Six Effects Of Stress On The Skin & My Tips For Combating Them

Is stress ever a good thing?

Well, I've heard it said that in small doses, it can be beneficial, like helping you through a crisis or meeting short-term deadlines and other short-lived spikes in daily demands.

But let's face it, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing -- assuming we consider stress ever a good thing. :)

According to a study led by the University of Cambridge, women in America and Western Europe and nearly two times more stressed out than men!

I know you're all too familiar with the adverse effects of stress on your general quality of life.

But did you know that stress can show itself in numerous undesirable ways on your skin?

That's why I'm excited to share with you some of my best suggestions for reducing the effects of stress in your life and keeping them off your beautiful face!

1. Engage in Stress-Lowering Activities.

Have you ever noticed that when you're under stress, you tend to see an increase in blemishes, rashes, and other irritations?

That's not your imagination.

Stress triggers a release of higher levels of cortisol, aptly named the stress hormone, along with other hormones, causing your sebaceous glands to produce more oil.

If you're already breakout prone or routinely experience itchiness and redness, stress just ups the ante.

As if that weren't enough, you're more likely to neglect your skin care routines when stressed.

No matter how temped you may be to skip cleansing or product application, don't deviate from your usual skin care regimen and do engage in activities that help reduce stress.

Meditation, exercise, maybe a yoga session or a nice bubble bath at day's end, are all ways to reduce stress and calm your mind and your skin.

Lollia Relax Bubble Bath is one I often reach for when I want to soothe my mind and body.

It's one of my favorite ways to unwind!

2. Take Some Much Needed "Me Time".

Often stress is the result of not having a single moment to yourself just to breathe.

When life gets crazy -- sick children, work deadlines, a too-busy social calendar -- it feels like you're stuck on a never-ending merry-go-round that keeps going faster and faster.

I often find I need to remind myself that it's pretty hard to take care of anyone else if I'm not taking care of myself.

Same is true for you.

It's far from selfish to call a timeout, enlist the help of a spouse or good friend, and retreat from the demands of daily life for a while.

Take an afternoon off. Go for a walk. Read for pleasure.

Even a short amount of down time devoted to yourself to completely relax can do wonders!

3. Don't Be Afraid to Say "No".

If you're like me, it's hard to say no when you want to be helpful or when you feel obligated to attend an event or function you'd rather skip.

Women, in particular, struggle with this, with our innate caregiving, nurturing nature.

But putting limits on your time and availability are essential for maintaining a sense of calm.

And you'll find that people are amazingly understanding.

When life starts spinning out of control, bow out of things you'd normally agree to without a second thought.

It's okay to take care of you, once in a while. :)

4. Get Plenty of Sleep.

Lack of sleep has huge adverse effects on your skin.

Less sleep leads to higher stress, which triggers that release of cortisol I talked about before.

Since your skin does most of its healing and regenerating during sleep, it's essential to catch those eight hours.

And using a rich PM-specific product to really revive and hydrate the skin overnight is a great way to keep your lovely face looking its best!

One I absolutely love is Eminence Organic's Lavender Age Corrective Night Concentrate.

5. Enjoy Some Skin Calming Products to Reduce the Effects of Stress.

In stressful times, pamper your skin with a little more tender loving care.

Not only will it improve the look of your skin, but it's the perfect way to spend a little of that "me" time I mentioned.

One of my favorite products is iS Clinical Pro-Heal Serum Advance+.

It really aids in healing and revitalizing your skin overnight.

6. Unplug!

Get into the habit of turning off all of your electronic devices as you head into the evening hours.

While I love how easy it is to do research with a few clicks of a mouse, or connect with family and friends via instant messaging and texts, it's also enormously stressful and keeps you wired up, making it hard to fall asleep.

Choose a time each evening to turn off your devices and relax in the moment.

You'll find it so much easier to drift to sleep when you head off to bed.

No matter how you choose to reduce stressors in your daily life, I strongly recommend that you take steps to do so.

You'll feel more energized, be better able to devote time and attention where it's most needed, and your skin will stay fresh, radiant, and youthful.

And that's a great stress reliever all by itself!

I'm curious, what are some of your favorite ways to combat stress? Let me know in the comments!