From grades to family to friends, teenagers endure stress from many situations. Stress can take on either an anxiety/depression feelings or anger/frustration feelings. Both feeling types will heighten if the student does not take measures to reduce the stress.
While stress-related situations may not disappear, students can effectively reduce their body’s reaction to it. This article outlines various stress management techniques for stress relief.
Relaxing the Mind and Body
Stress will begin to take on toll on the body. Muscle aches, headaches, fatigue, and sleep issues can develop as a result of stress. In order to relieve these symptoms, students can partake in exercises that will begin to eliminate stress related symptoms.
Yoga is a series of stretching exercises that lengthen muscles to their maximum. Upon the release of the stretch the muscle will relax to the original state. The repetition of these stretches will relieve muscle aches. Yoga can be taken within a community education class or at home through tapes or DVD.
Mediation and visualization are methods to relax the mind. Quieting the mind before sleeping will ensure more restful and deeper sleep. Prayer, guided imagery, music, and mediation are all great methods to relax the brain.
Journaling and Talking
Sometimes just getting the chatter in the mind out will help relieve stress. Journaling involves writing down any and all thoughts that are circulating in the mind. Students can write in a notebook or in a word processing program.
Talking will also help alleviate stress. Students have many outlets to discuss stress: friends, family, school counselor, youth pastor, or coaches/advisors. Professional counselors and therapists are also available to assist teens. Parents can help facilitate an appointment.
Eating Right and Exercising
Today’s students are involved in activities from morning to late evening. Time needs to be allotted for studying and family time. Trying to balance time seems impossible; however, students need to make sure that they are eating properly and exercising daily.
Eating correctly involves sitting down and eating a balanced meal three times a day. Trying to eat on the run will only heighten stress. Take time to savor the meal and to just sit and relax.
Exercising, like yoga, can fatigue the muscles and provide overall health benefits. Simply walking a mile or two in the evening or dancing to favorite songs for an half an hour will provide an easy method to get in daily exercise.
Whether it is dealing with college applications, academics, or curfew restrictions, teens can deal with stressful situations is a positive manner. Eating correctly, exercising, talking, journaling, and mediation will alleviate the physical and mental symptoms of stress.
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