Coping with Stress: + & -

Stress on your body

Positive and Negative Ways to Cope with Stress:
Reflections by a 6th Grader



Are you wondering what stress is? Stress is a normal physical response to events that make you upset. Stress can be the body's way of protecting you. Whenever you are in danger, your stress will give you energy and allows you to get away from that danger. It can help you stay focused, alert, and energetic. Beyond a certain point, stress can stop being helpful and it can cause damage to your health, mood, quality life, and productivity. Changes of stress can be positive or negative.

There are lots of negative and harmful ways that you should not use to cope with stress. Do not ignore what your stressed about. It can only get worse when you do that. Also do not beat your self up on the inside. Negativity to yourself is bad for your health. Smoking, drugs and alcohol are common ways that people use to cope poorly with stress. Do not smoke or do drugs. That is very bad for your lungs and it can give you cancer. Also do not abuse drinking alcohol because that will also damage your health. Lastly, try hard not to overeat. Being overweight contributes to stroke, diabetes, and heart disease.

Effects of stress build over time. However, you can take simple positive steps to help your stress. You could eat a healthy diet. Well-nourished bodies are more prepared to cope with stress. You could also relax. Techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, and yoga activate the body's relaxation response. Get plenty of sleep because feeling tired increases your stress level. Exercise regularly if you do not already. Physical activity plays a big role in reducing your stress level. Lastly, remember to keep doing the things that you enjoy. When you do not, it can add to your stress level because you are not doing anything to give your brain a rest and to recover from the impact of stress.

There are two main situations that make me stressed. One of them, is before I take a test or quiz. What I usually do is take three deep breaths which helps me relax and then builds my confidence. The other situation is before a big sporting event. I always try to stretch and loosen up ten minutes before it starts. This helps me be ready, relax and focus my mind for the game.

I hope you enjoyed and learned a lot from this essay because I certainly did. Remember everything that you can do to positively cope with stress and to avoid the negative ways to cope with stress. You will feel better, be healthier and live freely.

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