BY JON COOMBES

ChildLine has seen a 200 per cent increase in counselling concerning exam stress, with 87,500 visits to ChildLine’s website about the issue.

There is a constant pressure on young people today that to achieve a successful future GCSE and A Level results must be the top priority of every student.

Stressing over exams can lead to sleep deprivation, loss of appetite, irritable mood swings and depression.

These health issues are being fuelled by a number of actors, such as schools who want to climb league tables, parents who pressure their children to become high achievers and the on-going comparisons students make with their friends.

As a mounting number of young people attend university, focus is drawn to the cold hard reality to what grades fall out of your envelope on results day. The worry of not gaining your expected outcome, and then the possibility of not attending your chosen university, is bound is create fears over the uncertainty of your future.

Many students now plan what degrees they will study and at what university even before the UCAS application process is open to them.

By deciding exactly what academic path to pursue so early on, stress is bound to increase, as students put pressure on themselves to achieve their goals years before the reality is upon them.

There is nothing wrong with being ambitious and motivated in order to achieve whatever outcome you desire.

However, with stress growing among students during the exam period there a few things you can do cope with the issue.

Firstly when you finish an exam reward yourself with a treat, it will act as an encouragement next time you sit a test.

Ensure you eat a healthy diet during the exam period; eating high fat and high sugar foods will ultimately make you feel sluggish and will affect your revision.

Make sure you exercise even if it’s little and often, exercise boots energy levels and is proven to clear your mind and reduce stress levels.

Finally go to bed at a reasonable time each night; it can be hard to sleep when worrying about up and coming exams, but by making sure you get enough sleep it will mean you will be more awake to tackle whatever your exams throw at you.