Teenage Wellbeing and Performance

with Nicola Morgan

Up-to-date science, classroom materials,

free advice, books and more: www.nicolamorgan.com

More information

• Your handouts

• My website (www.nicolamorgan.com)– Today’s blog

Handouts with hyperlinks This presentation

– Lots of free things– Teaching resources

• Free Brain Sane newsletter: wellbeing, brains, adolescence, stress, science of reading and learning, digital/online effects

Core conditions for counselling

A. GenuinenessB. AcceptanceC. Understanding

What makes adolescence special?

A. State of Brain – internal pressuresB. Stage of Life – external pressures

(Obviously they are also all different)

Relevant brain changes in a nutshell

• Neural upheaval – increase + decrease• Prefrontal cortex (control) develops last (mid-

20s)

Limbic system with amygdala (emotion, drive, instinct, reaction, impulse)

PFC

Effects Strong amygdala vs weak prefrontal cortex affects:– Emotions (volatility/control) – Empathy– Impulse control – Risk-taking

– And let’s not forget peer pressure….

And then there’s sleep…

The triple whammy

• Need more sleep than adults• But melatonin switches on at same time • And switches off later in the morning

• (Lots of strategies on my website)

External stresses – stage of life

First, what is stress?

• Biological response to threat– Designed to maximise performance– Adrenalin + cortisol

• So, what’s the problem?1. If anxiety panic levels2. If cortisol builds up 3. “Preoccupation”

“Preoccupation”• “Bandwidth” ~ Everything occupies some bandwidth• Some things occupy a LOT, including:

1. Intrusive thoughts; anxiety2. Processing new information3. Internet and social media – Need supreme control to stay on task

• So, any preoccupation diminishes performance:1. Cognitive capacity (learning)2. Executive control (behaviour)

Daniel Levitin’s The Organized Mind covers this

Special teenage stresses

Consider how each might occupy brain bandwidth and/or produce cortisol

• Change – a perfect storm• Every schoolday – especially for introverts• Exams: higher pressure, frequency + stakes

Internet + social media (adults, too)

• Info overload – reading too much! (D Levitin)• Repetition of bad news emotional effect• “bad maths” anxiety • Social networking – very important, but…– More ”friends” than manageable (Robin Dunbar)– Competition; “unrealistic goal of perfection”– “Online disinhibition effect” cyber-bullying

Four BIG consequences

1. Digital overload – ‘continual partial attention’ and exhaustion

2. Cortisol build-up3. Scope for high anxiety4. Theft of time and peace

So, what can we do?

Core message: You can control more

than you think

How much control do you feel you have?

A lot of control Little or no control

Food and drinkExercise

Genes and early childhoodMood and feelings

StressSleep

Things that happen to you

Typical teenage response

A lot of control Little or no controlFood + drink Genes + early childhoodExercise Sleep

Mood and feelingsStressThings that happen to you

I suggest…

A lot of control Little or no controlFood + drink Genes + early childhoodExercise Sleep

Mood and feelingsStressThings that happen to you

We are aiming for this:

A lot of control Little or no controlFood + drink Genes + early childhoodExercise Things that happen to youSleepMood and feelingsStress

You can control these much more than you think

SleepMood + feelings

Stress

1. First principle: relaxation benefits performance

Better sleep

Better wellbeing

Better performance

Better wellbeing

Less stress

Relaxation is NOT a luxury

2. Teach breathing strats

• Free audio demo on my website• Many online demonstrations and Apps• Consider mindfulness principles• “belly-breathing”

3. Empower daily relaxation

• Educate about stress• Discuss suitable activities to lower

cortisol– Varied and deliberate

– One excellent example is…

4. Boost reading for pleasure

Science behind daily R4P

Reading Agency Lit Review 2015 – huge meta-study (see my website)• Self-esteem; life satisfaction• Increased vocab and general knowledge• Increased empathy + self-understanding• Better mood + relationships• Better results at end of school • Reduced stress better wellbeing

Readaxation

Definition: “Reading to relax, as a conscious strategy for wellbeing and stress management.”

How does R4P reduce stress?

• No one can talk to you – a break from demands and bombardment

• Escape into a different world, of your choice• Allows “engagement” / “flow” • Chance to forget worries and switch thinking• Aids sleep

5. Boost sleep

• “Sleep hygiene” – 90 mins before bed• Trigger melatonin / trick brain– Darkness– Routine

• NO SCREENS…

6. Educate/empower re screen-time

• Share knowledge of the problems– View as powerfully addictive (for any age)

• Intrinsic motivation – “expectation of benefit”– External boundaries also help, especially at first

• Provide/discuss strategies– Apps; Pomodoro technique– “If/then” – see The Marshmallow Effect– “Out of sight, out of mind”

• “DO as we DO and not just as we say…”

7. Talk

Humans operate largely in the now (hot, limbic system) and teenagers more so than adults

Say, often:• “You are not alone”• “Your feelings are normal”• “This is not forever” ~ “You will change”

Teenage Wellbeing and Performance

with Nicola Morgan

Up-to-date science, classroom materials,

free advice, books and more: www.nicolamorgan.com

www.nicolamorgan.com