High school students are no strangers to stress. Academic pressures, issues with friends, and after-school activities are the most common factors that can lead to stress. What matters most is that when stress does hit you, you are equipped with the knowledge to best handle it. Below are nine unique things to try whenever a wave of stress hits you.
1. Do your chores mindfully
Whenever I get the initiative to wash dishes, I am always left wondering why I enjoyed the seemingly displeasing task of wiping away the remnants of food from my family’s cutlery and plates. Florida State Researchers had a similar inquiry, so they asked a group of 51 students to focus on the smell of the soap, feel the texture of the dishes, and warmth of the water while they performed this task. The results showed that mental inspiration increased by 25% and nervousness decreased by 27%. A similar impact can be made if you perform any repetitive task while doing so mindfully. So, the next time your parents ask you to help them out with some kind of chore, don’t walk away simultaneously rolling your eyes, and remember to activate your five senses.
2. Eat some dark chocolate
Even though this may be some people’s guilty pleasure, according to reports, having a little bit of dark chocolate incorporated into your snacks or meals can help reduce the amount of cortisol, the main stress hormone, in your body. To reap the benefits of dark chocolate, experts say that it is best to eat one ounce of seventy percent cacao chocolate per day, so you can be prepared before the stress hits. If you are not too fond of chocolate, some alternative options that provide the same effect are yogurt, green tea, and blueberries.
3. Hug someone
If your love language is physical touch, this stress-reliever will be perfect for you. Hugging has been proven to reduce the amount of cortisol in our body and slows down heart rate. This practice is so pertinent that a person should aim for about 8-12 hugs per day, with a duration of about 20 seconds. If physical touch is not your thing, sharing an embrace with your pet can be just as beneficial.
4.Perform a Random Act of Kindness (RAK)
Not only will this brighten someone’s day, showing kindness has proven to increase self-esteem, improve mood, and benefit physical health, as well as managing stress. This RAK can be as little as holding the door for someone or as grand as volunteering at a soup kitchen.
5. Knitting
Although this may seem like a pastime only the elderly partake in, the soothing action of threading yarn can actually reduce stress for people of all ages. The concentration needed for the activity helps to calm and still the mind while simultaneously lowering blood and stress levels.
6. Chew gum
Seeing people chew gum in classes or in the hallways is not an uncommon sight at WA. Most students chew gum to avoid bad breath, but a recent study shows that gum chewing has an unexpected benefit: reducing stress. In a 2012 Appetite study, gum was given to people while they underwent stressful tasks. Surprisingly, the results showed that the gum chewers had higher levels of cortisol. The researchers concluded that rather than calming people down, the gum acted as a brain-stimulant and heightened brain activity, which allowed the chewer to better cope with any stress they might feel.
7. Become a plant parent
Just like your favorite superhero, plants lead a double-life. But instead of being a normal teenager by day and a crime-fighter by night, plants can act as both a decorative item in a person’s house and a stress reliever. A PubMed Central journal found that people felt much more soothed and comfortable after a plant-related activity than they did while completing a computer-related task. This stress-buster can be very helpful after a long night of studying or completing homework.
8. Watch the creatures inside an aquarium
For some people, the dentist can be a very stressful place whether it be because of the possibility of pain or just because of the overall displeasure of the experience. However, there is something strategically put in most dentist offices to calm people down before their appointment: aquariums. The colorful fish and fake aquatic plants can temporarily transport you from a place of worrying and anxiety to a world full of friendly sea creatures. If an aquarium is not presently in your living area right now, there are many videos online displaying aquariums that will serve the same purpose.
9. Your choice
The most important thing you can do when it comes to stress is finding what is best for you.
“It’s all about finding out what’s best for the individual. Whether it be listening to music, exercise, or sleep, it must be best thing for that person,” school counselor Susan Lynch said.
With that being said, the key to stress-management is to do some self-reflection and try new activities until you find out what works for you. For some, it may be some of the things on this list and for others it may be going on a car ride or baking sweet-treats for their loved ones; it all depends on the person.
