5 ways to de-stress for teens

Being teens is difficult these days (or years). I remember being a teen and I feel life was so simple and easy those days. As a mom of two teens now, I think there is more pressure, anxiety, and stress. I am sure some of you may disagree with me, but I do believe that COVID pandemic has aggravated instead of alleviating more stress and other issues for our teens (and pre-teens). So read on if you believe you need to learn ways to de-stress for yourself or your teen.

Background

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) stress can be defined as the physical or mental response to an external cause, such as having a lot of homework or having an illness. A stressor may be a one-time or short-term occurrence, or it can happen repeatedly over a long time. Anxiety, on the other hand, is your body’s reaction to stress and can occur even if there is no current threat.

Did you know that both stress and anxiety can affect your mind and body? Symptoms include excessive worry, uneasiness, tension headaches or body pain, high blood pressure and/or loss of sleep. Please read here for more information- nimh.nih.gov.

5 ways to de-stress for teens

My older one was here from college for spring break for a week and we got to do a few activities as a family. Thinking as a mom about how freshman year can be a difficult transition and thinking as an educator about how going back to school after COVID times has been an adjustment journey, I thought of writing this post for anyone who is looking for ways to de-stress in today’s world. This fast paced world of technology at our finger tips, instant gratifications, impulsive decisions, peer pressure, perfectionism and striving to be best at everything, has created unnecessary worry and stress for kids and adults alike. I want parents and kids (or anyone really!) to pause and live in the moment. It is not about being the best but doing your best. It is not about instant temptations but about delayed gratification. It is not about being a perfectionist but being imperfect in our own ways.

Below are my 5 tried and tested ways to de-stress:

1. Go outdoors

We love hiking and since COVID, have started this new hobby of going out into the woods few times a year. We have explored state and national parks, and there are likely numerous hiking trails in any area you live at. Since the summer of 2019, we have gone to Sam Houston National Forest, Houston Arboretum & Nature Center, Austin State Park, Brazos Bend State Park, and San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge, to name a few.

Being outdoors can be done as often as daily to minimum once a week. Make it a habit to take your kids outside, and make it intentional. In addition to exercise and physically moving your body, outdoors give us fresh air, or oxygen, and vitamin D which are both vital for our body and help with healing and de-stressing.

Related post: 6 fun outdoor activities

2. Pursue a hobby

Be it art, music or a sport, any interest that a kid can bring to the table can be used as a way to de-stress. Both my kids have learned to play piano when they were younger, and are in no way experts. But when I see my 14 year old play music after working on homework for hours, I know that it is therapeutic and gives her a break.

Pursuing a hobby, anything done in the leisure for the sake of pleasure, brings creativity and relaxation. By the time kids are teens, they should have explored various activities and it is the right time to continue what they love and enjoy the most. With studies at the forefront with teens entering high school, it is important to balance extra curricular activities and academics. You and your kid will know what best works for your schedule. My younger one does taekwondo and both can spend hours doing puzzles or games. Swimming is another thing they both enjoy.

Related post: 4 types of hobbies to pursue

3. Listen to music

Most, if not all kids, have a playlist where they come back to again and again to relax themselves. My kids use Spotify, but there are other apps like YouTube music, Deezer, Amazon Prime music, Pandora, iHeartRadio, iTunes, and many more that can be used for compiling and storing their music. Creating or making your own music is a great way to de-stress and having different genre of music can set tone for positive moods and enhance our emotions.

According to an article published on NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information) many individuals use music functionally, for mood regulation and enhancement. The study states that adolescents report that they use music for a distraction from troubles, a means of mood management, for reducing loneliness, and as a badge of identity for inter- and intragroup self-definition. The article also summarizes that, historically, music has also been used for social bonding, comfort, motivating or coordinating physical labor, the preservation and transmission of oral knowledge, ritual and religion, and the expression of physical or cognitive fitness. Music does wonders- literally!

4. Create something

Whether it is baking, sewing, cooking, artwork or anything else that helps a child engage in making something constructive, creating something can help reduce stress for anyone. Depending on the interest and passion of teens, they can draw, sketch, paint, make origami, or do home Science experiments. Teens can use their creative side and start from scratch, or extend something they may have learned at school.

My kids help me in gardening and my older one enjoys cooking. Both also enjoy writing, reading and drawing. Help your kid find their creativity and encourage them to pursue it!

5. Communicate

Talking with family or friends can be therapeutic. Whether it is in-person conversations or on phone or face time, encourage your kid (or you) to open yourself. Professional therapy session works the same way, so why not start these communications at home first!

Reach out to friends and family members and make your own small circle of comfort and happiness. Human beings are social animals, and teens need to realize this truth. We all need each other, and a great way to engage kids in community service is through volunteering. Start at an early age, so they see you as parents helping and reaching out, and hopefully will do the same as they grow up to be adolescents and adults.

In addition, below are few other ways to de-stress on a regular basis-

• Eat healthy

• Work out or move your body

• Read a book

• Journal or write down your thoughts

• Meditation and/or mindfulness

Related post: 50 journal prompts ideas

In conclusion

To conclude, in today’s post I wrote about 5 ways that teens ( and adults) can reduce stress in our lives. Being outdoors, pursuing a hobby or a passion, listening to music, being creative by making something new and communicating on a regular basis are all ways for our teens to de-stress and get a break from their routine.

Dear readers, we would love to hear from you. Do you have teens at home or know teens around you? How do you help them lower their stress? How do you de-stress? Share your tips and ideas.

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