stress + the skin

Stress, has been on my mind lately. To be a human on this planet right now feels stressful. I would go as far as to say, if we’re not a little stressed we aren’t paying attention. Mostly this season in life feels really fruitful and amazing, but just beneath the surface of gratitude and awe sits worry, anxiety, and stress. So I decided to go down some rabbit holes, talk to some professionals, and observe my brain, body, and behavior to learn more about what is physiologically happening when we feel stressed and how it shows up in our body and on our skin.

When something stressful happens our sympathetic nervous system releases stress hormones into our body. Cortisol and adrenaline are the most well known of these hormones. When we shift into this state our brain doesn’t know the difference between running from a bear or road rage - our heart rate increases, our body temperature rises, muscles get tense, we can get headaches, and so on, the symptoms vary from person to person. This response is meant to be useful, to keep us alive when there is a threat. However, in our current world we are over stimulated, under connected, and have constant information (some that might feel like a threat) coming at us. Our nervous systems are more stimulated than ever before.

Some ways stress shows up on the skin:

• Rosacea

• Breakouts

• Dull complexion

• Extreme dryness or extreme oiliness

• Rashes or hives

• Eczema flare ups

Chronic stress puts our body into a dysregulated state. This can slow down the skin’s ability to heal, disrupt the microbiome, contribute to inflammation, and accelerate the loss of collagen and elastin.

It’s important to note that stress looks different for different people. Work can be a source of stress for many - for others the feeling of loneliness or grief may cause distress. Not feeling comfortable in our bodies or skin may also contribute to stress. Whatever it is that is causing your body and mind dis-ease it is worth paying attention to and adopt some tools to cope.

5 tools to cope with stress:

• Breathe - this may sounds obvious, but if you pay attention you might notice when you get stressed your breath gets shallow. I like to do this quick reset when I am in my car, having to switch gears from one thing to another.

  Sit with your hands over your heart, shut down your eyes, unclench your jaw, take 5 deep belly breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. I visualize pushing out old, stagnant, energy and breathing in fresh, creative, light. It resets the body and brain and instantly calms down the nervous system.

• Snack - when our blood sugar is low it is stressful on our system. Keeping snacks on hand is an easy way to keep your blood sugar balanced. I like to keep a bag of nuts in my car and always have a snack drawer at work. Nuts, dried fruit, nut butter, and seedy crackers are good go-to’s to keep the hanger at bay until you can eat a meal.

• Movement - go on a walk, do some yoga, dance, run up a hill, ride your bike instead of drive. Any movement is better than none at all. It doesn’t have to be intense or for a long time, just a walk around the block can release endorphins and help ease stress.

• Shut down the screens - Blue light from screens can disrupt our circadian rhythm which can effect sleep. Try setting limits on different apps especially social media. You can do this in your settings. Shutting down all screens when the sun goes down is a good habit to adopt. This signals to our body that it is time to slow down and rest. Also, wearing blue light blocking glasses is a must for protecting your eyes and brain from EMF’s. I like the brand Bon Charge.

• Pleasure - Whatever this means to you! It could be connecting with a trusted friend or partner, traveling, gardening, being with animals, or getting a facial or massage. Whatever lights you up. Pleasure in the form of sex with yourself or with a partner is also a great way to relieve stress. Bonus it releases chemicals that make your skin glow :)