It is fair to say that every high school student experiences stress, but not only are stress factors different for each person, the way we handle them also varies. Throughout the past four years of high school, our generation has created fads to handle our stress through slime, fidget spinners, and autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) videos. But do these tools actually help relieve our stress, or are we using them for fun and to “follow the crowd?”

Outside of Fossil Ridge High School, we find all ages using stress balls and tools during work and home. Doctor David Posen, a stress expert and author of Is Work Killing You?: A Doctor’s Prescription for Treating Workplace Stress, discusses his research on the effectiveness of these stress toys and tactics, explaining which strategies work and which inherently do not.

When we look back at stress history, it goes back to caveman days. Our meditated hormones released such as adrenaline were used for physical stressors. However, nowadays we are consumed by physiological ones. The solution? Many believe conquering psyche stress comes from our past—relieving our hormones physically.

Examples of physical stress relief can vary from person to person, although as we look at our brain’s makeup, it is fairly similar. Generally, the following tactics will drain some underlying psyche stress.

Exercise is scientifically proven to relieve stress. As your heart rate rides, your hormones drop as well as release endorphins. These endorphins help you get a good night’s rest, which is essential to feeling your best.

Writing your stress down on paper can help you identify your stress and find the causes for it. This physical motion of erasing or crossing out these stressors can help psychologically erase them. Additionally, writing down what you are grateful for helps reduce stress. This appreciation can gradually grow larger than what is causing your trouble and help your overall mood.

Stress balls are marketed all over the internet and stores. When we are stressed our bodies clench up and become tense. To revoke this feeling, squeezing a stress ball releases the tense feeling and helps one to gain relaxation. It can also help to regain focus on what your body is doing and the actions you are making.

If you have ever seen a swinging pendulum—the four swinging balls that collide in sync—you know how mesmerizing they are. The rhythm that they carry with each swing can help ease your mind and take you to a place of focus. However, this method is not one that will exactly solve the problems causing your stress.

Everyone has their own ways of handling their stress, however these are generally helpful scientifically for most people.