Description

Stress is a regular, and normal, part of our lives. Although we almost always think of stress as a negative factor in our lives, in some circumstances it can actually be a good thing. Some short-term stress (like before an exam or a presentation) may help motivate individuals to perform at their best, and contribute to their personal development.

While stress can be positive, and avoiding stress altogether is practically impossible, it can take a toll on mental health unless it is managed properly or if it becomes excessive and overwhelming. It is therefore very important to learn to identify and deal with stress.

Guiding an in-class breathing activity / meditation can help students explore their stress levels and related emotions while becoming more familiar with a popular stress management technique.

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Task

1. Ask everyone to be silent, and to take a moment to observe their emotions and energy levels.

2. After allowing a moment for observation and reflection, ask the students to write down the first 3 words that come to mind to describe how they are feeling and then put the list out of sight.

3. Guide the class through one or more of these breathing exercises. Lead the excercise yourself if you feel comfortable, or utilize the recording available in the resource(Click "Try This Breathing Exercise" on page 3/4 of the article).

4. When everyone feels comfortable breathing deeply, engage in 3-5 minutes meditation - either silent or with relaxing music. Encourage students to focus on breathing in and out, slowly, fully and deeply.

5. When the meditation is over, ask the students to take a moment to reflect on their mood and energy levels. Then, ask them to write down the first 3 words that come to mind to describe their mood (without looking at the previous list).

6. Have students take a moment to compare their lists and then engage the class in a discussion about how the breathing and meditation affected their general sense of well-being. Did anything change? Why?

Use this discussion to transition to the next activity.

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Learning Objectives

• Understand that not all stress is negative.
• Explore the ways that stress effects mental health.
• Be able to recognize signs of stress.
• Identify ways to deal with stress.

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