Key Facts:
28% of students are drinking energy drinks and 39% are eating more foods like chips and chocolate when studying long hours or late at night.
25% of students are cutting back on exercise in the lead up to exams.
ReachOut is reporting year on year increases in the wellbeing impacts of study stress for students, including changes in mood and relationship challenges.
ReachOut is encouraging students to take a proactive approach to their mental health and to seek support in the lead up to Yr 12 exams.
In the lead-up to Year 12 exams, youth mental health service ReachOut has released new data on study stress, including that 28 per cent of students are turning to energy drinks to help get through long study sessions.
The survey (1000 students, June 2025) found that of those turning to energy drinks, 22 per cent are consuming two daily, and almost 14 per cent reported consuming three or more energy drinks daily.
In addition, 39 per cent of students are consuming caffeinated drinks (coffee-based), 22 per cent drink soft drinks and 39 per cent of students said they eat more foods like chips, lollies and chocolate to get them through long study sessions.
A quarter (25%) of students surveyed reported being much less likely to maintain their normal exercise habits during exam time and in the lead-up to assessments.
As well as driving challenges for students' dietary habits and exercise patterns, study stress is also having increased wellbeing impacts for students. The proportion of students who reported changes in their mood rose by 19 percentage points year on year, the number who reported not doing enjoyable things rose by 13 percentage points and the number who reported relationship challenges rose by 10 percentage points.
Deputy CEO of ReachOut, Jackie Hallan, said that the new data provided an opportunity for students to make simple yet powerful changes to help them feel better.
"Exams are around the corner for Year 12s and ReachOut's new study stress data shows us that many students are reaching for things like energy drinks for quick wins to help them power through study sessions. However, leaning too much on things like sugar and caffeine and skipping exercise can backfire.
"We also found that the wellbeing impacts of study stress are significant, and rising. More and more students aren't doing things they enjoy, they're experiencing changes to their moods and their relationships are suffering too. For some students a combination of the food and drinks that spike our energy and not moving could be contributing to these experiences, or they could make them feel even harder to manage.
"ReachOut's message is simple: exams and assessments don't have to drain you. It's not about being perfect, it is about moving and fuelling your mind and body in smarter, kinder ways. Even small changes like taking short walks during study breaks and staying hydrated can level up your wellbeing and help you power through.
"Seeking support for study stress is also important if you are in distress. That could look like speaking to someone you trust, making an appointment with a GP or going online – there are resources available at ReachOut and parents and carers can head to ReachOut Parents," she said.
When it comes to seeking support for study stress 61 per cent of students said that their friends were the most common source of support and 31 per cent said they study with friends to help with studying long hours or late at night. 39 per cent of students surveyed had sought support from the parents and carers, around one in five sought support through an online search or website (23%) and 22 per cent had been supported by a teacher or school counsellor.
