It might be a far cry from maths and science, but teaching children to de-stress has become such a valuable tool for some Australian teachers that they are arguing meditation, or mindfulness, should be part of the national curriculum.

Key points:

• Teachers at Brighton State School in Brisbane say meditation is radically improving the wellbeing of students
• Teacher Sarah Mailey says it gives kids tools to "cope with life"
• Money for optional meditation courses was included in this year's federal budget

The Queensland Education Department said about one in seven people aged from four to 17 experience a mental health issue every year across the country.

A report from Mission Australia and the Black Dog Institute found up to one in four could be at risk.

There is growing concern about a possible anxiety epidemic in our schools, stemming from the combined pressures of social media, personal issues and the desire to get good marks.

Teachers at Brighton State School on Brisbane's bayside are among a growing number of educators embedding meditation into their daily lesson plans to help children deal with their emotions and improve focus and behaviour.

Year four teacher Kath Warren said it was making a big difference.

"Children that we would normally see be quite stressed or anxious … they'll practise their mindfulness and straightaway they're much more engaged and ready to learn," she said.

Ms Warren and fellow teacher Sarah Mailey spend 10 minutes after lunch with their students listening to calming music and following a guided meditation track.

Ms Mailey introduced mindfulness into her classroom three years ago to give her students tools to "cope with life" which she said were not traditionally taught at school.