Miss Woodmansey is the Wellbeing Coordinator and a business teacher at Ipswich School. We interviewed her about some stress management tips:

Why do we feel stressed during exams? 

Stress is the body’s natural reaction to feeling threatened or under pressure. A hormone called adrenaline is released, sending signals to different organs to behave in a certain way. It’s very common and low-level stress can even be helpful and motivational! 

How do we stop feeling overwhelmed?

The best way is to prioritise your needs. Consider yourself like a plant; you must look after your needs in order to grow.  Carve out time for yourself. This might be to sleep, to read, socialise, meditate – whatever it is, be your own best friend and find a balance between school work and your wellbeing. 

Have you got any useful apps or websites to help with stress management?

Absolutely! My favourite meditation app is Insight Timer because there are loads of free meditations and workshops. Kooth is great if you need to talk about how you’re feeling. They have an online chat function available daily. Also, Sanvello is great at helping lower your stress levels. There is a daily mood tracker, you can learn techniques used in therapy to support your mental health and set goals to focus your mindset. 

How could we turn feeling stressed into being productive?

Really easily – the best way is to use positive self-talk and reassure yourself that you can do it! Your body will be feeling more alert so focus your energy by completing 30-40 minutes of work, then taking a short break before working again. When you have finished, reward yourself with something that makes you feel good. Work done + needs met = superstar! 

Abby, Lucia and Maia, Year 10, Occasional Wellbeing Editors