Three Stress Management Exercises for Students

Education specialist Jon Vranesh counts with over two decades of experience in the education field, specifically special education. He serves as resource teacher at San Lorenzo Unified School District in California, where he teaches 9th- through 12th-grade English to students with learning disabilities, emotional disturbance, autism, health impairments, and executive functioning disabilities. Jon Vranesh has an interest in all topics related to education, such as stress management.

While children often deal with stressful events at school and in everyday life, stress management is most often directed at adults. However, there are several stress management strategies that can easily be implemented for students in the classroom.

Deep Breathing

Deep breathing or belly breathing exercises are simple and effective techniques that can help in dealing with stress. The exercise consists of having students inhale deeply through the nose and exhale slowly through the mouth. The breathing should be focused on the belly expanding as it fills with air and flattening as the air goes out. Sessions of 10 deep breaths can make a difference in stress and anxiety levels.

Progressive Relaxation

Progressive relaxation relieves tension in the muscles and lowers stress levels. The exercise involves tightening specific muscles for a few seconds and then releasing. A teacher can guide children through the different steps, starting from the muscles in the face and moving through the rest of the body, tackling the muscles one by one. For example, students close their eyes as tightly as they can for five seconds then relax.

Meditation

Meditation sessions can be another way of lowering stress levels for students. An introduction to the practice of meditation and its benefits can be followed by a short, guided meditation, with the eyes closed, sitting with the back straight, and focusing on the breath.