Knowing that I'm both 4th in Business and Mathematics has decreased my stress significantly, understanding that my hard work (even if it is rendered futile if I fail) will be repaid as I will get a good internal mark. If I was a lower rank, I'd be freaking out incase I flunked the exam and received two bad marks simultaneously (internally and externally).
Exactly what I mean by the advantages, but did were you studying hard, and trying your best in acheiving both those 4th ranks?
I don't know if it is for you, but people were stressed just to get good ranks, hence why I said that it doesn't decrease the stress on an individual.
At the same time, people are undoubtedly feeling exactly how you are during HSC, because they acheived high on the internal rank.
Personally for me, no matter how much effort I put into my studies (And trust me, I did), I wasn't able to attain a first rank in anything. All the times I stressed eventually didn't pay off, which has heightened my stress now, because I know I have to counteract what my internal mark is with a excellent external score (If you get what I mean).
In the end, like everything else, it all is dependent on the individual.