Do you ever feel stressed over something like homework or school work and just don’t know how to de-stress? Being stressed is a normal thing. Everyone has felt stressed at some point in their life. There are also many things that people may stress about but everyone should know some ways to deal with stress and have ways to calm down and take a moment to step away from what’s making them stressed.

One thing a person can do is try exercising regularly. Exercise is helpful because it isn’t just healthy, but it also pumps up your endorphins. When it does that it may help bump up the production of your brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters, which may be a reason some people like to exercise when stressed.

Another thing a person may do to de-stress is use a fidget. There are many fidgets a person may use but the reason fidgets may help is because the person may  become distracted from what is going on around them, allowing them to take a moment. Fidgets also help calm a person’s nerves which can relieve the stress the person is feeling.

According to FCHS school social worker Andrea Chambers, “I think they can be helpful. Fidget toys can provide an outlet for nervous or anxious energy through small movements, which can help students focus. Like any method, its helpfulness depends on the person. Some students can use fidgets and stay on task, while others can get distracted by the toys. If students find themselves focusing more on the toy rather than their work, they should find another strategy to use.”

Writing things down may help a person let their stress out. Sometimes a reason a person is stressed is because they have so much going on but don’t know who to tell. Writing it down helps them take a moment to let it out on a piece of paper and take some time to breathe, which may help the person a lot.

Another recommendation is maybe talking to someone about the stress they are going through. Letting another person listen and try and give you ways to calm down can be a great way to let the stress out. Sometimes watching a movie with friends and family or even just spending time with them is fun enough to make people forget what they were stressed about and focus on a positive thing.

According to FCHS Systems of Support Adviser Arnold McNeal, “Any time you are feeling overwhelmed or stressed it can be helpful to tell someone. Letting teachers know means that they will work with you through the stress, Parents as well.”

Also, believe it or not, stress can be caused because of social media. Social media can be a toxic place sometimes and sometimes it’s too much for a person to handle. That’s why a recommendation is to try taking some time away from social media and take more time on other stuff like things they love. Doing that helps relieve some stress.

According to Chambers, “There are a lot of different ways to deal with stress. What works for one person may not work for another, so I recommend trying different things to see what works best for you.”