5 Signs of Stress On Your Skin + How to Lower Anxiety
Although stress can have positive benefits like bursts of alertness and a readiness to face danger, it can take a toll on your skin, especially when stress becomes chronic.
5 Ways Stress Can Impact your Skin
Imagine being free from your moods. When "cranky" sneaks up on you, you know exactly how to realign with a better-feeling state of being. If that sounds like freedom, this article is for you!
1. Dry skin.
When your barrier function is working properly, your skin retains water and feels hydrated. But stress can compromise the outer layer of your skin or stratum corneum, rendering the lipids and protein that help your skin hold on to water ineffective. Itchy, dry skin is the result and your skin may even heal more slowly.
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2. Acne breakouts.
Stress causes the hormone cortisol to be released, which has a connection to an overstimulation of sebum (skin oil), leading to clogged pores and acne.
To reduce breakouts, use skin care with Niacinamide (B3) which helps control sebum production, and pure lavender which acts as a natural antiseptic and anti-inflammatory.
When present in potent amounts, hemp-derived C-B-D and CBG are also helpful in managing acne by reducing inflammation and soothing irritated, unhappy skin.
3. Bags under the eyes.
When you're stressed, it's hard to get restful sleep. And sleep is something all our systems depend on: muscles grow and repair while we sleep, digestion resets, and collagen is produced in skin, giving us a youthful appearance.
When stress deprives us of sleep, we develop puffiness and unwanted bags under the eyes, as well as dark circles - also known as raccoon eyes.
Including Biotin and Collagen vitamins into your daily diet, and using triple-weight hyaluronic acid serum before bed can help you wake up looking more refreshed, even when stressed.
4. Increased wrinkles and fine lines.
Collagen is responsible for "plumping" up skin. When stress reduces production of collagen, stressed out skin can show more signs of aging such as fine lines and wrinkles.
5. Rashes and skin irregularities.
Stress throws the entire system out of whack. Since all systems are interconnected, our largest organ - the skin - tells the story of our stress. As stress affects our gut, it can also throw good bacteria off balance and produce rashes and mess with skin texture.
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Lavender + CBD + Niacinamide + Hyaluronic Acid: Everything your skin needs to stay clear and glowing in stressful moments. Try CALM Lavender Face Serum
How to Lower Anxiety and Stress
Moments of stress and anxiety are inevitable. But you can learn to manage them over time and with practice. Most importantly, be kind to yourself through the process. If you are 36 years old and you are just starting to manage stress in a positive way, you cannot unheard 36 years of habits in one day! Here are a few ways to start:
1. Take your vitamins.
Even on a balanced diet, you may not be getting all the vitamins you need. Mood-management heroes like Magnesium and Vitamin D3 should be an important part of your supplement routine.
2. Learn to breathe.
Did you know that over 80% of Americans are shallow breathers? This is largely due to the importance of breath not being taught in schools like they are in other countries.
When stressed, focusing on breathing in deep allows you to (1) stop focusing on the stress you're experiencing and (2) expands your lungs, which pushes oxygen into your blood stream and throughout your body.
Not sure where to start? Do the 6,7,8: breathe in on 6 counts, hold for 7 and breathe out for 8. It's important as important that you completely fill your lungs as it is that you completely empty them. Try it out!
3. Remember, it's a journey.
Stress often comes from unrealized expectations or missed goals. Contrary to what it may look like on Instagram, people are not hitting their goals every day. Most days are spent planting the seeds, doing the work no one sees. When you're stressed about not hitting your goals, remember that you are on your way there. Just stay the course and keep planting.
4. Commit to a healthy lifestyle.
First, it's important you define what "healthy" means to you. The most effective way of doing that is to write out, in first person, what your life would look like when you are living your version of "healthy." Here are a few areas of your life to consider:
- Food & Drink. This is your body's fuel and where your good mood starts. Consider what foods you are currently ingesting that don't sit well with you. Are there foods that make you feel good for a moment - such as sugar - but then make you feel down (like a toxic relationship)? Some foods that are helpful to mood management include salmon and most nuts due to their high content of omega-3s. If you can, consult with a nutritionist who can help you better understand what your specific body needs.
- Relationships. Consider who you feel good and stable around. Spend more time with those people, and less with anyone who seems to chronically drain your energy.
- Exercise. Are you making your mobility a priority? If you aren't exercising at all, you don't necessarily have to get a gym membership. Start with walking around the block, then the neighborhood, then some pushups, planks crunches at home. Work your way up to what your version of healthy looks like!
5. Manage your caffeine intake.
No, you don't have to stop drinking coffee! (unless the doctor tells you so)
In fact, coffee is a great antioxidant. If you drink it without sugar or fatty milk, it can be a healthy habit. But you may need to manage the undesirable effects caffeine has on your such as increasing anxiety, which triggers your body's stress response.
One such way to do so is to make C-B-D vitamins or C-B-D oil part of your daily routine. A few drops of tasteless C-B-D oil in your cappuccino can help you retain the focus you love from caffeine and level out the jitters and anxiety that it may be causing.
*These statements are found to be accurate as of the time this blog is published.
Except where otherwise indicated, statements regarding products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.