That is among the common questions asked by students, especially during examination week. Examination is a common situation that needs to be faced by students, either undergraduates or postgraduates. The higher the level of education, the tougher the format and expectation of the examination or assessment. Furthermore, in certain fields, there is an incorporation of practical examination and viva assessment, in which the candidate needs to perform in front of the examiners using his or her skills and knowledge. This will require communication skills and excellent presentation techniques. All these requirements might increase further the physiological changes of stress experienced by the candidate.
Nevertheless, are the drugs the ultimate answer? Indeed, they are not. It is important to be emphasized here that using certain drugs to control palpitation during exams is indeed off label without any evidence based or clinical trials. In fact, they might cause some adverse effects such as lethargy and tiredness. Therefore, what is the answer?
The answer is holistic approach consists of following strategies to control and avoid palpitation during examination:
- Planning and preparation. Adequate revision and studying prior to the examination will enable the student to be well equipped with the knowledge and skills required for the assessments. Moreover, the preparation should not be confined during revision week only, but throughout the academic year. This will avoid the students from becoming panic or nervous near the exam period. Aim for understanding and gathering information for future working benefit rather than for passing exams only.
- Regular physical activity. Practising aerobic exercises such as brisk walking, swimming, running, or cycling would be helpful in controlling heart rate and respiratory rate, especially in exertional or stressful situations. Rather than concentrating on reading and studying, students should also engage in daily physical activity. It is proven to control emotional stress and anxiety.
- Enough sleep. Generally, adults are encouraged to have adequate quality sleep duration of seven to nine hours per day. Lack of sleep, especially near exams will affect the students’ thinking and feeling, which will exacerbate the palpitation. Avoid the habit of studying till late night prior to exams.
- Avoid over the counter drugs. It is important to realize that there is no “magic drug” that is proven to control temporary palpitation or physiological changes due to stress. Medical attention from a medical doctor should be sought if there are symptoms of hopelessness or depression or generalized anxiety disorder, which are totally different from the isolated performance anxiety.
- Reduce caffeine and avoid substance use. Excessive caffeine consumption may increase the risk of developing palpitations in certain groups of people. In fact, false belief of caffeinated or sweet drinks acts as the main stimulus to perform better in early morning should be corrected. This theory is not based on any clinical evidence. Indeed, adequate breakfast with a balanced diet is the main recipe to provide sufficient energy during exams.
- Emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence or emotional quotient is the ability of a person to understand, use, and manage his or her emotions in positive ways to relieve stress and overcome challenges. Rather than suppress the worry or fear of exams, the students should recognize and understand the feelings and manage the emotions in a healthy way. Always practice good self-thoughts and do not let negative emotions override self-control.
- Spiritual approach. This is indeed the most important strategy to control negative thoughts and emotions during exams. Always perform your daily prayers and maintain good relationships with the Creator and other human beings. Practice patience and always look on the positive side for any situation. Rather than aim to control and worry about the outcome of the exam, just concentrate on your effort and reliance on the Creator.
In conclusion, examination is one of the assessment tools to measure the performance of the individual. Nevertheless, fear and worry of the exams is indeed real and should not be ignored. Holistic approach in dealing with emotions is indeed beneficial and helpful to provide positive outcomes among students.
References:
1) Zimetbaum PJ. Evaluation of palpitations in adult. UpToDate. 2021
2) Anwar, M.A., Gani, A.M.O. and Rahman, M.S. (2020), “Effects of spiritual intelligence from Islamic perspective on emotional intelligence”, Journal of Islamic Accounting and Business Research, Vol. 11 No. 1, pp. 216-232.
3) Propranolol Drug Information. UpToDate. 2021.
4) Gong Z, Chen Y and Wang Y (2019) The Influence of Emotional Intelligence on Job Burnout and Job Performance: Mediating Effect of Psychological Capital. Front. Psychol. 10:2707.
5) Lattari, E., Budde, H., Paes, F., Neto, G., Appolinario, J. C., Nardi, A. E., Murillo-Rodriguez, E., & Machado, S. (2018). Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Anxiety Symptoms and Cortical Activity in Patients with Panic Disorder: A Pilot Study. Clinical practice and epidemiology in mental health : CP & EMH, 14, 11–25.