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Academic Pressure: How to Help Stressed Students

Academic Pressure: How to Help Stressed Students

This material has been reviewed for accuracy by: Renee Albers, PhD

African American teen with head down on books representing the pressure students feel in high schoolTeens have long felt academic pressure to perform well in school and prepare for their futures. However, new research shows that today’s teens, even more than previous generations, are worried about their mental health and educational prospects, according to an article in the New York Times.

“When Gallup asked teenagers for the three words that best described how they felt in school, the most common answers were bored, tired and pressured.”

Pandemic learning loss, the negative impact of social media, and other issues in today’s world add to this pressure, according to the article – and adults share many of their concerns.

Academic Pressure is Rising

Young woman lying on the floor surrounded by books indicating the academic pressure of today’s high schools.According to a Chicago Tribune article, academic pressures are reaching students at increasingly younger ages.

“For high school students with dreams of reaching top colleges, the pressure to prove they can handle a punishing academic schedule can have devastating effects: Some are hospitalized for academic anxiety and others don’t graduate at all after failing an AP class they weren’t required to take,” a suburban high school guidance counselor says.

Students today are acutely aware of how hard it is to get into the best universities, so they’re preparing themselves earlier, many as early as junior high and some even in elementary school. But until they are in over their heads, it can be hard for them to understand how much is too much — causing academic anxiety or extreme stress over their studies — and what their breaking point will be, said Elizabeth Arbir, a guidance counselor at Crystal Lake Central High School in the far northwest suburb.

‘Without a doubt, academic anxiety is definitely increasing,’ Arbir said in a recent interview. ‘These kids are setting themselves up for dealing with a lot of pressure. And though some of them will be able to handle it … others are going to be, probably, those same kids who are going to come into my office and have a meltdown,’” according to the article.

The Impact of Academic Pressure

It’s important that students learn to manage their stress when it comes to school, according to an article on the Verywell Mind website.

“A study by the American Psychological Association (APA) found that teens report stress levels similar to adults. This means teens are experiencing significant levels of chronic stress and feel their stress levels generally exceed their ability to cope effectively,” according to the article.

“Stress can also affect health-related behaviors. Stressed students are more likely to have problems with disrupted sleep, poor diet, and lack of exercise. This is understandable given that nearly half of APA survey respondents reported completing three hours of homework per night in addition to their full day of schoolwork and extracurriculars.”

While stress can be a good motivator in some cases, too much can be problematic for teens, according to a blog on the Harvard website.

“[T]oo much unrelieved stress can lead to mental and physical health issues.

Your body reacts to stress by releasing a hormone called cortisol, which regulates blood pressure and immune function. If you’re stressed all the time and your body produces too much cortisol, it can lower your immunity, raise your blood pressure, and impair your cognitive performance.

In teens, the part of the brain regulating the stress response is less developed than in adults, meaning that if you’re a stressed-out teen, you may experience stress longer than an adult.

‘In the teen years, due to hormonal changes, stress tends to influence the emotional functioning of the brain, which in turn impacts the cognitive and executive functioning,’ says [Sakshi] Khurana, [Research Fellow at Harvard’s Weisz Lab for Youth Mental Health].

You might not be able to sleep, you may overeat, or develop digestive, cardiovascular, or immune problems. Stress can even put you at a higher risk for developing mental illnesses like anxiety or depression,” according to the blog.

Signs of Too Much Stress

Young woman in a library with her head down on multiple books indicating academic pressure.In some cases, teens themselves might not realize how stressed they really are.

According to the Harvard blog, “if you’re a high school student feeling stressed, you may not even recognize the symptoms. In fact, many symptoms of stress might be considered normal for teens who are also dealing with natural hormonal and physical changes. For that reason, it’s important to consider whether behavioral changes can be linked in time to an external event.

Signs of stress include:

  • Feeling more agitated, anxious, short-tempered, or depressed
  • Getting sick more often
  • Having more headaches, stomachaches, or other aches and pains
  • Feeling more tired than usual
  • Not being able to sleep, or sleeping too much
  • Skipping meals or overeating
  • Neglecting chores or hobbies
  • Trouble concentrating and forgetfulness
  • High blood pressure”

How to Help Stressed Students

Parents who are worried about their teens’ stress load may want to help them learn techniques to help them manage it. Stress impacts people in many different ways, but the following options may be helpful for students to help reduce the pressure they feel, according to the Verywell Mind article.

“Get enough sleep. Students, with their packed schedules, are notorious for missing sleep. Unfortunately, operating in a sleep-deprived state puts you at a distinct disadvantage. You’re less productive, may find it more difficult to learn, and may even be a hazard behind the wheel.”

“Use guided imagery Guided imagery can also be a useful and effective tool to help stressed students cope with academic, social, and other stressors. Visualizations can help you calm down, detach from what’s stressing you, and reduce your body’s stress response.”

“Exercise regularly One of the healthiest ways to blow off steam is to get regular exercise. Evidence indicates that students who participate in regular physical activity report lower levels of perceived stress.”

“Take calming breaths When your body is experiencing a stress response, you’re often not thinking as clearly as you could be. You are also likely not breathing properly. You might be taking short, shallow breaths. When you breathe improperly, it upsets the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your body.”

“Practice Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) …This technique involves tensing and relaxing all muscles until the body is completely relaxed. With practice, you can learn to release stress from your body in seconds. This can be particularly helpful for students because it can be adapted to help relaxation efforts before sleep for a deeper sleep.”

“Listen to music As convenient stress reliever that has also shown many cognitive benefits, music can help relieve stress and calm you down or stimulate your mind depending on what you need in the moment.”

“Build your support network …Remember that different types of relationships offer differing types of support. Your relationships with teachers, counselors, and mentors can be a great source of information and resources that may help you academically. Relationships with friends can provide emotional and practical support.”

“Eat a healthy diet …A healthy diet can help combat stress in several ways. Improving your diet can keep you from experiencing diet-related mood swings, light-headedness, and more.”

“Find ways to minimize stress One way to improve your ability to manage student stress is to look for ways you cut stress out of your life altogether. Evaluate the things that are bringing stress or anxiety into your life. Are they necessary? Are they providing more benefits than the toll they take on your mental health? If the answer is no, sometimes the best option is just to ditch them altogether.”

“Try mindfulness …Mindfulness involves becoming more aware of the present moment. Rather than judging, reacting, or avoiding problems, the goal is to focus on the present, become more aware of how you are feeling, observe your reactions, and accept these feelings without passing judgment on them.”

Finding Treatment for Mental Health Concerns

If your teens’ symptoms aren’t improving or get worse, or they struggle to get through the day, they may benefit from speaking to a counselor or health care professional. Your pediatrician may be a helpful resource, according to the Healthychildren.org website from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

“Your pediatrician cares about your child’s health and has helped many other parents and caregivers with mental health concerns. Your pediatrician also knows about local resources you can tap to support your teen, now and throughout the healing process.

Pediatricians can explain treatment options, including medications that might help. They can also refer you to mental health specialists who can evaluate your teen. In this way, your pediatrician will become part of a care team that can help you create a treatment plan, as well as a crisis plan that spells out what you will do if things get worse for your child,” according to the website.

Our articles are for informational purposes only and are reviewed by our Medical Information team, which includes PharmDs, MDs, and PhDs. Do not make any changes to your current medications or dosing without consulting your healthcare provider.

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