Welcome to the Calm Room
Everyone experiences stress, and learning how to manage it is one of the best things you can do for your mental and physical health. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, or just need to take a break, these tools and resources can help you relax, de-stress, and refocus.
Need help now? Talk to an adult you trust, like a parent, teacher, or school counselor. You can also find safe and confidential support services and hotlines on our Hotlines page.
Visual Relaxation
Spending time outdoors is a great way to improve your mood. If you can’t make it outside, watching nature videos can have a similar calming effect on your brain and body. Click an image below to watch a relaxing video.
![]() Cascading Waterfall |
![]() Rolling Waves |
![]() Coral Reef Aquarium |
![]() Forest Walk |
![]() Rainy Day |
![]() Peaceful Lake |
![]() Gentle Stream |
![]() Clear Blue Water |
![]() Flowing River |
![]() Falling Leaves |
![]() Abstract Waves |
![]() Calm Sunset |
Sounds and Music
Listening to calming music and nature sounds can reduce your stress levels. Classical music can also help you concentrate and stay focused while studying. Click an image below to play soothing sounds.
Mindfulness and Meditation
Mindfulness is the idea of paying attention to how you feel in the present moment and accepting your emotions without judgment. These resources can help you learn how to incorporate mindfulness into your daily routine.
- TED Talk: All It Takes Is Ten Mindful Minutes
Andy Puddicombe, the creator of the Headspace app, describes the benefits of taking ten minutes a day to refresh your mind. - TEDx Talk: A Quick Mindfulness Guided Meditation
This short video walks you through a basic guided meditation. - Headspace: 1-Minute Deep Breathing Exercise
Deep breathing is one of the best ways to relieve stress and anxiety. You can use this mini–relaxation exercise anytime, anywhere. - Guided Meditations for Teens
These guided meditation recordings were created and narrated by Dr. Dzung X. Vo, a pediatrician at British Columbia Children’s Hospital and clinical associate professor at the University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine, Vancouver, Canada. - Making Gratitude a Part of Everyday Life
Dr. Robert Emmons, the world’s leading scientific expert on gratitude, explains how practicing gratitude can improve your mental and physical health.
Nature and Animal Cams
The simple act of watching cute animals can lower your heart rate and reduce stress and anxiety. Take a break and de-stress with these wildlife web cams.
Apps, Websites, and Podcasts
If you’re interested in learning more about mindfulness and managing stress, these resources are a good place to start.
- Calm
This app offers guided meditations and exercises to help you focus, relax, and sleep. It is subscription based, but the first several sessions are free. - Headspace
This app offers guided meditations on everything from stress and sleep to focus and anxiety. Some exercises are free, while others require a paid subscription. - Rainy Mood
Listen to soothing rain sounds for studying or relaxing. - A Soft Murmur
A background noise generator to help you relax, focus, or tune out unpleasant sounds from your environment. - Ten Percent Happier Podcast with Dan Harris
This weekly podcast offers tips on lowering stress, boosting happiness, and improving your focus and concentration. - Harvard Medical School: Mini Relaxation Exercises
These mini-exercises can be done in one, two, or three minutes, whenever you need a quick fix for stress. - Virtual Bubble Wrap
Relieve stress by popping a sheet of virtual bubble wrap.
Other Resources
Get Support: Hotlines
Need someone to talk to? Our Hotlines page lists free, safe, and confidential hotlines and helplines for all kinds of situations. These national organizations can also refer you to state, provincial, and local services in your community.
You’re not alone.
Sharing stories is a powerful way to connect with other people. Share your own story and connect with other teens who are dealing with similar experiences. You can view a full list of personal stories in the Personal Story Archive.
We’re Here to Help
Teen Health and Wellness provides advice and support on all sorts of topics, from improving your mental and physical health to making positive changes in your community. You can find a full list of topics here, or check out some of these popular articles:
Credits: Nature sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com; “Clair de lune” by Claude Debussy: PianoPassion/Pond5, image by Juan Pablo Serrano Arenas from Pexels; “Moonlight Sonata” (Piano Sonata No. 14) by Ludwig van Beethoven: FredlMusic/Pond5, image by Roberto Nickson from Pexels; “Air On the G String” by Johann Sebastian Bach: YourOrchestra/Pond5, image by Fotograf Jylland from Pexels; “Consolation No. 3” by Franz Liszt: FredlMusic/Pond5, image by Pixabay from Pexels; Cascading Waterfall video by Ambient_Nature_Atmosphere from Pexels; Rolling Waves video by Tom Fisk from Pexels; Coral Reef Aquarium video by Magda Ehlers from Pexels; Forest Walk video by Ruvim Miksanskiy from Pexels; Rainy Day video by Ambient_Nature_Atmosphere from Pexels; Peaceful Lake video by Ambient_Nature_Atmosphere from Pexels; Gentle Stream video by Ambient_Nature_Atmosphere from Pexels; Clear Blue Water video by Tom Fisk from Pexels; Flowing River video by Tom Fisk from Pexels; Falling Leaves video by gusat andrei from Pexels; Calming Sunset video by Engin Akyurt from Pexels; Abstract Waves video by Engin Akyurt from Pexels; Ocean Waves image by Pixabay from Pexels; Crackling Fireplace image by Alex Lázaro from Pexels; Falling Rain image by Bibhukalyan Acharya from Pexels; Forest Sounds image by Magali Guimarães from Pexels; Flowing Stream image by Adam Sondel from Pexels; Distant Thunderstorm image by Johannes Plenio from Pexels; Cat Purring image by Pixabay from Pexels; Snowstorm image by Trang Pham from Pexels; Sea Otter image by Pixabay from Pexels; Ehukai Beach image by Pixabay from Pexels; Panda image by Kayla S from Pexels; Puppies image by Chevanon Photography from Pexels; Jellyfish image by Oday Hazeem from Pexels; Kittens image by Estefania Gutierrez from Pexels; Waimea Falls image by Pixabay from Pexels; Penguin image by Jean van der Meulen from Pexels; Lion image by James Kampeis from Pexels; Polar bear image by Pixabay from Pexels; Elephant image by Anthony from pexels; Brown bear image by Pixabay from Pexels.