Posted on: July 10, 2026
PrepMatters founder Ned Johnson on what stress does to the test-taking brain and the simple shift that helps you think clearly when it counts.
Most students assume a great test score comes down to how many hours they put in, but what happens in your brain in the moment matters just as much. In a short video, PrepMatters founder Ned Johnson breaks down the biology of test stress, why it can quietly sabotage performance, and what actually helps you stay clear-headed when the pressure is on.
What Happens in Your Brain When Stress Takes Over?
It starts with a tiny alarm system deep in the brain. As Ned explains, when the amygdala perceives a threat, it unleashes a torrent of stress hormones. Those hormones flood the prefrontal cortex (the region you rely on for clear thinking) and disrupt its executive functions, the very skills a test demands:
- Problem solving and planning
- Keeping information in mind
- Self-control
- Cognitive and emotional flexibility
In that state, you’ve dropped into a freeze, fight, or flight response. “None of which,” as Ned puts it, “is particularly helpful when we need to think clearly on tests that matter to us.”
Why Does Your Stomach Drop During a Test?
Most of us know the feeling of that sudden sinking sensation the moment a test turns hard. Ned has a vivid explanation for what’s actually going on. “Have you ever had the experience of feeling your stomach drop during a test?” he asks. “That’s all the blood leaving your abdomen, going to the muscles of your legs to run for your life.”
The catch, he points out, is that “our brain doesn’t do a very good job differentiating between real tigers and paper ones.” A high-stakes exam isn’t a predator waiting in the grass, but your nervous system can’t always tell the difference, and it reacts as if your life is on the line.
How Can You Keep Your Brain Online? The Power of Self-Talk
Here’s the encouraging part. The same biology can work in your favor once you know how to steer it. There are effective tools to keep the amygdala quiet and the prefrontal cortex online. One of the most powerful is our own self-talk.
It can be as simple as reminding yourself of the truth. As Ned says, when we remind ourselves that our lives don’t literally depend on doing well on this test, it makes us “much more likely that we will actually do well on this test.” Naming the stakes honestly tells your brain there’s no tiger in the room and lets the thinking part of your mind get back to work.
The Takeaway
Stress isn’t a character flaw, and it isn’t a sign you didn’t prepare. It’s biology. Because so much of test stress starts in the brain, it can also be managed in the brain. A little self-talk that puts the stakes in perspective helps keep the thinking part of your brain online, exactly when you need it most.
It also helps to make the real thing feel familiar. Sitting for full-length practice tests under realistic conditions is one of the best ways to turn a “real tiger” back into a paper one. Building genuine skill, like these SAT reading strategies, takes the pressure down even further.
At PrepMatters, managing the stress around tests is part of how we coach students, not an afterthought. If you’d like help preparing for the SAT or ACT with a calmer, clearer approach, schedule a consultation.
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