Life as a high school student can be very stressful. Having to deal with being part of extracurricular activities after a long, busy school day, the grind never stops and sometimes it makes students just want to lay down and take a really long nap.

Stress is not a good thing for the mind and body. It can lead to panic attacks, depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, even heart attacks and strokes.

Meditating and breathing is a great way to relax. Take some time after school, after finishing extracurricular activities and just take a breath and relax. The Google definition of meditation is mind-body complementary medicine.  I can say from personal experience that meditation really helped me calm down and focus on my breathing. 

One physical benefit from meditation is that breathing in and out for long periods of time will help improve lung capacity and can improve pain tolerance. The mental benefits include better focus and concentration, improved self-awareness and self-esteem. Meditating for 10 minutes everyday for a month will help someone destress everyday.

Tips for meditation involve finding a calm, quiet place to meditate, playing background relaxation music, focusing on breathing techniques, centering oneself by attending only on breathing. Among the many different types of meditation are Yoga Mediation, Mindfulness Meditation, Transcendental Meditation, Guided Meditation, Vipassana Meditation, Loving Kindness Meditation and Chakra Meditation. I would recommend doing Yoga Meditation or Mindfulness Meditation, it is very relaxing.

Try to set a time aside  for 10 minutes of meditation everyday for a week and see how it helps reduce stress.