Tips for Stress Relief

What is Mental Wellness?
Contrary to popular opinion, “mental wellness” does not always refer to getting treatment for a mental illness. For example, a doctor won’t tell you to exercise and eat healthy during your checkup as a treatment for being sick; they tell you that because maintaining healthy habits will help you be your best. Similarly, staying mentally well will help you do your best, have healthy relationships with your friends and family, and prevent you from feeling overwhelmed by school and activities. Stress relief is an important component of mental wellness for students in middle and high school.

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What Should I Do If I Feel Like I Have Too Much To Do?
If you feel stressed by schoolwork, you should start by taking a deep breath and thinking about what you need to do. You can make a list if that helps you visualize your tasks. Then, think about the steps that you should take to accomplish them. Breaking a lot of work into small pieces makes it seem more manageable and less overwhelming.

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How Can I Reduce Stress If I'm Doing Everything I Can But I Still Feel Overwhelmed?
There are a number of activities you can do to reduce stress, such as:

Spend time with your dog, cat, guinea pig, or other pet.

Spend time with your family.

Cook a meal for your family or friends.

Exercise! Go to the gym, take a walk around your neighborhood, follow along with an exercise video, or play a sport. You could even take a walk with your family and pets for extra fun.

Try taking a self-defense class. These are often offered at community centers and gyms, and can help you both feel more in control and get exercise.

Write! Compose a poem or story, write in a journal, or write snail mail to friends and family.

Take care of yourself! Take a shower or bath, wash your face, or paint your nails. There are plenty of online tutorials to make your own lotion, soap, and bath products as well, if you want to get creative.

Express yourself with art! Draw pictures, play a musical instrument, or dance around your room.

Do something relaxing. Walk around in the rain, drink herbal tea, squeeze a stress ball or squishy, or listen to calming music.

Contribute your efforts to something you can feel proud of. Volunteer in the community (and get hours for school at the same time), do yard work for your parents, or join a collaborative project at your school, like making the homecoming float.

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What Should I Do If I Feel Very Stressed or Worried?
If you feel very stressed, sad, worried, or anxious, talk to someone you trust. Feeling this way doesn’t mean that there is anything wrong with you or that you have done anything bad. An adult can help you find healthy ways to manage your feelings. Even if you worry that your feelings are not a big deal or that nobody will listen to you, you should talk to a teacher, counselor, or someone else you can trust if you really feel something is wrong. They can help you figure out why you are feeling this way and what you can do to reduce your stress levels.