It has now been a couple of months into the first semester, and students are now feeling the heat when it comes to stress. Here are some tips for reducing the impacts of stress.

1. Get active

Kick a ball around, play some catch or even just go for a five-minute stroll down your street. According to Harvard Medical School, exercise has been scientifically proven to reduce stress by making the body release mood-enhancing endorphins. It doesn’t have to be hard, just pick an activity that you like and get moving!  

2. Meditate

According to Mayo Clinic, meditation has shown to increase self-awareness and reduce negative emotions. Breathe in. Breathe out. Focus on yourself and what makes you happy. Don’t worry about any thoughts that come to mind. Relax and remain calm; everything will be alright.

3. Enable screen time

Almost one in five Americans associate technology as a source of stress for themselves, according to the American Psychological Association. Instagram and Netflix will always be there; real life won’t wait. Even if you can’t take too long of a break from technology, just take 10 minutes to focus on what’s around you.

4. Manage your time

Procrastination affects high school students at one point or another. In order to prevent stress from taking over your life, prepare in advance of typical stressors, like deadlines. Bridget Lorson, junior, said  she tries to spread her work across several days so that she avoids doing it all the night before.

“I’m in AP Psychology and we have a lot of readings due this week,” Lorson said. “I have to try and figure out how to do that with my other classes. I’m breaking it up into manageable pieces, like two readings one day, so I can read ahead and I don’t have to do it one of the nights that I’m busy.”

5. Sleep more

Getting that extra hour or two of sleep per night can significantly improve your energy level and mood, according to Harvard Medical School. With all the things that we want to do in our lives, it’s hard to find enough time to do everything. Sometimes we get so caught up in our work that we forget to make time to focus on ourselves. 

Sri Rajan, junior, said her stress always builds up because she always regrets it when she saves her homework for the night before.

“Just do your work earlier so that you can sleep more,” Rajan said. “If you don’t sleep, you’re going to do badly on your tests, you’re not going to be paying attention in class, and then you get further behind in all of your work.”

6. Make some friends

No matter who you are, you are not alone. When things become overwhelming, talk to others about your stress or collaborate with others for school projects. It always helps to be a part of a team to help you keep going, especially when you have a lot on your plate. Join a club or ask to sit next to a peer at lunch, there’s always going to be someone who cares about you.

7. Do what makes you happy

“One of my biggest stressors is when I have multiple tests in the same day or have a lot going on outside of school,” Gautami Kankipati, senior, said. To cope with stress, Kankipati takes time to watch YouTube or color because it makes her feel relaxed.

Scientifically, laughter has been shown to lower levels of stress hormones and even improve heart health according to Harvard Medical School. It’s important to do the things that make you less stressed and make the time to do something that makes you smile.