Ways to Destress for Teenagers

Everyone has experienced some kind of stress in their lives at one point. Sometimes it may be because we procrastinated several assignments,, or maybe something just sprung up and now you have to get it done. Whatever it may be, once it’s done, we usually just go to our phones to take a break and chill out. However, it is important that as teenagers, we find better ways to destress that don't require some kind of technology. To begin, we must first analyze the importance of destressing as teens. 

First, we have to analyze why stress is bad, and why it’s important to manage it. Stress is known to release cortisol and adrenaline, which prepares your body to respond to any threats, but when it is constantly released, the hormones affect your body. Stress can cause elevated blood pressure, increased inflammation and a weakened immune system (Etienne, 2016). Prolonged stress can affect how quickly you recover from said sickness. We can’t avoid working or schoolwork, and many times things may spring up on us as a surprise, so it is important that stress is not prolonged. It is important to destress as a way to avoid prolonged stress, which can take a negative toll on the body. 

Now that we have analyzed the importance of destressing, we can look into some ways to avoid stress. First is healthy food. What you eat plays a very important part in how the body reacts to stress. The foods you eat affect brain function and mood stability. Greens, oranges, salmon and dark chocolate are known to boost the mood and lessen stress (McGill, 2025). Exercise can help you destress as well. According to the Stress in America survey report, many people found that they experience a good mood and less stress due to exercise. Many also found that turning to activities such as watching TV or getting on their phone failed to reduce their stress, compared to the people who were exercising (“Exercising”:”, 2014).

Thirdly, sleep and taking naps is important as well, as getting enough sleep is important for everyday function, and it can help maintain a positive mood which can help you handle stress more effectively. When we don’t get enough sleep, the body goes into fight or flight mode, which releases stress hormones. Naps are good for reducing stress and lifting your mood. 

Fourthly, it is important to find your people, as forming meaningful connections can help you avoid stress as a sense of connection can help your emotional well being. To do this you should try to volunteer for different organizations, go to church, or check out clubs and activities at school (Hubbard, 2023). Learning a new skill is also effective, as it allows your brain to engage in ways that improves your mood, as it reduces feelings of stress and anxiety and increases feelings of optimism and satisfaction. When we engage our minds actively, we find enjoyment and we focus less on life’s stresses. (Alexander, 2024)

In everything, it is important to plan ahead and find ways to avoid stress, but when the stress is unavoidable it is important to find ways to destress once its over. As teens, it is important we go out and find hobbies that will help us relax and have fun, which are all healthier ways of destressing that don’t involve technology. So the next time you are looking for a way to destress, try to find something new to do. 

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Works Cited:

Alexander, D. (2024, December 5). Benefits of lifelong learning: How to continuously develop your skills. https://www.herzing.edu/blog/benefits-lifelong-learning-how-continuously-develop-your-skills 

Exercise: A healthy stress reliever. (2014). https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2013/exercise 

Food and stress management | healthieru | Nebraska. (2025, June 6). https://healthieru.unl.edu/news/food-and-stress-management/ 

Hubbard, D. (2023, December 3). Five surprising health benefits to socializing with others. https://www.summahealth.org/blog/entries/2023/12/five-surprising-health-benefits-to-socializing-with-others 

Permanente, K. (2026, February 11). Are naps good for you? learn the benefits and get expert tips. | kaiser permanente. https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/health-wellness/healtharticle.looking-to-de-stress-relax-recharge-try-napping