5 reasons why taking stress steals the glow from your face

The negative impact of stress on one’s physical as well as mental health are immense. Stress is a very common human condition that is mostly inevitable in such times of constant pressure. Chronic stress harms your skin and manifests into showing on the face in two particular ways. Firstly, the hormones that your body releases when you feel stressed result in a few physiological changes which negatively impact your skin. Secondly, the feeling of stress also leads to the inculcation of bad habits, such as biting one’s lips and grinding one’s teeth during sleep.

From the prevalence of dry skin to having bags under the eyes, the consequences of stress are plenty. However, one must be aware of the adverse effects of stress on the skin. As it isn’t just detrimental for one’s mental peace, but is also very problematic for your skin and its texture.

Health Shots got in touch with naturopathy expert Dr Gagan Bhatia, who listed various reasons one needs to live a stress free life for the sake of their skin and its beauty.

What is the mind and skin connection?

Dr Bhatia says, “The body will always respond to the changes that occur in one’s psychological state. Whenever you feel under some stress, the sympathetic nervous system of your body releases hormones like cortisol and adrenaline into your body. These hormones are responsible for the production of oil in your skin glands, which leads to clogged pores and acne breakouts.”

“This ultimately has a very negative impact on one’s skin. Sometimes, various kinds of psychological conditions can also cause internal inflammation. Stress further increases the inflammation because of the gut-skin connection. It adversely impacts the balance of bacteria in one’s gut and leads to more inflammation, which causes external skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis flare-ups and much more,” he adds.

Here are various other ways through which stress harms your skin:

1. An overproduction of sebum (oil) in one’s skin ultimately causes acne breakouts, due to the presence of excessive oil.
2. “Stress is responsible for impacting one’s immune system, which results in the skin being more reactive and sensitive, leading to redness, rashes and an uneven skin tone,” Dr Bhatia told Health Shots.
3. Stress is known to flare the existing skin conditions such as eczema and rosacea.
4. A lot of people who feel stressed are habitual of picking their skin and pimples that surround it, which ultimately causes redness or breakouts in the skin’s texture.
5. Stress often leads to the skin getting tensed, which causes wrinkles and premature ageing.

“Needless to state the obvious, stress is an unavoidable part of life. However, one doesn’t have to pave the way for the stress to become a chronic problem, lest it may leave a lasting impression on your face,” advises Dr Bhatia.

How to reduce side effects of stress on skin:

1. Firstly, one should always ensure to maintain an efficient and effective skincare routine which rightly tackles the skin issues.
2. Switch to aromatherapy when stressed, you may use aromatic oils like lavender, orange and chamomile that are renowned for soothing the skin.
3. Apart from this, one should exercise on a regular basis. It helps you get a happy hormone rush and improves blood flow in your body.
4. “Don’t forget that sleep can also alleviate symptoms of stress and anxiety. So maintain a good sleep schedule. Get sleep for at least 6 to 8 hours. You can also nap for a while when feeling low,” advises Dr Bhatia.
5. Eat a healthy, balanced diet for the intake of optimum nutrition.