High school and college should be some of the most exciting times in a young person’s life. It’s a time to learn, grow, discover who they are, develop new passions, and make friends. And while there is some of that… the truth is that for many students, reality feels more like an obstacle course tempered by the feeling of not being good enough.
Along with these new possibilities also come many demands that aren’t always easy to manage. Between exams, homework, and projects, there’s a silent pressure to perform at your best. As a result, what should be a time of curiosity and expansion often becomes a source of burnout, stress, and frustration.
And amidst that accelerated pace, when everything seems urgent and important, it’s all too easy to forget the most basic thing: taking care of yourself. However, when students’ mental health takes a backseat, so do motivation, academic results, and even self-esteem.
How many students have mental health issues?
If you feel like high school or college is overwhelming you and taking its toll on your emotional balance, you’re not alone: 1 in 7 adolescents and young adults between the ages of 10 and 19 experience some mental disorder, according to the WHO.
At university, things don’t improve much. More than 60% of university students show symptoms of some psychological problem. In fact, the APA recently declared that “student mental health is in crisis,” encouraging universities to change their approach and embrace a broader culture that promotes well-being.
Today, in OECD countries:
– 66% of students feel stressed about poor grades.
– 59% worry that exams will be too difficult.
– 55% suffer from test anxiety, even if they are well prepared.
– 37% feel very tense when studying.
Of course, stress is part of school life. We can’t deny it. But it doesn’t have to reach pathological levels, so it’s essential to learn to balance academic demands with self-care.
Good grades, a broken mind?
When you’re in high school or college, it may seem like the only things that matter are grades and handing in assignments on time. In fact, society often puts excessive pressure on you in that direction. However, your mental health is also important.
If you’re stressed, anxious or feeling down, you’ll not only feel bad, but your ability to learn will be blocked, which will directly affect your performance. If your mind is overloaded, you’ll have trouble concentrating and remembering information. You’ll likely read the same sentence five times without understanding it. That’s not laziness; it’s a sign that something isn’t right.
Stress triggers the production of cortisol. At first, it can give you an extra boost of energy to prepare for an exam or a deadline. But if it persists for weeks or months, it affects the hippocampus, the part of the brain that handles memory and learning. It also reduces concentration, lowers motivation, and affects sleep, something many students sacrifice, believing “there’s no other way.”
The result? More tiredness, more forgetfulness, more procrastination, and a feeling that everything costs twice as much. In fact, it has been proven that “academic-related stress can reduce academic achievement, decrease motivation, and increase the risk of school dropout.”
But how you deal with all of this can make all the difference.
5 Keys to taking care of your mental health while studying
Although there’s no magic formula to eliminate academic stress, you can take various measures to ensure that studying doesn’t become a constant burden that ends up affecting your mental health.
1. Ask for help before collapsing
Sometimes, we think that if we just hold on a little longer, it will pass. But the longer you go without paying attention, the more difficult everything will become. When academic pressure mounts, exploring different options for getting support with assignments, like Essay Pay writing service, can be one way to keep everything moving without burning out. You can also ask a classmate to explain a topic you don’t understand, talk to a professor, seek psychological help, or talk to a friend about how you’re feeling. Don’t wait until you’re completely overwhelmed.
2. Take breaks without feeling guilty
Studying nonstop isn’t a sign of commitment; it’s a recipe for burnout. Your brain needs a break to process information and recharge. It’s not about distracting yourself with a five-minute stare at your phone, but rather taking conscious breaks: getting up, stretching, drinking water, going out onto the balcony, putting on some music, or simply closing your eyes for a moment to refocus. These small breaks will help you perform better, recharge your mind, and prevent you from feeling overwhelmed.
3. Include sleep in your study strategy
Sleep isn’t wasted time. On the contrary, sleep improves learning. During rest, your brain consolidates what you’ve studied, clears out excess information, and prepares for a new day. Poor or insufficient sleep affects your concentration, memory and mood. As tempting as it may be to stay up late to study “a little more,” it often ends up being a fruitless effort. Therefore, if you want to take care of your mental health, you must start by taking care of the quality of your sleep.
4. Learn to prioritize without trying to do everything
Sometimes the pressure doesn’t come from studying, but from feeling that everything is urgent and that you can’t fail at anything. The truth is, not everything has the same weight. Making a list of the most important or urgent things will help you organize your day and gain clarity. Using simple techniques like the Eisenhower Matrix or dividing your tasks into blocks can make a big difference over time. Of course, it’s also okay to let go of some things and accept that not everything has to be perfect; sometimes, just saying “good enough” is enough.
5. Don’t isolate yourself: Connection also balances things out
When stress takes over or mental fatigue accumulates, many people tend to isolate themselves. They stop responding to messages, focus only on studying, or reject all plans because they “don’t have time.” And while it’s true that there are times to focus, relationships provide emotional support, as a meta-analysis conducted at McGill University has shown.
Seeing a friend and hanging out for a while can help you shift your mental focus and recharge. It’s not about distracting yourself to escape, but rather reminding yourself that it’s not all about studying. That you’re also living, growing, and building connections. Socializing is part of taking care of yourself, and finding time for it—even if it’s a little—can make the difference between coping with stress or feeling like it’s overwhelming you.
Remember that taking care of your mental health while studying isn’t a luxury, nor a “bonus” you can only afford when everything else is in order. It’s the foundation that sustains your ability to learn. After all, going to high school or university isn’t just about acquiring technical knowledge and skills, but also learning to deal with pressure and developing effective stress-coping techniques that you’ll be able to use later in life.
References:
Lin, J. & Guo, W. (2024) The Research on Risk Factors for Adolescents’ Mental Health. Behav. Sci.; 14(4): 263.
Maymon, R. & Hall, N. C. (2021) A Review of First-Year Student Stress and Social Support. Soc. Sci.; 10(12): 472.
Pascoe, M. C. et. Al. (2019) The impact of stress on students in secondary school and higher education. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth; 25(1): 104-112.
Dinse, R. et. Al. (2017) The stress hormone cortisol blocks perceptual learning in humans. Psychoneuroendocrinology; 77: 63-67.
Newcomer, J. W. et. Al. (1999) Decreased Memory Performance in Healthy Humans Induced by Stress-Level Cortisol Treatment. Arch Gen Psychiatry;56(6):527-533.
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