Teens and Stress

A little stress never hurt anyone, chronically experiencing stress can though. Stress can be hard for adults to manage, now imagine adding extra hormones, ever-changing social dynamics, feeling as if you have little control of your life, having to learn about topics that you have no interest in, and thinking that everyone in the world is judging your every move. Welcome back to being a teenager! Being a teenager is overwhelming and stressful and since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a rise in mental illnesses amongst children and teens. Stress also presents differently in adolescents than adults and can sometimes be overlooked. Today we will take a closer look at signs of stress in adolescents and then review ways to holistically help decrease your child’s stress (you can try these for yourself too).

Recognizing Signs of Stress in Teens

Adolescents experiencing some of these signs occasionally is normal, it’s when these signs persist or significantly impact their daily life that indicates they are likely feeling overwhelmed by stress.

Behavior changes: Adolescents may display changes in behavior such as becoming moody, withdrawing, a once active teen now won’t leave the house, or a child who used to be a great listener is now acting out. They may also demonstrate regressive behaviors like bedwetting or clinginess.
Increased irritability and anger: Adolescents may not know the words to describe how they feel and sometimes tension bubbles over into a bad mood. You may notice your child is more short-tempered or argumentative while claiming “I’m fine!”
Trouble sleeping: Adolescents who complain of feeling tired all the time, sleeping more than usual, or having trouble falling asleep at night.
Physical/somatic complaints: Stress can manifest itself as a physical symptom and be interpreted as a medical problem. Common complaints include muscle tension, fatigue, stomachaches, and headaches.
Perfectionism and high self-expectations: While having expectations of ourselves and what we want to accomplish is helpful in creating motivation and in achieving goals, having too high of expectations can lead to overwhelming amounts of stress and self-doubt. Stress surrounding adolescents setting excessively high standards for themselves leads to constant pressure, self-criticism, and the inability to reflect and enjoy their accomplishments.

Ways to help manage stress

Stress is an inevitable part of life and teaching your teens to deal with stress now will help them navigate the challenges of school and future jobs, relationships, and personal growth. Everyone responds to stress differently and therefore needs to learn what coping is most effective for them in reducing or managing their stress. By taking a holistic approach to stress we are helping cultivate a balanced, healthy lifestyle.

Physical Activity and Exercise: Find an activity where you are moving your body for 10 minutes by 10 PM. Take the pressure off to have the best workout and set an intention to move your body in a way that feels good to you. Whether you are throwing/kicking a ball in the backyard or on a field, have a dance party in your kitchen or take a class, playing in the pool/ocean or competing in a race, going for a walk, lifting weights, or maybe you do some nice stretches. Find physical movement that is enjoyable for you and that you are willing to engage in when feeling stressed.
Balanced Nutrition: Adolescents often overlook how nutrition impacts their mental health and their daily moods. Try and help your teen make healthier choices by including them in creating dinner ideas together (go on Instagram and find a food creator you both would want to try), help them realize how they feel when they overindulge in unhealthy foods (“The last time you had a Monster you told me that you felt jittery and had a hard time concentrating, is that how you want to feel when you take your test”), make sure their eating or packing breakfast (our bodies need nutrients and our brains use a lot while learning), and finding ways to maintain a balanced diet.
Emotional Expression and Support: Adolescents often feel like there is not a safe place for them to express their emotions. Take time to reflect on how you, the parent, are expressing your emotions as this models what is okay for your kids. Try modeling by sharing what emotions you are feeling and how you are going to deal with them (“I have been feeling stressed the past few days, I’m sorry if I have been snapping at you. To feel better I am going to call my friend so we can laugh together and then I am going to get a full 8 hours of sleep tonight.”) Encourage open communication and practice validating your adolescent when they come to talk to you.
Spend Time Outside: Find a way to connect with nature, ideally without your phone. Take time outdoors whether its going for a hike, walk around the neighborhood, going to the beach, reading outside, or even tanning. Nature has a calming effect on the mind and helps reduce cortisol levels while promoting relaxation.
Time Management and Prioritization: Teens often juggle multiple responsibilities which lead to stress. Take the time to teach them time management and prioritization skills. Help them plan out their week by sitting with them, taking out a planner or calendar, and having them write when they will be accomplishing each tsk. Breaking tasks into smaller, manageable steps while mapping out when they can accomplish these taks make the workload seem less daunting.
Enough Sleep: Having and maintaining good sleep is essential for the physical and emotional well-being of adolescents. Help your adolescents create a night time routine and avoid keeping screens in the bedroom.
Create Times for Fun and Quiet: Adolescents need time for them to engage in activities that bring them joy- whether that is unstructured time playing or hours of practicing their art. Make sure in their schedules there is time for them to have fun, relax, and do what they actually enjoy. Also, making sure there is built in downtime where adolescents know they have this time to rest and there are no other expectations. By knowing they have time for play/fun and time to decompress, this takes away the worry that they might not be able to do these things. It’s about finding the right balance between play and rest for each person.

Holistic stress management empowers teens to take charge of their well-being by nurturing their mind, body, and spirit. By incorporating mindfulness, physical activity, balanced nutrition, quality sleep, emotional support, nature connection, and healthy tech habits into their lives, teens can build resilience and face challenges with greater ease. As they embrace holistic practices, they'll not only manage stress effectively but also lay a foundation for a healthier and more fulfilling life.

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References:

American Psychological Association. (n.d.). How to help children and teens manage their stress. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/topics/children/stress