We know stress is unavoidable.

Children and teens experience more stress than they show and often do not have the resources to cope.

According to The American Psychological Association (APA), 42% of teens do not know how to manage stress or know how to do anything to manage stress at all.

Below are a few strategies to help your student reduce and cope with stress.

  1. Work on Increasing Their Sleep
    Sleep is essential for physical and emotional well-being. Children need more than 8 hours of sleep as they are still growing and developing, including brain development. Experts recommend nine to 12 hours of sleep a night for 6- to 12-year olds. Teens need eight to 10 hours a night. Quality sleep resets the brain and allows the body to recover from the day. To protect shut-eye, limit screen use at night and avoid keeping digital devices in the bedroom.


  2. Encourage Movement
    Movement and physical exercise are great ways to alleviate stress! Find something they love to do — hiking, riding their bike, bouncing at a trampoline park, or even walking around the neighborhood. Fun activities with friends or family will be more likely to stay part of their routine and keep them moving!


  3. Get Them Outside

    Spending time in nature is an effective way to relieve stress and improve overall well-being. Researchers have found that people who live in areas with more green space have less depression, anxiety, and stress. Take advantage of park space near your home and spend as much time as you can outside with your student.


  4. Be Sure They Know They Have Someone to Talk To
    Talking about stressful situations with a trusted adult can help children and teens put things in perspective and find solutions. Encouraging your student to talk to a trusted teacher, family member or even a school counselor can make a huge impact. Make sure your teen has a “safe” person they know they can always go to when they need to talk.


  5. Introduce Deep Breathing and Mindfulness
    Deep breathing and mindfulness allows muscles to relax, lowers blood pressure and will improve mental concentration. By practicing deep breathing exercises, your student will be able to improve their mental health. Researchers found that teens who learned mindfulness experienced significantly less mental distress than teens who did not.

Stanford researchers suggest that slow, deep breathing can effectively decrease stress levels in children in common situations.

This is beneficial for all ages!

 

Click below to learn how!

Stanford University 1 minute deep breathing video