Stress and anxiety are big mental health problems in young people today, with many saying that extra pressure has been added with the new GCSE grading systems.

 
According to NSPCC, their Childline service delivered 3,135 counselling sessions on exam stress in 2016/17 – a rise of 11% over the past 2 years. 1 in 5 of these took place in May as pupils faced upcoming exams with many telling counsellors they were struggling with subjects, excessive workloads and feeling unprepared. 
With the introduction of the new GCSE grading system, it’s likely that many more pupils will be affected by exam stress and pressure. So how can we beat this?
Mindfulness is a technique that can help you cope with anxiety and stress. Mindfulness is all about paying more attention to the present moment, not dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. It is about taking control of what is happening today. Focusing on your thoughts, as well as the world around you.  
Professor Mark Williams (former director of the Oxford Mindfulness Centre) describes mindfulness as knowing what is happening inside and outside your body, moment by moment. He says that “It is easy to get caught up in our thoughts without stopping to notice how our thoughts are driving our emotions and behaviour." 
For example, when you are stressed, you can sometimes be carrying around loads of pressure and negative thoughts. Negative thoughts build up and cause even more anxiety which then affects your mood, your sleep, and your mental wellbeing. 
Being mindful means paying attention to your feelings. So, if you notice that you are becoming stressed or anxious. Take a few minutes to step back from what you doing. Find a place to sit that feels calm and quiet to you. Close your eyes. Focus on an aspect of your breathing, such as the sensations of air flowing into your nostrils and out of your mouth, or your stomach rising and falling as you inhale and exhale. Notice when your mind wanders from your breath. Acknowledge your thought – and then let it go (imagine pushing the thought into a balloon and watching the balloon fly away in the wind). Replace the thought with a positive one, for example, “It’s going to be okay – I can do this”. Bring you focus back to your breathing. Continue focusing on your breathing until you start to feel calm. 
When you are feeling calm, you can think more clearly and look at ways at how best to deal with the issue causing you concern. During exam time – it’s important to regular breaks from revising, do something that helps you relax, for example, going for a walk or catching up with family and friends. And don’t forget to ask for help. Your family, friends and teachers are there to help you.
To find out more about mindfulness, talk to your teacher. Most schools run a health and wellbeing programme. You can also ask your local library for information about local groups that run meditation classes. For example, Kingston Libraries have recently held mindfulness classes for parents. 

Sources:

Exam stress overwhelming for thousands of children. May 2017. https://www.nspcc.org.uk/what-we-do/news-opinion/exam-stress-overwhelming-for-thousands-of-children/