For teens, daily life can be full of stress. School, activities, sports, friends, parents, body image worries, pressure to try drugs, alcohol or sex, pressure to fit in with certain friends, emotions and growing pains—you name it, you can be stressed about it.

To a degree, stress is just part of life—healthy and natural. But stress can sometimes get overwhelming or demoralizing. For me, the stress of too many responsibilities makes it feel like there are more hours of work than there are hours in a day!

There’s no way to totally eliminate stress from the teenage lifestyle—trust me, I know how intense a typical day can be—but there are plenty of ways to at least minimize it.

Here are some tell-tale signs of stress and ideas for managing it:

Signs of Stress

• Increased physical illness (headaches, stomachaches, muscle pains, chronic fatigue)
• Withdrawing from people and activities
• Increased anger or irritability, lashing out at others, moodiness
• Feelings of hopelessness
• Ongoing feelings of worry and nervousness
• Problems sleeping and eating
• Difficulty concentrating

Stress Relievers

• Take deep breaths, visualizing being in control
• Practice progressive muscle relaxation, tensing then relaxing muscles
• Break tasks into more manageable chunks by setting small goals
• Exercising regularly and eat regular meals
• Focus on things you can control
• Rehearse feared situations (such as public speaking or asking someone out on a date)
• Talk about problems with parents, older adults and friends
• Lower unrealistic expectations
• Try to look at the positive side or new opportunities that might arise from challenges
  
• Schedule breaks and enjoyable activities, such as music, art, sports, and socializing
• Never take yourself too seriously! Believe it or not, high school can be fun!

Personal Tips

As a teen, here are some tips I’ve personally learned:

Talk to your teachers: More often than not, teachers are completely understanding of how much work you really have. I have asked teachers on more than one occasion for an extension, or just talked to them about expectations, and they have been more than willing to help out. So, even if there is that one teacher that you are kind of scared of (trust me, I have had my share!), don’t be afraid to talk to them about making your workload and homework more manageable.

Try to relax about getting into college: Ahhhh! This is the number one source of stress for me and many other teens out there. While I am certainly in no position to tell you to relax, considering I have spent the last three years of my life thinking about college applications, try (the key word being TRY) to not get too freaked out about the college admissions process. I know that we don’t always like hearing advice from our parents, but my mom has consistently told me, “Remember, college admissions aren’t a reflection of you. So don’t worry too much!” It would probably help us all if we took that advice to heart.

Take a step back from conflict: It’s inevitable that you and your friends and family are going to fight. To deal with the stress of these conflicts, I try to take some time on my own just to think. In most cases, after thinking things through, I am able to see both sides of the issue and am more willing to talk and compromise.

Be a listener: Your friends are going through the same issues and difficulties as you. I’ve found that, for the most part, talking through troubles with my friends helps me calm down. Just as they listen to you, remember to do the same for them too!

Did you know? Boys are more likely than girls to avoid dealing with their stress, according to research.