We can certainly feel when we’re stressed. But is it possible that your chronic stress is also having a negative impact on your looks? Researchers and doctors have long understood the connection between stress and beauty. Well, now it’s time to do something about it.
Chapter Overview
How Stress Impacts Your Beauty
The physical signs and symptoms of stress are mostly seen on the face. According to Healthline there are two primary ways this tends to play out: “First, the hormones that your body releases when you feel stress can lead to physiological changes that negatively impact your skin. Second, feeling stressed may also lead to bad habits such as grinding your teeth or biting your lips.”
When it comes to skin changes, acne is one very common symptom. As you experience prolonged stress, your body produces more cortisol. This hormone causes your brain’s hypothalamus to produce a corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), which stimulates your sebaceous glands to release extra oil around hair follicles. This excess oil can clog the pores of your face and lead to acne. You can think of it as a chain reaction of events – all triggered by stress.
Other common stress-related skin problems include bags/puffiness under your eyes, rashes, dry skin, and even wrinkles (which are created when there are significant changes to the proteins in your skin that lead to reduced elasticity).
When stressed, many people bite their lips, which leads to a host of other issues. This includes sore and swollen lips, tooth damage, and even temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD) – a problem that affects the joint where your skull and jaw connect. (This latter problem is caused by repeated clenching of teeth.)
Stress can also lead to significant weight changes and fluctuations as a result of elevated cortisol levels in the body.
“Cortisol increases appetite as well as the storage of unused nutrients as fat so that the body restores energy necessary during the stress response,” The Wellnest explains. “At the same time, however, a hormone released during stress (called CRH) turns off the appetite. It means stress can also cause weight loss for others.
While some people lose weight, most people gain weight as a result of turning to the wrong foods to satiate their hunger. This includes fast food, freezer meals, and unhealthy snacking options like ice cream, cookies, and saturated fats.
Safe and Healthy Ways to Neutralize Stress and Anxiety
It’s clear that stress, when left unaddressed, has a negative impact on beauty. However, it doesn’t have to. There are plenty of safe, healthy ways to neutralize stress and anxiety at the source. Here are several:
- Dietary changes. Consume a healthy, balanced diet that’s full of the right nutrients (and free from unhealthy ingredients that are difficult to digest). The true key to a “low-anxiety” diet is to avoid foods that are known to exacerbate anxiety symptoms. This includes fried foods, alcohol (which dehydrates the body), caffeine (which triggers sensations of a panic attack), dairy products, refined sugar, and acid-forming foods (such as yogurt, pickles, or sour cream). Fresh foods like fruits, veggies, and lean meats are good choices. You should also drink eight to eleven glasses of water per day.
- Singing bowl therapy. Crystal singing bowls can be used to eliminate stress and encourage relaxation. They produce unique sounds and vibrations that are supposed to put the body back into a state of balance and equilibrium.
- Aromatherapy. Something as simple as smelling soothing plant oils like peppermint or lavender can ease your stress and anxiety. In one study, lavender was shown to reduce heart rate in the short term and promote better sleep.
- Time with animals. Nope, you didn’t make it up! You actually do feel better when you spend time with your pet. Research confirms that pets can be beneficial to people suffering from severe stress, anxiety, and other mental issues. While dogs and cats are the obvious choices, one study found that something as simple as caring for crickets can improve physiological health in people.
As you can see, there are a number of natural remedies and solutions for defeating stress at the source and preventing the unwanted side effects that so often impact mental clarity and physical beauty. Discover the ones that work for you and use them strategically.
Restore Your Beauty
Stress and anxiety have a much greater impact on your appearance than you’ve probably ever considered. But the good news is that there are ways to fight back and neutralize the root causes. Use these tips wisely and turn your life around!