A certain level of nervousness isn’t always a bad thing. In fact, mild anxiety is a built-in biological response meant to help us handle situations involving uncertainty or pressure. When kept in check, it heightens awareness, sharpens sensory perception, and can even speed up mental processing. That’s why feeling slightly on edge before an important moment, like the GRE, can actually help you stay attentive and mentally engaged.

Problems arise when anxiety escalates beyond a manageable level. At that point, the same response that once boosted alertness can start to interfere with performance. This shift is commonly tied to the fight or flight response, an evolutionary mechanism developed to protect us from immediate physical danger. While useful in survival situations, this response can be activated by modern stressors, such as standardized exams, even though no physical threat exists.

When fight or flight kicks in, the body rapidly reallocates its resources. Digestion slows down, since it is not essential in a crisis. Pupils widen to improve visual input. Blood sugar and stress hormones surge to supply quick energy. Most critically for test performance, blood flow is diverted away from the prefrontal cortex, the area responsible for reasoning, decision making, and focus, and redirected toward muscles and vital organs to prepare for action.

In life threatening situations, this response can be incredibly helpful. In an exam setting, however, it often has the opposite effect. With reduced support for higher level thinking, it becomes harder to concentrate, analyze questions, or retrieve information. This is why test takers sometimes experience moments of mental shutdown or feel as though their minds have gone blank. The brain is operating in survival mode, not problem solving mode.

Another challenge is that this response does not turn off easily. While it activates almost instantly, the hormonal aftereffects can persist long after the perceived threat has passed. Elevated stress hormones like cortisol can leave you feeling unsettled, tense, or mentally unclear for an extended period.

Learning how this process works is a crucial first step toward managing it. Awareness allows you to interrupt the cycle using techniques that calm the nervous system. Controlled breathing, mindfulness practices, and light physical movement can all help bring the body back into balance. When we understand that overwhelming anxiety is a physiological reaction, not a personal failure, we are better equipped to stay grounded, focused, and mentally sharp on test day.

Feel free to reach out if you have questions about your GRE preparation. Happy studying!

Warmest regards,

Scott Woodbury-Stewart
Founder & CEO, Target Test Prep