It is next to impossible for teenagers today to avoid stress. Between the pressure put on teens to excel in school, extracurriculars and sports, meeting (or exceeding) parent and teacher expectations at home and school, along with the social pressure teens feel to “fit in.” However, stress is not something that only teens must cope with; stress affects everyone, young and old alike. Fortunately, there are various things one can do to combat and deal with stress.

According to WebMD, one effective way to cope with stress is to simply listen to music. Research even shows that listening to calming music can lower one’s blood pressure, heart rate and anxiety. Calming music is simply any instrument with a slow tempo, and often with only instruments. This is why popular sites, such as Spotify or Songza, consist of playlists with soothing music and various other sounds. Some other calming sounds one may listen to include rain, crashing ocean waves  or any other nature sounds one finds soothing. If calming music is not what one desires, he or she may also listen to more upbeat music, which is great for blowing off steam.

Another great way to relieve stress is to exercise. The exercise does not have to be intense. It can be as simple as yoga or walking. BrainHQ has published multiple studies, proving that when one is active, his or her brain releases “feel-good” chemicals, easing one’s depression or anxiety.

Other ways to help relieve stress, include just talking or writing about one’s stress. Various studies conducted by PsychCentral have proven that simply talking about one’s stress helps eliminate it. The same goes for writing about one’s feelings. That is why experts recommend keeping a sort of journal, just to record one’s daily thoughts, or even things that simply stress them out.

Additionally, one of the most important things one can do to help avoid or reduce stress is to make sure one gets enough sleep. Not getting enough sleep is a leading cause of stress. According to the Sleep Foundation, teenagers should get between 8-10 hours of sleep a night, whereas only 15% of teenagers actually get, at least, eight and a half hours of sleep per night.

So there are many different ways one can reduce or relieve their stress. Some of the most popular and effective ways include listening to music, exercising and just talking about it. Another key to help reduce stress, is to ensure that one is getting enough sleep. If one takes all these tips into effect, one can ensure that he/she is on his/her way to help relieve and reduce the stress in one’s daily lives.