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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