How to Help Adolescents Manage Their Stress

How to Help Adolescents Manage Their Stress

Left unchecked, long-term stress can contribute to a long list of physical and mental health problems. Prolonged stress can cause high blood pressure, weaken the immune system and contribute to diseases such as heart disease and obesity. It can also lead to mental health problems such as depression and anxiety. In a study conducted in 2018, researchers analyzed data from the National Survey of Mental Health and found that rates of anxiety and depression had increased in kids ages 6-17, from 5.4% in 2003 to 8.4% in 2011-12.

Stress in adolescents doesn’t always look like stress in adults. Just like adults, adolescents can find healthy ways to cope. Together, adolescents and their parents can learn to spot the signs of excess stress and with the right tools manage it. These strategies can help keep stress in check:

Enough sleep

Sleep is essential for physical and emotional well-being. Experts recommend 8-10 hours of sleep a night. Sleep has to be a priority to keep stress in check. To protect shut-eye, restrict screen use at night and avoid keeping digital devices in the bedroom.

Exercise

Physical activity is a crucial stress reliever for people of all ages. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 60 minutes a day of activity for children ages 6 -17.

Talk it out

Talking about stressful situations with a trusted adult can help adolescents put things in perspective and find solutions.

Make time for fun and quiet

Just like adults, adolescents need time to do what brings them joy, whether that’s unstructured time to play with building blocks or uninterrupted hours to practice art or music. However, while some children thrive bouncing from one activity to the next, others need more down time.

Find a healthy balance between free time and favorite activities.

Get outside

Spending time in nature is an effective way to reduce stress and improve overall well-being. Researchers have found that people who live in areas with more green space have less depression, stress, and anxiety.

Write about it

Researchers have found that expressing oneself in writing can help reduce mental distress and improve well-being. For example, some research has found that writing about positive feelings such as the things you’re proud of or grateful for, can ease symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Practice mindfulness

In a study of a five-week mindfulness training program for 13- to 18-year-olds, researchers found that teens who learned mindfulness experienced remarkably less mental distress than teens who did not.

To learn more, enroll in Adolescent Counselling at Finstock Evarsity College. Follow the link below to apply.