University Toolkit: Exams and stress

Preparing for exams can be difficult at the best of times, but it can be even harder if your type 1 diabetes is out of control.

Stress can affect your blood glucose and your ability to concentrate can be affected by having high or low blood glucose levels. It is a good idea to monitor your blood glucose levels closely when you’re studying. You may find that you need to change your insulin dose when you’re stressed. If you are not sure what to do to smooth your blood glucose levels out, remember to contact your healthcare team for advice.

On exam days, even though it will be the last thing on your mind, it’s a good idea to test your blood glucose in the hours leading up to the exam to make sure it is fairly stable. You may want to have a small snack directly before to prevent yourself from having a hypo during the exam.

Remember that you are allowed to apply to the university exam board to ask for extra time to allow you to test and eat during the exam if you need to. If you have to deal with a hypo during the exam you will need extra time to recover from the low before you resume the exam. Contact your university’s student services team to find out how to do this.