Summarize:

Meditation has been shown to be effective in emotional regulation.  Meditation has been shown to have a lasting effect on the amygdala, the center for emotion and the part of the brain where the stress response begins after a stressful or threatening event has been perceived.  If you can, excuse yourself and go to the bathroom, a stairwell, or outside. Having a quiet, private space will help you feel more comfortable. Breathe in for a count of four, hold for a count of four, and exhale for a count of four. Make sure you are breathing with your diaphragm rather than with your chest. When you breathe with your diaphragm, your belly extends out (you can feel it with your hand). Do this as many times as necessary until you start feeling calmer. Combine breathing with visualization tasks. A simple way to do this is when you breathe in, envision a golden-white light that relaxes you and makes you feel happy. Envision this white light spreading into your lungs and throughout your entire body. When you breathe out, breathe out muddy, dark colors which represent your angry, stressed out feelings. If you feel like you have trouble meditating, don’t worry. Meditation is a combination of deep breathing exercises, visualization, and performing mental tasks. If it’s difficult for you to sit long enough to meditate or if you feel uncomfortable meditating, you can just begin with simply deep breathing. This way, you can initiate your body’s calming response. Progressive muscle relaxation is the process of tensing and relaxing your entire body in progressive stages. It is thought that by tensing your muscles yourself, it will help release pent-up tension in your body. Use this method to relax your body:  Start with a few deep breaths: breathe in for a count of four, hold for four, exhale for four. Work your way from the top of your head to your feet. First, tighten the muscles in your face, head, mouth, and neck. Hold for twenty seconds, and then release. Then work your way down the body, tensing and releasing your shoulders, arms, back, hands, stomach, legs, feet, and toes. Now wiggle your toes around, feeling the relaxation from your toes to your head. Take a few more deep breaths, and enjoy the feeling of relaxation. Stay away from processed and fried foods, as well as refined sugars and other unhealthy foods. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables so that your body gets nutrients and vitamins that keep you healthy. Drink plenty of water so that you don’t get dehydrated. Teens need about 8-9 hours of sleep per night. With busy schedules and homework, teens often stay up really late and find themselves dragging in the morning. Getting a good night’s sleep helps people regulate their emotions. Emotions are harder to control when we don’t get enough sleep. One study showed that with only a few nights of disrupted sleep for teenage girls, their negative feelings increased as well as their anger. Focus on getting enough sleep so that you feel better emotionally. Switch off computer and phone screens about 15 to 30 minutes before you go to bed. These devices engage your brain, activating your cognitive functions and keeping you awake. Exercise is an excellent outlet to work out anger, stress and other negative feelings. For adults and children, research shows that exercise helps with mood regulation and controlling emotions. Try going out and exercising when you’re in a mad moment, or use it daily to release aggression. Play a sport, go for a jog, or work out at the gym a few times a week., Expressing your feelings in a piece of art or writing can help you figure out your thoughts. Write in a journal or paint a picture. You might draw a comic strip, or build something out of wood.
Try meditation. Try progressive muscle relaxation. Eat well. Get enough sleep. Exercise regularly. Find a creative outlet.