It's the one word that we all wish had never been invented and then maybe it wouldn't exist.

Well, that's one warped way at looking at it but unfortunately exam time is upon us again.

Many students will be re-writing revision plans, displaying an inability to talk about anything else, drinking endless cups of coffee and suffering from a lack of sleep.

Most students will cope with the pressure and such behaviour is, to a degree, a normal part of the whole exams experience.

But for some exam time results in a cycle of anxiety, lack of confidence and fear of failure. Lets see what the experts have to say.

Professor David Haslam, Chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, says he is rarely consulted specifically about exam anxiety, but admits that stress among youngsters is growing.

"More and more young people are being seen by GPs over emotional problems. There does seem to me to be almost an epidemic of children finding difficulty in coping with life."

So how do you know when you have gone over the edge - when nervousness has turned to panic and your ability to perform in the exam is compromised?

"There is a degree to which stress is a good thing. It is only when people are malfunctioning because they are so stressed that it becomes a problem," says Professor Haslam.

"The normal stress response for the body is to run or fight - you get a high heartbeat and a racing pulse.

"The problem is that it is not usually appropriate to run or fight. People get scared when they see their body reacting in that way and don't understand why."

Dr Nicky Hayes, lecturer in psychology at the University of Bradford, agrees that it is important to look out for tell-tale signs that you are over-stressed.

"Watch out for irritability, being more stroppy with other people and not sleeping very well.

"The problem comes when you try to sit and revise, but you don't. You sit and worry about what you don't know."

Thankfully, pre-exam jitters are manageable by taking a few practical steps. Dr Hamilton and Dr Hayes broadly cite three areas to focus on - maintaining health and confidence, and eliminating unnecessary stress.

Dr Hamilton, Author of Passing Exams says that having good self-esteem should optimise your chances in the exam hall.

"The first area is about believing in yourself, keeping perspective and having an eye on the grand scheme of your life. Learn that doing your best is good enough.

"It's also about having the correct information and support. Take control of the situation by talking to a teacher to get information about the exam.

"Secondly, you have to focus on managing yourself. Pace yourself, you don't want to leave it to last minute cramming. Do a timetable and stick it up on the fridge. Know when the exams are coming and think ahead. Plan your time so that you have a balance between play and study, organise your notes and try different revision methods."

She recommends "chunking down" your work by reducing pages of reading to a few memorable sentences. She also suggests equating key ideas with a rhyme or visual picture to aid the memory and "make revision fun".

Dr Nicky Hayes believes that students should approach exams much as an athlete prepares for a race - by mentally picturing the whole process, from reading the paper to answering the questions successfully.

"The most important thing is positive thinking. Visualise doing it right, because we usually imagine the worst.

"I am also always telling my students to drink lots of milk because it is full of natural morphines to calm you down. Carbohydrates and proteins are calming.

"The physical reactions to stress, such as a rise in blood pressure, have a cumulative build up, so go swimming, take exercise."

Perceived wisdom about what to eat before an exam should be rejected, according to Dr Hamilton, who is also a clinical nutritionist.

"People often think you should have a chocolate bar beforehand but this causes the blood sugar level to rise quickly and crash half an hour later. It is far better to eat complex carbohydrates - sandwiches with brown bread, scrambled eggs on toast. Fruit is also very good."

"Just after exam time a lot of students get colds because their immune system

is down. Vitamins A, C, E and zinc can help fight off infection."

Even after taking all these steps, it would be unnatural not to feel some quakiness on the big day, but there are measures you can take at your exam desk to keep you level-headed, says to Dr Hamilton.

"Read the exam paper a couple of times and learn how to manage your time because you can lose marks very quickly if you don't. You can lose 25% instantly if you only answer three questions out of four, for example.

"Close your eyes and take deep breaths, while simultaneously doing mental self-talk. Say to yourself, I've done all the work, I know I'm going to do well,' for up to a minute."