High school can be exciting, but also overwhelming! Learning to navigate high school life – tests, assignments, extracurriculars, new and evolving friendship circles, maybe dating and plans for after graduation – includes learning to deal with stress. Stress is a normal part of life and managing your stress is important to stay healthy and focused. There are many healthy ways to keep stress and anxiety at bay:
- Eat healthy meals
- Get 8 hours of sleep each night
- Exercise
- Spend time with loved ones
- Enjoy a hobby
Sometimes stress can get the best of us, so it is always a great idea to know a de-stresser activity you can employ when anxiety starts to take over. For example, experts often recommend breathing exercises as a way to cope and take care of ourselves in the moment! Mindful breathing helps to slow your heart rate and brings about a feeling of calm. You can practice mindful breathing anywhere and you don’t need any special tools.
For example, 4-7-8 Breathing:
- Sit down with your back straight and the tip of your tongue on the back of your upper front teeth
- Breathe out through the mouth, making a whooshing sound
- Close the mouth and count to 4 while breathing in through the nose
- Count to 7 while holding the breath
- Count to 8 while breathing out through the mouth, making a whooshing sound
- Inhale, then repeat three times
Being aware and mindful of your stress is the first step to reducing it. Incorporating mindfulness activities into your life can help make for a healthier you. Check out this list of stress busters and give them a try.
Mindfulness Activities for Teens