How Stress Affects Your Skin

Stress can affect your whole body, including your hair, nails, and skin. Since stress is a part of life, what matters is how you handle it. Stress affects your skin by causes a chemical response in your body that makes skin more sensitive and reactive. It can also make it harder for skin problems to heal.

Have you ever noticed that you break out more when you’re stressed? This is because stress causes your body to make hormones like cortisol, which tells glands in your skin to make more oil. Oily skin is more prone to acne and other skin problems.

Stress affects the way we look which adds more stress to our lives. Have you ever got to work and the first person you see says "Do you feel okay?" We all want to say, "Thanks for telling me I look like crap!" Tomorrow's to-do list can weigh on your mind, keeping you from getting enough beauty sleep. This can cause fluid to pool below your lower eyelid area, and what you end up with is a puffiness under your eyes in the morning.  If your not drinking enough water, your body doesn't get the proper hydration it needs, your skin will end up feeling (and looking) like crepe paper. Stress causes skin issues to flare up regardless of what you're prone to, whether it's acne, psoriasis, or eczema. When you're stressed, you breathe in short, shallow breaths and can even find yourself holding your breath for periods of time, which can lead to flushing and redness, says Doris Day, M.D., a cosmetic dermatologist in NYC. Constantly making certain facial expressions, like furrowing your brows when you're stressed or pursing your lips, can lead to deeper wrinkles.

 

8 Ways to Ease the Effects of Stress on Your Skin

 

You probably can’t avoid stress completely, but you can try ways to handle it better. Try these approaches:

1. Don't neglect your skin. Take care of it, even if you're tired or stressed.
2. Get regular exercise. It's good for your skin and the rest of your body.
3. Take time for yourself to do something you enjoy, even if you only have 10 minutes. Take a bath or read a book.
4. Take a walk around the block.
5. Practice breathing exercises, yoga, meditation, or visual imagery.
6. Sleeping 7 to 8 hours each night is ideal.
7. Don't take on additional tasks that will lead to feeling overwhelmed.
8. Talk to someone as a way to get the stress off your mind. 

We all stress everyday. Find a way to make it effect you less. Even just one or two of the above actions may be enough to help you live a happier, healthier life. Please comment and let others know what helpful things you do!

Thank you for reading!