If you only ever work on four things, make it these. Sleep: eight to ten hours, because a tired brain is an anxious brain, simple as that. Movement: twenty minutes of anything that gets your heart going. For mild to moderate anxiety it performs about as well as medication, which is a wild sentence, but it's true. Food: regular meals, actual water, and go easy on the energy drinks; caffeine speaks fluent Guard Dog. And connection: having even one person you can really talk to roughly halves your risk of anxiety and depression. One. Pick one small move for each of your two flagged batteries. Small counts.
If you only ever work on four things, make it these. One science fact and one do-this-week move each.
Friends. Having even one or two people you can talk to, laugh with and be yourself around helps you feel calmer. One person you can really talk to roughly halves your risk.
Movement. Moving your body is like natural anxiety medicine: it burns off stress hormones and releases endorphins. You don't need to be an athlete. 20 to 30 minutes most days: walking, dancing, netball, skating, jumping around to music. For mild to moderate anxiety, regular exercise is as effective as medication.
Food. Your brain needs good fuel. Eat regular meals (skipping makes anxiety worse), include protein, drink water, and go easy on caffeine and energy drinks: they can trigger anxiety. 95 percent of serotonin is made in your gut.
Sleep. Sleep is huge. Teens need 8 to 10 hours. Similar bed and wake times, dark cool room, no screens an hour before bed. If you can't sleep, get up and do something boring for 10 minutes, then try again.
One small move each
Pick one small move for each of your two flagged defenders. Small counts.
No battery check yet (or pick different ones): choose your two defenders.
