a test is…drum roll….

Legs up the wall 

Bring your bottom, close to a wall.  Lay your back on the wall, stretch your arms to your side and lift your legs up and place them on the wall.   Students can always place a pillow or blanket under hips to be more comfortable.

The ultimate in relaxation pose: Legs against the wall!

Calming the mind of anxious or fearful thoughts and refocusing the attention span are just a few ways in which yoga reduces test anxiety. Help your students or child to overcome their test anxiety and set them up for success. Now when those infamous words are spoken, your child can take their test with confidence and the tools they need to overcome test anxiety.