Teen 101: How to deal with stress

Between schoolwork, friendship issues and social media, are you feeling the pressure? We expose the stats on teen stress and reveal how you can decompress.

Feel like there are too many pressures and demands on you? Do you lose sleep over exams or friendship issues? If this sounds all too familiar, you're not alone. According to new reports, young people are becoming more pressured to excel in everything, and each year, it's getting worse.

So what is stress? Experts say it's a feeling that's spurred by a combination of circumstances. It's our body's way of responding to a tough situation — everything from school pressure to friendship problems or relationship issues.

Related: 10 tips for beating stress.

While just enough stress can actually be good for a situation — like feeling a little stressed about an upcoming exam can motivate you to study — stress overload is a different story. Pressures that are too intense, ongoing or faced alone are the ones that require special attention and care.

If you feel like you are experiencing stress overload, look out for some of the following signs:

• Anxiety or panic attacks
• Irritability and moodiness
• Sleeping problems
• A constant feeling of being hassled and hurried
• Sadness or depression

While these are the general signs of stress overload, everyone experiences stress a little differently. The best way to deal with it is to learn your own body and it's ways of de-stressing.

Here are some things that can help keep your stress under control:

• Don't overload. If you feel like you have a million and one things to do, consider cutting out an activity from your schedule.
• Get enough sleep. Experts suggest getting a good eight hours sleep each night to recharge your body and mind.
• Learn to relax. While you might not know it, our body has a natural antidote to stress — the relaxation response. You can help trigger it by learning simple calming exercises like breathing or meditation and practicing them when you're caught in a stressful situation.
• Exercise. Experts agree that getting regular exercise can help you de-stress and make you feel refreshed and focused. Breaking a sweat will also stimulate the brain's production of endorphins, which produce feelings of happiness, so get moving – stat!

Stress is a natural part of all our lives, but it's important to not let it wear down the body and mind. So next time you're feeling stressed, take note of our top tips and give stress the boot — for good!