Stress is your body’s way of responding to any kind of demand or threat. Many teenagers our age who attend high school experience stress.

If not handled well, stress can cause serious health issues in the long-run. That’s why it’s very important for teenagers to learn to cope with its negative side-effects.

Here are some ways that can help you deal with stress positively:

Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine.  Even though some of these things seem to act as a depressant, they really can be the cause of stress. These are stimulants that will increase your level of stress rather than reduce it. Swap these addicting substances for water, herbal teas, or diluted natural fruit juices.

In the article Dealing with Stress by SkillsYouNeed it states, “Herbal teas are main factors that relieve stress.” Make sure that you stay hydrated and that you are getting a lot of vitamins. Being hydrated can keep your body healthy.

Indulge in physical activity. Stressful situations increase your level of stress, but if you take a minute to go outside and get a fresh breath of air, it can quickly reduce stress. If you include daily physical activity into your routine, it can help get your mind off things. Doing this can help improve your sleep, which can also reduce stress.

Get more sleep. You should sleep for at least seven hours to have your body working properly in the daytime. Where you sleep should be a clean environment, lacking things that can remind you of stress. Instead, you should have nice smelling scents and open windows.

If you aren’t feeling sleepy, you could take a warm bath or read for a few minutes to make you feel relaxed. This will wear your eyes out and help you forget the negative things that worry you. Make sure you’re off your phone for 30 minutes to an hour before you go to sleep to get the best results.

Learn to say no. Saying yes to certain activities that can build up your schedule can cause you to feel stress because you can have too much on your plate and you might not be able to handle the pressure. You can feel stressed by having so much to do but only so little time to do it. Think about yourself and see if you actually have the time to do it or if you’re willing to do it.

For some people, it’s scary saying no because they think it’s rude. But there are some other phrases that you can say than just no, such as, “I’ve been really busy lately,” or  “I just don’t have the time for it.”

Do something you enjoy every day. By doing something you love, you feel motivated and energized. Now bring the things you love into your daily routine. If you are feeling super stressed, stop, take a breather, and go do the thing you love for at least 20 minutes. It makes your body focus on something positive because you’re happy to be doing it. Even if it is playing video games, drawing, reading, etc., it can still lower your stress level.

These are only a few things that you can do that can minimize your stress, but these are the ones that work the best. Just taking time out of your day and focusing on these few things can help you so much in the end.

Teenagers need to understand that stress can impact your daily life, so managing it is the best thing you can do.