How can I remember what I learned if I'm stressed or anxious about tests?

Stress is the enemy of consolidation. When you're anxious, your body releases cortisol, which actually interferes with the very brain processes that lock memories in place. You can study perfectly and still forget everything under pressure—not because you didn't learn it, but because anxiety hijacks your neural pathways. Patanjali spoke of this in different language: the mind must be undisturbed (prasada) for knowledge to take root. When you're caught in worry or fear, you're not present to your own learning. You're defending against threat. What helps: First, decouple learning from performance. Study to understand, not to pass. This sounds simple but it's transformative—it removes the survival-mode anxiety. Second, build small practices into your routine: even five minutes of genuine focus before study, or a few conscious breaths when you notice anxiety rising. These interrupt the stress cycle. Third, notice the story you tell yourself. 'I'm going to forget this' becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Replace it with something truer: 'I've learned this. My mind needs rest and trust to access it.' Finally, use sleep as your anxiety cure. A person who sleeps well metabolizes stress differently. Better sleep changes your relationship to difficulty itself. The paradox: the less you force memory, the more it stays.