Stress Management

Are you feeling overwhelmed by obligations and responsibilities? Do you lose sleep stressing about tests and assignments? Are you skipping breakfast because you're in a hurry?

You are not alone! We all experience stress--adults, teens, and even younger kids. But you can avoid getting too stressed out by handling everyday pressures and problems, staying calm, making time to relax, and asking for help when you need it.

Check out the tips and resources below to help you manage your own stress.

Tip 1: Give Yourself a Break

Taking breaks is an essential part of taking care of yourself. Setting aside time in your life to do something you enjoy helps us rest and refuel.

Tip 2: Avoid Over-Scheduling

If you're feeling stretched, consider cutting out an activity or two, choosing just the ones that are most important to you.

Tip 3: Develop Good Sleeping Habits

A good night’s sleep provides your body and mind with a solid foundation from which to approach the next day’s tasks. One step that you can take is to try to eliminate things that can disrupt your sleep, such as light and sound.

Tip 4: Treat Your Body Well

Get regular exercise and eat well to help your body function at its best. When you're stressed out, it's easy to eat on the run or eat junk food. But under stressful conditions, you need good nutrition more than ever.

Tip 5: Ask for Help

One step that you can take is to try to eliminate things that can disrupt your sleep, such as light and sound. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness; asking for help shows maturity and confidence. Talk to a trusted adult or friend about the stress you are experiencing. They may be able to provide a solution to your concerns or simply be a listening ear.

Request A Meeting

Tip 6: Learn to Relax

The body's natural antidote to stress is called the relaxation response. It's the opposite of stress, and is a feeling of well-being and calm. You can activate the relaxation response simply by relaxing. Learn and practice easy relaxation techniques and then use them when you're caught up in stressful situations.

List Adapted from KidsHealth.org

Ideas to Help You Relax

Taking a warm bubble bath

Having a warm cup of tea/coffee/cocoa

Coloring

Creating and/or enjoying visual art

Listening & playing music

Practice breathing exercises

Breathing Techniques

Belly Breathing

Sit or lie flat in a comfortable position.
Put one hand on your belly just below your ribs and the other hand on your chest.
Take a deep breath in through your nose, and let your belly push your hand out. Your chest should not move.
Breathe out through pursed lips as if you were whistling. Feel the hand on your belly go in, and use it to push all the air out.
Do this breathing 3 to 10 times. Take your time with each breath.
Notice how you feel at the end of the exercise.

4-7-8 Breathing

To start, put one hand on your belly and the other on your chest as in the belly breathing exercise.
Take a deep, slow breath from your belly, and silently count to 4 as you breathe in.
Hold your breath, and silently count from 1 to 7.
Breathe out completely as you silently count from 1 to 8. Try to get all the air out of your lungs by the time you count to 8.
Repeat 3 to 7 times or until you feel calm.
Notice how you feel at the end of the exercise.

Morning Breathing

Try this exercise when you first get up in the morning to relieve muscle stiffness and clear clogged breathing passages. Then use it throughout the day to relieve back tension.

From a standing position, bend forward from the waist with your knees slightly bent, letting your arms dangle close to the floor.
As you inhale slowly and deeply, return to a standing position by rolling up slowing, lifting your head last.
Hold your breath for just a few seconds in this standing position.
Exhale slowly as you return to the original position, bending forward from the waist.
Notice how you feel at the end of the exercise.

Relaxation Apps

HeadSpace offers guided meditations to help focus and calm the mind.

Smiling Mind is a free mindfulness meditation app developed by psychologists and educators to help bring balance to your life.

The Calm app targets anxiety, improves concentration, and helps guide you to sleep.

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