With less than a fortnight before the start of HSC exams, students are being reminded that there is a way to help gain a significant advantage – sleep. 

HSC written exams in NSW will begin on Wednesday 11 October and continue through until Friday 3 November. 

In a recent survey conducted by youth mental health organisation ReachOut, 50% of Higher School Certificate (HSC) students completing their final year of high school reported having trouble sleeping because of study stress. 

The stress, however, is not only keeping teens awake at night but potentially affecting their mental health and wellbeing, and ultimately their results. 

ReachOut director of service Jackie Hallan said students needed to take a proactive approach to getting a good night’s sleep. 

“Sleep, in particular, can be an important indicator of how the stress associated with Year 12 might be impacting a student’s wellbeing and mental health,” she said. 

“Without a proper night’s sleep, it may become even harder for Year 12 students to deal with stress and challenges. 

“Staying up late cramming before an exam can be well intentioned but it can have the opposite effect on exam results.” 

Of the youth aged 16 to 25 that participated in the survey 65% reported sleeping less, 59% had difficulty waking up and 57% said they were staying up late to study. 

Students’ most common thoughts about the causes of study stress were “not being able to live the life they had planned for themselves” and “worry about how they will compare to other students”. 

NSW Education has released HSC Exam tips for the lead up to exams. 

Its advice includes taking a holistic approach. 

Both your mental and physical health are really important. Make sure you do plenty of exercise, which will make you feel good about yourself and also fire up your brain cells. 

Exercise doesn’t have to be a sport. Just going for a long walk and listening to music will really help. So will eating healthily and drinking lots of water. Use music to help calm you and alleviate stress. You may want to check out meditation or yoga or other calming techniques, like stretching. 

Talk to friends or families or any staff that support student well being at your school such as a school counsellor/ school psychologist or teachers you’re comfortable with, if you’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious or isolated. You can also reach out and talk to someone – available online or phone 24/7. 

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