Quiz: Test Your Stress Smarts

Getting a good night’s sleep can be more important than extra studying. If you don’t get enough sleep the night before a big test, you might not remember things that you already know. Not getting enough sleep stresses out your body and your brain.

During the day your brain is super busy taking in sights and sounds. At night when you’re sleeping, your brain takes a break. That’s when it sorts through everything. Sleep helps you remember things.

Sleep also gives you energy to think. Getting good sleep tonight will help you think tomorrow!

Even though stress doesn’t cause gray hair, stress does make things harder on your body. Stress can cause you to gain too much weight to be healthy. People who are stressed get sick more easily.

Stress can make it hard for you to sleep at night and make you feel tired. When you are tired it confuses your brain. You may think you are hungry, when you are really just tired.

Eating when you’re tired and not hungry can cause you to gain unhealthy weight. So, relax and get more sleep. Then you will eat well AND have energy to choose things that make you feel good, like shooting some hoops or dancing.

Yoga is a type of exercise that is great for relaxing and getting energy. Stress can make you feel tired. When you relax you can let go of stress and find new energy.  How does yoga do this?

Yoga teaches you how to take deep breaths. When you take deep breaths your brain gets oxygen. Getting oxygen to your brain and muscles gives you energy.

Why’s that good? Energy helps you think clearly. Thinking clearly can help you do lots of things. Being able to think clearly can:

• Help you do better in sports

• Help you think through your choices and make healthy choices like: choosing to ride your bike after school instead of playing video games.

Ask your parent about taking a yoga class at a rec center near you. Or look up yoga poses at your local library or online.

Using food to relax is never a healthy choice. It keeps you from dealing with your feelings in a healthy way.

When you use food to try and fix your feelings, it can make you gain unhealthy weight. Plus, it won’t work. Food can’t fix feelings.

Instead, try this easy breathing exercise:

1. Breathe in through your nose while you count to five in your head.

2. Breathe out through your mouth while you count to five in your head.

3. Do this three times.
    

 Feel better?

Sure, stuff like homework and tests can be stressful. But fun stuff like school clubs, music lessons, and teams can be stressful, too -- especially when you are doing too much.

Remember, when you are stressed out, you can feel too busy to eat healthy. Being stressed can also keep you up at night. That’s no good!

If your schedule feels too busy, it’s probably time to let something go. Talk to a parent. If you can’t give anything up, make sure you take some time to relax every day. That way you’ll be less stressed! Stress zaps you of your energy. When you relax you will have energy to think and energy to move.

Great ways to relax:

• Go for a walk with a friend.
• Draw a picture.
• Listen to music.
• Toss a ball for your dog.
• Read some jokes and have a good laugh.