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.

Ocean Waves	Crackling Fireplace	Falling Rain
Forest Sounds	Flowing Stream	Distant Thunderstorm
Cat Purring	Snowstorm	“Clair de lune” by Claude Debussy
“Moonlight Sonata” (Piano Sonata No. 14) by Ludwig van Beethoven	“Air On the G String” by Johann Sebastian Bach	“Consolation No. 3” by Franz Liszt

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.

Seattle Aquarium Sea Otter Cam	Ehukai Beach: Oahu, Hawaii	Happiness Village Baby Panda Garden: Gengda, Sichuan, China
Warrior Canine Connection Puppy Playroom	Aquarium of the Pacific Webcams	Kitten Rescue Sanctuary
Waimea Falls: Oahu, Hawaii	San Diego Zoo Live Cams	Smithsonian’s National Zoo Webcams
Polar Bears International: Wapusk National Park, Manitoba, Canada	Tembe Elephant Park: Emangusi, South Africa	Brooks Falls Brown Bears: Katmai National Park, Alaska

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.
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