Are you feeling stressed? Are frustration, tension, and anxiety building up within you? It may not be the right thing for your skin. Stress and skin, is there a connection? Yes, there is, and we are here to tell you all about it.
We have normalized tension and stress so much that we often forget it affects our body and skin in the longer run. Stress can affect you from restless sleep or acne and breakouts.
Effects of stress on the face
can leave marks on your skin and influence wrinkles, acne, and dry skin. It can speed up the process of skin aging and also alter your complexion.
Another proof of stress being evident on your skin is how easily people make out when you're under stress. It definitely shows on the face in one way or the other.
But what can stress do to your face?
When you are stressed, the sympathetic nervous system releases stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Cortisol increases oil production in your skin glands, leading to clogged pores and acne breakouts. Moreover, chronic stress can also lead to an increased production level of these hormones which cause a cycle of breakouts and a negative impact on skin health.
A study in 2017 looked at stress's effect on acne in female medical students aged 22 to 24. And it was found that higher stress levels were positively correlated with the severity of acne.
Psychological conditions that are a by-product of stress lead to internal inflammation. So, when your body receives a threat, the immune system responds to handle it, which is inflammation. Stress can also cause inflammation via the gut-skin condition, which leads to skin problems such as breakouts and dullness.
Stress also affects facial appearance by affecting the muscles of the face
When the body is stressed, facial muscles tense up, and this is a reflex action to stress. Signs of stress on face include a furrowed forehead, wrinkles, fine line formation, as well as facial flushing. Wherein your breathing habits can cause your face to look flushed temporarily.
Stress can also result in teeth clenching movements, which affect the joint connecting your jaw to your skull. This is known as TMD.
Moreover, the stress effect on face can also cause resting stress face. It is the result of facial muscle contraction and the body being in a constant fight or flight state.
Let's take a look at the various facial changes that occur due to stress to better understand.
How stress affects your face
1. Wrinkles
Stress alters the proteins in your skin and reduces skin elasticity. The loss of elasticity in the skin can contribute to wrinkling formation. It can also lead to furrowing your eyebrows, further contributing to stress wrinkles forehead as well.
2. Sagging
Continued stress has an adverse impact on your skin and other body systems. Excess of cortisol, the hormone released as a result of stress, can accelerate the loss of elastin, collagen, and the proteins responsible for youthful skin. This leads to sagging of skin.
3. Dark circles
When stressed, blood flows to other parts of the body, barring the face, making it look pale. Stress also causes the blood vessels underneath your eye to become more apparent, leading to dark circles. Dark circles can also be the result of stress-induced sleepless nights.
4.Eye bags
Eye bags are characterized by puffiness and swelling below the eyelids. As per a trusted source, it has been found that stress leads to sleep deprivation which contributes to increased signs of aging, reduced elasticity, and pigmentation. This reduced elasticity leads to the formation of eye bags.
These stress effects make it clear that you need to reduce stress to improve facial health.
Several evidence-based simple strategies can help you reduce stress, improving your psychological well-being and skin health! Stress reduction can improve overall skin and facial appearance and help you fight signs of premature aging, right from wrinkles to sagging.
Want to know the tips for improving facial health? We are here to help! Here are some ways
How to treat stressed skin
1. Eat a healthy diet
A healthy diet is key to a healthy body and healthy skin. Good gut health is also related to healthy skin. Hence it all begins with what you consume as much as what you apply. Eating healthy is also an effective way how to treat stress acne.
A healthy diet comprises fresh fruits, veggies, whole grains, healthy fats like nuts and avocados and lean proteins.
2. Get enough sleep
Sleeping for 7 to 9 hours is the least you can do for your skin! The skin makes new collagen when you're asleep; nap time is skin regeneration time. Depriving yourself of sleep will lead to dull skin with dark circles.
3. Exercise regularly
Regular exercise improves collagen production, and all the sweating out improves the overall texture of your skin. Physical activity increases your blood flow and circulation, which brings more oxygen to the skin.
4. Practice good skincare habits
The most important tip for improving facial health is practicing good skincare habits. Incorporating probiotics in your skincare products can be a good starting point for the same.
Moreover, small steps toward skin care can also make a huge difference. Removing makeup before going to bed, using non-comedogenic, chemical-free products, and cleansing, toning, and moisturizing are the key to good skincare habits. But which products do you begin with? Get your hands on the AM: PM skincare ritual combo by Sonnet Wellness to experience hassle-free, effective, and probiotic-rich skincare that delivers efficient results.
These probiotic skincare products are effective enough to make you take #nofilter Instagram photos, for that is how glowing and healthy your skin will look.
Summing up, while stress is an unavoidable part of your life, the effects of stress on skin leave a lasting impression, right from acne to wrinkles and premature aging.
However, minimizing stress via adequate sleep, exercise, and a proper and healthy diet can help combat as well as reverse the damage caused by stress.
Additionally, incorporating good skincare habits, especially products with probiotics, is one of the best ways of bringing your skin's health back on track.
