Transitioning back to school can bring new schedules, stressors, and increased learning expectations. Over the next few weeks, we’ll discuss ways in which students and parents can support their overall wellbeing through this back-to-school season.
Back-To-School adds extra stress to many students and parents alike. Let’s look into common reasons you or your student might feel extra-overwhelmed, and practical tips to help you manage this wave of stress. Visit the blog over the next few weeks for more specific tips and ideas to help manage transitions.
Common Stressors
While the back-to-school season brings an opportunity for increased structure, support teams, and learning new topics, the changes in schedules for parents and students alike bring common stressors. Keep an eye out for unusual mood swings, exhaustion, and withdrawal as signals that you or your child need more rest or support. Physical manifestations can include headaches, gastrointestinal/stomach issues, weight loss, loss of appetite, tics, neurological symptoms, and generalized pain (3).
Key contributors to student stress during the school year include “academic workload, fear of failure, and parental pressure, while examination pressure and peer competition were significant predictors of anxiety.” Girls can be disproportionately vulnerable to stress and anxiety during the school year (1). Combined with changes in routine and uncertainty around interactions and expectations, transitioning to school is a vulnerable time for students.
When parents are supported they are often better prepared to support their children. Parents commonly attribute stress to financial strain, time demands, concerns for their children’s health and safety, isolation, cultural pressure, and managing technological advances on behalf of their children (2). The back-to-school season compounds upon these challenges with changes in schedule, disrupted sleep, school expenses, educational concerns, health advocacy, social/emotional support, and added paperwork. Mental labor increases, which “can limit working memory capacity and negatively impact attentional resources, cognitive functioning, and psychological well-being.” Parents with fewer resources, aging parents, or those who experience marginalization, are at higher risk for these negative impacts (2).
Stress Management Tips
Build open communication with your child so they know they can tell you about their worries and anxiety symptoms before they get worse. Parents need this kind of open communication and support from their close relationships as well. Feeling stuck or overwhelmed may require a licensed mental health professional who can provide personalized resources and teach coping mechanisms for you and your child. When you model healthy self-care and emotional regulation, your children learn how to regulate their emotions and balance work, activities, rest, and relaxation (3).
As sleep is often the first support to be disrupted, consider updating your family’s nighttime routine. This can include limiting screen time an hour or two before bed, investing in cooling or cozy bedding, decreasing caffeine intake, limiting late-night snacks, and choosing melatonin-rich afternoon snacks like pistachios and nuts, cherries, and whole grains like popcorn.
Outsource to paid services or simplify family systems if you struggle to find time to rest and recuperate. Create a list of accessible recipes for balanced nutrition, including foods like peanut butter and jam on whole wheat bread and fresh fruit or vegetables on the side. You can also purchase healthy meal kits online, utilize your local prepared foods grocery section, have groceries delivered, or hire someone to meal prep for you. Outsource household services like laundering through drop-off services, purchasing a vacuum robot, or paying for basic lawn maintenance.
If emotional regulation is difficult for you or your family, consider adding stress management practices. Read positive nonfiction, avoid negative content, participate in an enjoyable hobby, experiement with new breathing techniques, or sing and dance in the kitchen. Consider family-friendly exercises like walking, biking, swimming, or online workout videos. Local YMCA-type gym memberships often provide childcare services during your workout and members can apply for financial scholarships.
Symptoms Beyond “Just Stress”
Oftentimes, stress can cause a wide variety of symptoms, including some unclear symptoms. If you experience new symptoms that remain for an extended period of time or limit your ability to function, please consult a doctor. Keep an eye out for the following symptoms that may indicate something more is going on:
- Heart Palpatations
- Hair fallout, skin dryness, and brittle nails
- Decreased brain function (like brain fog or depression)
- Sudden weight gain or loss
- Changes in appetite or digestion
- Irregular menstrual cycles
- Changes in libido not related to a busy schedule
- Muscle aches and pains
- Temperature sensitivity
We are here to help! At Salus Integrative Medicine, we employ a complete, comprehensive patient history, customized medical testing, and self-driven investigation to distinguish between stress-related symptoms and underlying conditions with a focus on improving overall health. Contact Dr. Lisa Mainier to schedule an appointment.
Sources:
- Anand, N. S., Dinesh, K., Thileepan, N., & Rangasamy, K. (2025). Assessment of Academic Stress and Anxiety among School-Going Children in Salem District: A Cross-Sectional Study. Journal of pharmacy & bioallied sciences, 17(Suppl 1), S317–S319. https://doi.org/10.4103/jpbs.jpbs_2014_24. Viewed from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12156622/
- Office of the Surgeon General (OSG). Parents Under Pressure: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Mental Health & Well-Being of Parents [Internet]. Washington (DC): US Department of Health and Human Services (US); 2024. 1, The Current State of Parental Stress & Well-Being. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK606662/
- Center, C.-S. M. (2024, August 26). Weathering Back-to-School Stress and Burnout. Weathering Back-to-School Stress and Burnout ; Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Viewed from: https://www.cedars-sinai.org/newsroom/surviving-back-to-school-stress-and-burnout/