THE STRESS IN OUR LIFE

The human body is designed to experience stress and react to it. Stress can be positive, keeping us alert and ready to avoid danger. But stress becomes negative (Distress) when a person faces continuous challenges without relief or relaxation between challenges, or different personal problems which cannot cope.

As a result, our body, thoughts, feelings, and our behavior is affected in different ways:

1. On your behavior:

• Overeating or undereating

• Angry outbursts

• Drug or alcohol abuse

• Tobacco use

• Social withdrawal

1. On our mood:

• Anxiety

• Restlessness

• Lack of motivation or focus

• Irritability or anger

• Sadness or depression

1. On our body:

• Headache

• Muscle tension or pain

• Chest pain

• Fatigue

• Change in sex drive

• Stomach upset

• Sleep problems

• Skin

The stress affects in all these ways, but sometimes none gives the importance until they see it reflected in the skin or in their hair fall. Here we show you how the stress affect the skin.

• Dullness

Stress triggers a hormone called cortisol (a stress hormone), which slows down skin cells, making them take longer to reach the surface and flake off. Hence, dead skin cells build up, making your face look dull and lifeless.

Here we advise you a quick fix: Drink more water and exfoliate regularly.

• Sagging

Furthermore, prolonged cortisol production leads to loss of collagen and elastin, resulting in slackness, sagging and loss of elasticity. Not a good beauty look at all!

Quick fix: Consume foods that increase collagen production and benefit the skin. For example, soy products help block enzymes that break down and age the skin. Also, try topical beauty products containing Vitamin C (l-ascorbic acid) or hyaluronic acid (sometimes listed as sodium hyaluronate). Skip the retinoid though – they will further irritate stressed skin.

• Dryness

Stressed skin has a very low lipid (protective) barrier, so fluids evaporate more easily. In addition, cortisol also reduces the skin’s ability to retain water, leading to excessive dryness.

Quick fix: Try a weekly moisture mask and apply a hydrating serum along with moisturizer. Also, avoid using toners and cleansers that contain harsh ingredients such as Ammonium Laurenth Sulphate, Sodium Lauryl Sulphate and Sodium Laurenth Sulphate, which can dehydrate and irritate the skin.

• Skin infections

The epidermal skin cells are packed tightly together, forming a strong barrier that blocks the entry of bacteria and other toxins. When you are under stress, this protective layer becomes less effective, allowing harmful bacteria to reach the deeper layers of skin.

Quick fix: Keep skin scrupulously clean with a mild soap. Use warm, not hot water, and pat skin dry instead of rubbing; put moisturizer on immediately.

• Itchy rashes

Stress decreases skin’s self-repairing abilities, while also releasing histamines (which create allergic reactions) into the bloodstream. The result? Flare-ups of immunity-related conditions such as hives, rashes, cold sores, psoriasis and eczema.

Quick fix: Look for beauty products that contain soothing ingredients like avocado oil, almond oil, aloe vera, Shea butter, sunflower oil and chamomile. Also, cut down on the number of skincare products you use. Fewer products means lesser ingredients and hence a lower risk of an allergic reaction.

• Pimples

Stress increases oil production, which blocks the pores and results in breakouts.

Quick fix: Keep skin clear of surface dirt, oil and dead cells. Use oil-free beauty products and wash your face gently with a soft cloth. Don’t scrub, as this can further irritate acne and make it worse.

• Premature ageing

During times of crisis, our body redirects the flow of blood to areas that are vital for reacting to stress – such as lungs and heart. This leaves skin without essential blood and oxygen. The result? Increased production of free radicals and tissue-damaging oxidants, which speed up wrinkles, lines and other signs of premature ageing.

Quick fix: Try some facial exercises and massage. These help release tension along with increasing oxygen-rich blood flow to muscles, tissue and skin, making the complexion look vibrant and healthier.

• Sallowness

Stress hurts the digestive system. This means essential nutrients are not digested properly, allowing buildup of impurities. As a result, stressed skin looks dull, lifeless and sallow.

Quick fix: Step up intake of leafy greens, fruit and high protein grains and lentils as well as healthy fats like those found in avocados and olive oil; cut down on caffeine.

• Inflammation

Prolonged stress creates chronic internal inflammation, which leads to premature ageing, uneven skin tone and texture, lack of radiance and hyperpigmentation.

Quick fix: Sleep is anti-inflammatory – a time of healing, when cortisol levels are at their lowest. Getting enough will keep your body’s best coping skills at hand.

How do we avoid stress effects on the skin?

-Sleeping

Sleep plays a big part in limiting cortisol. During sleep, our skin repairs what has been damaged during the day. A lack of sleep puts stress on skin, so making sure you have at least 7 hours of sleep is a must for healthy, stress-free skin.

-Doing exercise

Physical activity boosts circulation, which battles the effects that adrenaline can have on the skin. In other words, physical activity helps your complexion, and, when there is more blood flow to the skin, there are also fewer toxins, and thus less cellulite, and more alive, healthy, radiant-looking skin.

-Taking the Time to Relax

Many stressed people forget that they can embody a way of life that limits stress altogether. If you take the time once in a while to slow down, take some breaks, relax, and try to take things not too seriously, you will be not as stressed. Meditation, deep breathing, and quiet alone time can be just the thing to eliminate stress, and the effects that stress has on our body. You just need 10 or 15 minutes to do it, and trying to help you, here we put a guided meditation video.