If your teenager has been a little more snappy than usual lately, struggling to sleep or suddenly coming down with mysterious Monday morning ailments, you're probably not imagining it. A new survey has found that Irish teens are missing an average of ten school days every year because of stress — and with the Leaving and Junior Cert exams just weeks away, things are only going to intensify.
The Zenflore Teen Stress Survey*, which canvassed 502 parents of teenage children, found that exams, schoolwork and homework are the single biggest source of stress for Irish teenagers, with 50% of parents identifying these as their child's primary pressure point. That figure climbed to 55% among parents of teens they described as very stressed. Social media came in second at 34%, followed by friendships at 33% and worries about future plans or college at 30%.
Nearly nine in ten parents said their teenager experiences stress in an average week. Two in three described their teen as very stressed. And of those, 43% said their child had actually missed school because of it — racking up around ten days a year in absences.
Sleep is suffering too. A massive 88% of parents of stressed teens said sleep was being affected, with almost one in five saying stress was significantly disrupting their teenager's rest. Any parent who has ever stood outside a bedroom door at midnight, hearing their child still awake and scrolling, knows exactly what that looks like.
What the experts are saying
Educator Tadgh O'Donovan, better known as Teach With Tadgh on social media, has weighed in on the findings — and his advice is the kind that's actually practical rather than the usual vague "just relax" guidance that nobody finds helpful.
"These findings show that stress is having a very real and tangible impact on Ireland's teenagers," he said. "The approaching exam season will only exacerbate this and we need to do our best to support our young people through what will, for many of them, be the most difficult period of their lives so far."
He's particularly firm on one point: resist the urge to let your teen burn the midnight oil cramming. "Your brain needs sleep to process the information it encounters during the day," he explains. "Without proper sleep, you're less likely to remember anything you've studied that day or night — and your stress levels will only increase, which will work against you in the exam hall."
Exercise is another non-negotiable. If your teen is feeling overwhelmed, a walk — even a short one — can genuinely help clear the head and improve concentration. It's not glamorous advice but it works.
Food, sleep and the gut-brain connection
Tadgh also highlights the role of nutrition during exam time, recommending plenty of fruit and veg to support memory, concentration and sleep. He notes that supplements can also be worth considering — specifically flagging Zenflore Teen, which is powered by the Bifidobacterium longum 1714™ strain. This bacterial strain has been shown to support stress resilience, emotional wellbeing, calmness and sleep quality by supporting communication between the gut and brain. It's worth a conversation with your pharmacist to see what might suit your own teenager.
The 1714™ strain was developed from research at University College Cork and is one of the more studied strains in the growing field of the gut-brain axis. Interestingly it has been associated with supporting a healthy cortisol response and naturally producing tryptophan, a building block linked to serotonin production. The science is genuinely interesting, even if your teenager's eyes will glaze over the moment you try to explain it to them.
What you can do right now
You can't sit the exam for them — unfortunately — but there are things you can do to help your teen navigate the weeks ahead without completely unravelling.
Keep bedtimes as consistent as possible, even during heavy study periods.
Encourage short movement breaks rather than marathon study sessions with no end in sight.
Stock the kitchen with proper food. Easy-to-grab fruit, nuts and good meals will serve them far better than endless cups of tea and panic-toast.
Create space for them to talk without immediately problem-solving. Sometimes they just need to vent.
Chat to your pharmacist about whether a supplement like Zenflore Teen might be a useful addition to the mix.
The exam season won't last forever, even when it feels like it will. In the meantime, knowing that your teenager's stress is real, measurable and very common might at least help you feel less alone in navigating it alongside them.
*The Zenflore Teen Stress Survey was commissioned by Precision Biotics and is based on 502 responses from parents with teenage children
