As if all of the changes happening in your body aren’t enough, there are tons of outside pressures going on, too. You have a tough schedule at school with homework, tests and grades. You also might have a competitive sport that you practice every day. Plus, you have extracurricular activities to attend and then you have your friends and fun to think about. You also have pressure from your family … there’s also all of the stuff going on in the world that concerns you. It’s enough to make a girl go mad! Well, with a little bit of effort, you can avoid feeling out of control.

While stress isn’t always a bad thing—a little bit might just push you that extra step to make an A—too much can be overwhelming. In fact, too much stress can have negative effects on your health. Everyone handles stress differently, which means that what frazzles you might be a piece of cake for your best friend. If you’re feeling weighed down by all of the pressure in your life, take a break, and follow these steps to reduce your stress level:

• Identify the source: Find out what’s bugging you, and tone it down. For example, if your chemistry class is a major source of frustration in your life, talk to the teacher or go in for extra help. Sometimes when you take a breather, it’s easier to find a solution.
• Get healthy: Nutrition can be a major factor when dealing with stress. Remember that saying, “you are what you eat”? Well, in a way, that’s kind of true … because what you put into your body determines how your body feels. Think about how you feel after drinking a cold glass of milk, or eating a vegetable. Now compare that to how you feel after you pig out on fast food. Do you get it? Support your body by fueling up with the best quality fuel and see if you don’t feel better already.
• Work it out: Exercise can also help you deal with stress. If you have a lot of tension in your body, take it out on the treadmill. By working up a sweat and getting your heart rate going, your body reacts positively. Have you ever heard of runner’s high? Well, that is “post-exercise euphoria,” which is actually a medical term for the relaxation response triggered by intense exercise. But besides that, exercise gives you time to chill out and it also makes you feel better about yourself.
• Sleep: You need it. Lots of girls like you think they can skip some Z’s in order to get extra work done, or have extra fun. Well, that’s not really a good idea. As you develop, your circadian rhythms—the impulses that tell you when to sleep and when to wake up—change. Little kids go to bed super early…and adults start to get tired early as well. But teenagers’ body clocks tell them to stay awake later, and wake up later in the mornings (or afternoons). This is all great, but you can’t be late to school everyday, so you have to help your body get the rest you need—anywhere between 8 and 9 hours of sleep each night to function in the highest gear. If you are sleep-deprived, you can feel irritable, grumpy, distracted and—of course—tired. In order to get enough sleep, stay away from caffeine late in the day or before you plan to go to sleep; develop a regular sleep pattern (in other words, have a regular time you go to bed and get up); don’t overdo the naps; make it easy to fall asleep by limiting noise and anything else that might distract you from sleeping; and learn your own sleeping habits.
• Relax: When it comes down to it, you are going to have to learn how to relax. Find the method that is right for you. You may want to try meditation techniques such as those found in yoga. Perhaps a long walk or writing in a journal helps you to relax. Spend time outdoors if that relaxes you. Whatever it is that helps you reduce stress, learn to take time for it in your regular routine.