Exams: less stress, more focus

How to control anxiety to get best results.

- Saturday

We're into the last term of the school year, and that means exam time for pupils from Grade 4 all the way up to Grade 12.

While there's a lot at stake for children in the upper grades, even the younger ones going into their first or second exam season can feel pressure to perform.

Parents too, can feel heightened anxiety as their children are put to the test, and this can be a disruptive time for all-round family wellbeing.

Doryce Sher, a qualified pharmacist, aromatherapist and the founder of Aromatic Apothecary, said: "It's high stakes over the next few months for families; both challenging and exciting.

"This tension may not necessarily be about the importance of every mark but navigating the exam period well and generally getting good results builds a child's confidence.

"So, it's natural that parents feel invested in their children performing as well as possible in the end-of-year exams.

"This can lead to pervasive exam stress with both children and parents feeling overwhelmed and anxious."

This is where aromatherapy solutions particularly come to the fore. "Nature provides us with healing plants that provide fast-acting, effective relief.