Bust My Stress

What Is Stress?

Have you ever felt worried, excited, or nervous all at once? That feeling is called stress. Stress is how your body reacts when something changes and you need to adjust to it. Your body can react with feelings in your mind, your emotions, and even your body.

There are three main kinds of stress: acute stress, traumatic stress, and chronic stress.

Acute Stress

Acute stress is the most common kind of stress. It is short and goes away quickly. It happens when your body wants to run away or fight back to stay safe. It can also happen when you try something new or exciting.

This kind of stress can feel good! That good kind of stress is called eustress. Eustress can help you feel motivated and do your best. Your heart might beat a little faster, but that's normal and healthy. Things like meeting a new babysitter or getting a shot at the doctor can cause this kind of stress.

Traumatic Stress

Traumatic stress happens after something scary or shocking happens. It can feel very overwhelming. If someone gets help and support from caring adults, their brain and body can heal from this kind of stress over time.

Chronic Stress

Chronic stress lasts a long time. It can hurt your body and mind if it keeps happening. This kind of stress is linked to distress, which is the bad kind of stress reaction.

If someone feels hard things over and over — like unkindness, unsafe feelings, or big worries — without any help, this is called toxic stress. Toxic stress can cause real problems in the body, like stomachaches, high blood pressure, and headaches.

Stress can also cause feelings like sadness, frustration, worry, and feeling helpless.

Did You Know? Some Stress Can Help You!

You need a little bit of tension (a stretched, tight feeling) to build a bridge, play the guitar, or knit! In the same way, a little stress can help you do your best.

Think about a time you felt nervous and excited at the same time — like taking a test, talking in front of people, or watching a scary movie. That's the good kind of stress helping you!

But too much stress isn't good either. Feeling unsafe, arguing with someone you love, or having too many things to do can cause distress — the bad kind.

There is a "just right" amount of stress where you can do your very best. Too little stress, and you might not feel motivated. Too much stress, and it becomes hard to handle. The right amount in the middle helps you shine!

There's Hope If I Can Cope!

Stress happens to everyone. But stress can also help you build strong, healthy ways to handle hard things. This is called coping.

• Cope means dealing with problems and trying to find solutions.
• Resilience means bouncing back from hard times and adjusting well to tough situations, called adversity.

Ways to Cope with Stress

Here are some healthy ways to deal with stress:

Breathe deeply or try meditating. Slow, deep breaths can calm your heart and help you feel less panicked.

Get enough sleep. Kids and teens need 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night. If you can't sleep enough at night, a nap during the day can help too.

Talk to a friend or a trusted adult. Talking about a problem can help you understand it better and feel calmer. Don't be afraid to ask for help.

Exercise. Moving your body releases special "feel-good" chemicals in your brain.

Eat healthy foods. When we're stressed, we might want sugary snacks. But those foods can actually make us feel worse! Foods like leafy greens, berries, nuts, seeds, eggs, and avocados help keep our bodies and moods steady.

Use positive self-talk. Say kind and encouraging things to yourself. If you say negative things about yourself, you might start to believe them. Kind words can help you feel better and do better.

Watch how much caffeine you have. Drinks with a lot of caffeine, like coffee, can make you feel more anxious.