Why Our Teens Need Yoga More Than Ever This Fall
- Louise Parker
- Nov 3
- 3 min read
The world our teens are growing up in today feels incredibly intense. I remember how big my own emotions felt as a teen—the highs and lows, the friendship ups and downs, the academic pressure—but what our kids are navigating now is on another level. The constant pressure, comparison, and noise they face each day creates a kind of emotional pressure cooker that’s hard for even adults to imagine.
Our teens are navigating a world with:
An Unrelenting pressure to be online at all times
The struggle with comparisons and FOMO caused by social media,
The weight of increasingly more competitive academic and sports demands
The constant noise of the volatile and sensationalized 24 hour news cycle.
It is no wonder that so many of our teens are feeling overwhelmed, anxious and stressed https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/14/health/teen-mental-health-stress-school-wellness
1. The Political Climate Is Stressful — and Teens Are Feeling It
Just because they aren’t old enough to vote yet, it doesn’t mean teens aren’t old enough to see what is happening in an ever growing polarized & angry political world. Teens are absorbing this emotional energy - they hear about the wars, the climate crises, the injustice, often through social media, which focuses on clickbait, fake news and amplifies anxiety.
Many young people care deeply about these issues, and know that they will inherit them, but feel powerless to make change. Yoga & breathwork offers a way to process these big emotions, to feel grounded and to control what they can control.
2. School Pressure Is at an All-Time High
In 2025, students are under constant pressure to achieve. Straight A grades are no longer reserved for the very best students, they are an expectation for every student. The drive to “do it all” in high school - homework, sports, college prep, and extracurriculars - can leave teens feeling exhausted and burned out before they’ve even reached college.
Yoga & mindfulness gives them permission to slow down. It reminds them that rest is not weakness — it is a skill to be learned, practiced & applauded. With regular practice, teens build resilience, focus, and confidence that actually helps them perform better in school while staying balanced in the process.
3. Technology Is Shaping Their Self-Worth
It goes without saying that year after year, teens are spend more and more time on their screens. Between being on their laptops all day at school, phones & tablets outside of school, teens can be spending upwards of 10 hours per day on screens. While technology has its benefits, it can also reduce their self-esteem (by comparing themselves to filtered versions of reality), question their identity, lessen their confidence and reduce their real-world connection.
Yoga invites them back into their bodies - to be curious rather, to breathe, to ground. On the mat, there are no likes, no followers, and no algorithms — just awareness, compassion, and presence.
4. Yoga Builds Emotional Intelligence and Inner Strength
Beyond flexibility or fitness, yoga is about awareness — noticing thoughts, emotions, and sensations without judgment. For teens, that’s an incredible life skill. It helps them learn to pause before reacting - such an incredible skill to have, and to build the self-trust to navigate stress with more ease. These are the tools that last long after they roll up the mat.
5. This Fall, Let’s Give Teens Tools That Actually Help
Our teens don’t need more pressure, more screens, or more performance-driven goals. They need space to breathe, connect, and remember who they are underneath all the pressure and noise. Yoga, whether that is through a weekly class, a retreat, a home mindfulness program, or a few minutes of mindful movement, can be the sanctuary they are desperately craving but don’t realize they need.
If you think your teen could use a safe space to unwind, move, and recharge, now is the perfect time to start. My Teen Yoga & Mindfulness classes this fall are designed to help them build focus, calm, and confidence that carry far beyond the mat.
Let’s help this generation of teens not just survive, but thrive — one breath at a time.
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