How Relaxation Exercise Can Help Teens Relieve Stress

You might think your teen doesn't have much stress in her life. After all, she doesn't have to pay the bills, work a full-time job, or manage a busy household.

But the truth is, today's teens are stressed out. In fact, the 2014 Stress in America survey found that teens are experiencing even more stress than adults. 

They're worried about school, their friends, romantic relationships, money, and their futures. Some of them are dealing with even bigger issues, like bullying and depression.

Sadly, stressed-out teens are turning to unhealthy coping mechanisms to deal with their overwhelming feelings. Overeating, playing endless hours of video games, avoiding homework, or abusing substances are just a few of the unhealthy ways some teens are trying to manage their stress. 

It’s important to teach your teen a variety of healthy stress management strategies, including relaxation skills that offer some immediate stress relief. 

Whether your teen is already displaying signs that she’s stressed out, or you’re hoping to give her some skills as preventative measures, here are five relaxation exercises that can help your teen manage stress:

1. Yoga

Yoga offers a variety of physical and mental health benefits, such as improved flexibility, posture, and strength as well as a sense of inner calm.

Teens can learn yoga in a variety of ways. Attend a yoga class with your teen and you’ll gain the added benefit of spending quality time together or look for yoga videos that will let you practice in the privacy of your own home.

2. Meditation

Getting teens to slow down and focus on one thing at a time can be a challenge in today’s digital world. But learning how to do so through meditation can provide improved physical and emotional benefits. Meditation has been linked to everything from increased happiness to improved immunity.

There are several different types of meditation, but at the core of all of them is the desire to calm the mind. Explore meditation tutorials, guided meditation, or meditation books to learn meditation skills. 

Your teen may enjoy a meditation app. Many of them will walk your teen through meditation strategies step-by-step and offer reminders to meditate every day. 

3. Deep Breathing

When people feel anxious, they often take shallow and rapid breaths, which can induce physiological changes—like an increased heart rate—which can add to the stress. One of the simplest relaxation exercises involves breathing.

Teach your teen to take deep slow breaths when she’s feeling anxious. Just a few deep breaths can provide an instant calming effect that can help reduce stress. Look for books or online resources that offer tutorials about breathing exercises.

4. Imagery

Envisioning a "happy place" can help your brain take a vacation from whatever stress your teen is experiencing. Tell your teen to write down a description of her favorite happy place. It could be a cabin in the woods, a sandy beach, or even your backyard.

Request that she describes how it looks, feels, smells, and sounds—the more details the better. When she’s stressed out, tell her to close her eyes and spend a few minutes imagining that scene.

5. Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Stress can cause people to tense their muscles, and the tenser they feel, the more stressed out they become. Letting go of that tension through progressive muscle relaxation can be a simple way to let go of stress.

Progressive muscle relaxation can raise your teen’s awareness of muscle tension. Encourage your teen to start tensing and relaxing each muscle group—moving from her toes all the way up to her head. By the time she’s done, all of her muscles should be relaxed.

There are lots of tutorials that can walk you through progressive muscle relaxation as well. Some teens enjoy listening to an audio clip that describes how to tense and relax each muscle group.

Practice Relaxation Skills

Teens with healthy self-soothing skills are equipped to handle the realities of the adult world. When she knows how to manage stress, she'll be willing to do hard things, pick herself up when she fails, or tackle new challenges.

Just like all new skills, relaxation exercises require practice. The first few times your teen tries them, she may report it wasn’t helpful. But with regular practice, these skills can greatly help her reduce stress.

Learn and practice new relaxation skills with your teen. Doing so, won’t just help you manage your stress, it will also give you an opportunity to try something new together, which can help you maintain a healthy relationship.