Study Stress and Its Impact on Academic Performance

The results are in! Poor academic achievement is linked to study stress. A 2020 OECD survey, including over a half a million students from 72 countries, found young people to be highly stressed about study (1). According to the students surveyed, study-stress is caused by (1):

• ongoing stress and pressure directly related to their workload
• pressure to achieve high marks
• concerns about receiving poor grades.

The survey found 66% of students in the 15 to 16 year age group feel stressed about poor grades and 55% worry about exam results, regardless of how well prepared they are. This survey revealed gender differences, with girls suffering more anxiety about schoolwork than boys (1).

Stress, anxiety and low grades

It has been shown that study-related stress affects mental and physical wellbeing and leads to a variety of academic problems (1). Students who experience stress have lower sense of well-being and more likely to have anxiety (1). and this anxiety may lead to poor academic achievements. 

An American study of children between the ages of 8 and 16 found a significant connection between those with self-reported high anxiety and poor academic results (2). Furthermore, anxiety is known to lead to poor performance in exams and lower grades in science, maths and reading (1).

Interventions to help manage stress and improve academic outcomes

If you or your child has study-related stress, read on for interventions that help manage stress and may improve academic outcomes.

• Eat a diet rich in Vitamin C – We are all familiar with the beneficial effects of Vitamin C for the immune system, but did you know that it also reduces stress hormones, such as cortisol and improves moods (3, 4). Research has shown supplementation with lose dose Vitamin C helps reduce anxiety and stress related to school work (3.4). The study divided the students into two groups, one group received 500mg of Vitamin C daily for one week before the presentation and the other group received a placebo. The results showed Vitamin C was effective in reducing presentation stress in students and significantly reduced symptoms such as dry mouth, stomach cramps, increased heart rate and anxiety (3). An earlier study, including 42 students, found 500mg of Vitamin C administered over a 14 -day period, improved anxiety scores and reduced heart rate (4). Foods rich in Vitamin C include; citrus, guava, blackberries, green vegetables (cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli), cauliflower, strawberries, capsicum, parsley, sweet potato and rosehips
• We all know how stressful public speaking can be and a 2019 study found students, when faced with the task of a group presentation, experienced symptoms ranging from dry mouth, stomach cramps, increased heart rate and even anxiety caused by a fear of failure (3).
• Get active – Physical activity in students is directly correlated with academic performance (5). A study of high school students found physically active students had lower stress hormones and higher serotonin levels. The higher levels of serotonin were associated with better school performance in these students (5). Furthermore, students who experience more exam related stress were less likely to be physically active (1).
• Establish a calming pre-sleep routine. Stress can create tension that makes it hard to relax and have a good night’s sleep. American high school students who participated in studies revealed that lack of sleep on school nights lead to poor attention, lower grades, higher stress and issues with getting along with other people (1). Establishing a calming pre-sleep routine an hour before bedtime may improve sleep, for example, take a warm bath, turn screens off, read a book. Inhalation of the essential oil of Lavender combined with sleep hygiene was found to be effective in improving sleep quality in a group of college students with self-reported stress and sleep issues (6).