Being a teenager can be very tough, especially with growing responsibilities at school, friendship groups to keep up with and the never-ending pressures from social media. It’s no wonder many teens often forget to concentrate on the present moment and take time out to look after their mental health. With research showing that teens who practice mindfulness regularly, have lower levels of anxiety and depression, improved sleep and relationships as well as reduced stress levels, it’s never been so important for them to start being more mindful. Here’s our top mindfulness activities for your teens to take part in.
Guided Meditation
Meditation has a long list of benefits for teens. Not only can it help improve focus and concentration levels, which is great for studying, it’s also linked to boosting self-esteem, memory, can reduce high blood pressure and heart rate as well as help to balance the immune system. Even though meditation can seem intimidating at first, there’s plenty of guided meditation apps or videos for teens to enjoy. Having someone talk them through what to do makes it more fun and stress-free. We recommend the apps headspace or calm.
Keep A Journal
You might already know that journaling is an excellent mindfulness activity for any age group, especially teenagers. Journaling allows teens to write down their thoughts, worries, emotions, goals, ideas and memories, without any judgement from others. It can help clear their head, feel less overwhelmed, process difficult feelings and raise their self-awareness. It’s also an excellent way to relax, be more grateful and a fantastic way to get to know themselves better.
Get Moving
Exercising or regularly moving the body is a wonderful activity when it comes to being mindful and taking time out for mental health. Even better there are so many different forms of exercise for teens to enjoy, it just depends on their personal preferences. Here’s some of our favourites that teens of any ability can take part in.
- Walking outside can be an extremely therapeutic activity that helps calm the mind. We recommend a local woods, park or beach for excellent scenery and sounds!
- Yoga is a meditation and mind-based activity that has been proven time and time again to have a positive effect on mental health. It also teaches teens how to focus, how to use breath in the poses, and increases self-awareness. Yoga With Adriene is our favourite for hundreds of easy-to-follow You Tube videos for all abilities.
- Running might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s a great way to keep fit and stay mindful. Couch to 5k, is a free app that provides a simple running plan, ideal for beginners. It gives you mini milestones to reach and a personal trainer to support and motivate you through each run.
Puzzles
Puzzles are a great calming activity which is perfect when it comes to helping teens slow down and enjoy a longer task. Whether it’s a word search, sudoku, crossword, brain teaser or jigsaw – it’s sure to challenge their thinking skills and be relaxing at the same time.
Technology Detox
Finally, one of the most beneficial mindfulness activities teens can take part in is a technology detox. Whether this is every Saturday, a few hours or just 20 minutes a day, it really will make a huge difference to their mental health and wellbeing. In fact, the constant use of technology is a major contributor to stress in teens, which is why it’s so important to take a break. We guarantee it will help them feel instantly calmer, have more control of their thoughts and allow them to enjoy living in the moment with family and friends.
Other Mindfulness Resources For Teens
