Mindly Different

How to Prepare and Perform Without Burning Out

For many students, exams are stressful.
For neurodivergent students – exams can feel like a full-body neurological event.
It’s not just about knowing the material.
It’s about how the brain functions under pressure.

If you’ve ever gone blank despite studying, felt physically ill before an exam, struggled to focus in noisy rooms, or left an exam feeling ashamed rather than reflective – this is not a personal failure.

It is a predictable interaction between stress, cognition, and a nervous system operating under load.
This post is about working with your brain, not against it.

Why Exams Are Especially Demanding for Neurodivergent Brains

From a neuroscience perspective, exams activate several high-demand systems at once:

• Executive functions (planning, working memory, task-switching)
• Attention regulation
• Emotional regulation
• Sensory processing
• Stress-response systems

These functions rely heavily on the prefrontal cortex, which is also the first region to lose efficiency under stress.
When stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline rise, the brain prioritizes survival over reasoning. This can result in:

• Memory retrieval difficulties
• Slower processing speed
• Reduced verbal fluency
• Increased sensory sensitivity
• Emotional flooding or shutdown

For neurodivergent brains – which may already require more energy for regulation and filtering – this load accumulates faster.

Preparing for Exams: Brain-Friendly Strategies

1. Study in Short, Predictable Blocks

Long study sessions increase cognitive fatigue and reduce consolidation.
Neuroscience shows that learning stabilizes during rest, not effort.
Try:

• 20-40 minute study blocks
• Clear stopping points
• Brief, non-stimulating breaks

Consistency matters more than intensity.

2. Externalize What Your Brain Is Holding

Working memory is limited – especially under stress.
Reduce internal load by:

• Writing checklists
• Using visual outlines or mind maps
• Speaking concepts aloud
• Teaching the material to someone else (or to yourself)

This shifts information from fragile working memory to more stable networks.

3. Practice Retrieval, Not Rereading

Rereading feels productive but does little for memory formation.
Instead:

• Practice recalling without notes
• Answer sample questions
• Summarize from memory, then check accuracy

This strengthens hippocampal-prefrontal connections involved in recall.

4. Prepare Your Nervous System, Not Just Your Notes

Studying while dysregulated reduces encoding.
Before studying:

• Regulate your body first (slow breathing, grounding)
• Study in environments with manageable sensory input
• Avoid forcing focus when exhausted

A regulated nervous system learns more efficiently.

Performing During Exams: Supporting Your Brain Under Pressure

5. Slow Down the Stress Response

If your mind blanks:

• Pause
• Take slow, extended exhales
• Ground your body (feet on floor, hands on desk)

This activates the parasympathetic nervous system, restoring prefrontal access.

6. Start With What Feels Safest

Beginning with familiar questions:

• Builds confidence
• Reduces threat response
• Warms up cognitive networks

Momentum matters neurologically.

7. Use Movement and Sensory Regulation (When Allowed)

Small movements can stabilize attention:

• Shifting posture
• Pressing feet into the floor
• Holding a permitted sensory object

This helps regulate arousal and prevents shutdown.

8. Don’t Fight Fatigue – Work Around It

Cognitive fatigue is metabolic, not motivational.

If fatigue hits:

• Switch question types if possible
• Take micro-pauses
• Accept reduced speed rather than forcing effort

Forcing through fatigue often worsens performance.

After the Exam: Protecting Your Nervous System

Neurodivergent students often experience delayed emotional responses.
After an exam:

• Avoid immediate self-criticism
• Eat something grounding
• Rest before analyzing performance

Reflection works best once the nervous system has settled.

A Different Measure of Success

An exam measures performance under specific conditions – not intelligence, worth, or potential.

Your brain may be:

• Accurate, but slower
• Deep, but less flexible under pressure
• Sensitive, but insightful

These traits matter – even if exams don’t always capture them well.

Final Note

Neurodivergence does not mean you are bad at exams.
It means exams must be approached strategically, compassionately, and neurologically informed.

You are not broken.
Your brain is not failing you.
It is responding exactly as a sensitive, complex system would.

And with the right supports, it can do far more than you’ve been told.

By Nataliya Popova
Mindly Different – Coaching for the beautifully different mind

P.S. I’ve created a free, printable Exam Survival Checklist to help you care for your brain before and during exams. You’re very welcome to download it.