Deepa [name changed], a class X student had always been an above average student. However now, whenever she hears the word study she feels tired and sleepy. She tries to procrastinate her studies and starts watching T .V or eating wafers. Of late she has become irritable and snaps easily. Her parents worry for her .She does not know what is happening to her and why.

Alok, a college student, could not register anything when he was revising for his exams. He felt his heart pounding when he took the book in his hand. He then got stuck up on the same page for a long time. The thought that he had not been able to revise more demotivated him and he ultimately gave up.

Sumit, a 15-year-old bright boy who had studied well went completely blank on the exam day. He started sweating and went weak in the knees .He felt as if there was no energy in his body.He broke down and could not write his exam paper.


Have you or any of your friends ever experienced something like this? Where do you see yourself from the following three stages?

The alarm stage
You readily accept the challenges with interest and enthusiasm. Each day is a new day and you look forward to it. Most of the time on the go and alert.


The resistance stage
You constantly experience the feeling of 'I have to do' instead of 'I want to do'. You could be tired, mentally and physically, lethargic, irritable, prone to outbursts of anger, suffer from acidity and joint pains in the legs.
You may either falling asleep instantly; have difficulty falling asleep; or experience early morning awakening.

The exhaustion stage
 You are not able to cope up. There is a breakdown of physical and mental faculties.

An example: A boy from the US who, after spending two years abroad, had overworked himself and had reached the third stage of exhaustion. He required at least ten hours of sleep every day and could not work more than five hours at a stretch. He kept forgetting things perennially and found it very difficult to work.

Signs that you are under stress

You need to look for signs in all three dimensions -- emotional, physical and behavioural. If you experience any of  these, it is time to put the breaks on.

Emotional
You feel anxious, depressed, lethargic, irritable, indecisive and impatient. You harbour a feeling of being doomed.
Your communication decreases. Your thinking sometimes is illogical, you may experience memory loss. There could be guilt or feelings of helplessness and failure.

Physical
Stress also takes a physical toll with the onset of conditions like hypertension, weight gain/loss, chronic fatigue syndrome[constant tiredness], sleep problems, less or more eating,frequent headaches, and digestive and skin problems.


Behavioural
You withdraw into a shell. You become restless and oversensitive. You tend to procrastinate. You take to watching T V, spending more time on computers or just doing nothing. You become prone to accidents. Many of us are in first stage in morning, go to second stage by evening and night.This is completely normal. But, if you see yourself in the second stage most of the time i. e when you are not fresh in morning say five or six days in a week , or experience any of the three dimensional symptoms recurrently, then the following pointers will be helpful.

Before sitting down to study take deep breaths and tell yourself that with each breathe you are inhaling concentration and peace and exhaling your tensions and worries.This will create a positive approach and will help to focus.

Break study method involves that you study for 45 minutes and have a break for 10 minutes .In the break you can do the concentration exercise of visualising a burning candle in front of you and trying to bring the flame closer and on the centre of your forehead. Focus on the image for one minute and then allow the flame to go away from you and disappear. This helps to relieve the monotony and also to increase the registration and retention of study matter.

Studying according to bio rhythm i. e studying subjects requiring active attention during that part of day when you are fresh and alert.The ones requiring you to go through can be tackled when you are not so fresh.Try to make a list of your distractions so that they can be avoided.

Make a list of thoughts that disturb you in your studies .Some of the thoughts like I can never do it can be changed to 'I will try to do it' or 'Let me try'. Make 4 columns in your book, in the first column write down Study Thoughts that disturb, second column Emotions that arise because of it ,In third column try to change the thought with by using Let me see what I can do or positive thought. Fourth column jot down the corresponding change in emotion. This will be very useful in dealing with disappointment, anger , guilt , coping with failures.
Try to relax by listening to music, any hobbies, walking or any other form of exercise. Mind relaxation can also be done by deep breathing and visualising yourself doing your studies well. You can visualise that you deal with difficult portions/questions well. This will help to program your mind and reduce exam related tension. 

 
5 Step Programmed Learning
Speed reading the matter you have to study has to be read by following your eyes with the keeping the tip of pencil/pen kept below the words.