Did you know that stress can actually negatively impact the appearance of your skin? We’re all looking for that glowing complexion but often times you can look past your lifestyle habits when it comes to caring for your skin.
We've teamed up with Moodi Skin to take a deep dive into how stress affects your skin, the negative impacts it can cause and ways you can help manage your stress.
How Does Stress Affect The Skin?
Your body deals with stress and anxiety in a number of ways so it’s no surprise that your skin, being your largest organ, can take a real beating during these times.
Maddi from Moodi Skin says that when you're overly stressed, your nervous system activates your ‘fight or flight’ response. This response triggers a rise in your stress hormone which is known as cortisol. Although this is a completely healthy response, if you're continuously in this ‘fight or flight’ mode and cortisol levels stay elevated then it can cause some real issues to your skin and gut health.
So, What Is Cortisol?
Cortisol is basically your stress hormone which is released when you wake up, exercise or experience a stressful situation. A healthy amount of cortisol is vital for your health however excess cortisol can lead to some major issues, especially for our skin.
Does Stress Cause Acne?
The Moodi Skin founder said there has been a ton of research on the correlation between stress and acne, most concluding that although stress may not cause acne, it has been found to worsen the effects of it. This is due to the fact that when your cortisol rises from a stressful situation, your sebaceous glands (or oil glands) are triggered and this is where you may see excess oil production within your skin. A healthy amount of oil within your skin keeps it youthful and plump however in excess it can worsen the severity of acne breakouts. This rise in cortisol can also lead to increased inflammation which can worsen existing inflammatory conditions within the skin such a rosacea, acne, eczema and psoriasis. Some other potential side effects include a weakened immune system and hormone imbalances.
Can Stress Give You Wrinkles?
Qualified skin and laser therapist Maddi said that unfortunately this one is true as cortisol actually stimulates the degradation of existing collagen whilst also lowering its production. Collagen is the key protein which makes up your skin so less you have, the more aged your skin can look. Basically as you age, your collagen naturally decreases and additional stress speeds this process up. Next time you’re applying your anti-ageing products, remember to prioritise self care and mindfulness activities to de-stress!
Ways To Manage Stress
Now that you know how stress is affecting your skin, what can you do to better manage your stress to help lower those cortisol levels? Maddi said prioritising mindful self care is one of the best ways to truly unwind in her opinion, this means carving out time specifically for you away from any stressors and really shutting out the noise. She suggests turning off the screens and finding time for yourself to enjoy something you really love, however that looks. A few of her favourite practices are:
- Prioritising your sleep habits which can look like limiting your screen time for 1-2 hours before bed, avoiding any caffeine after 11:00AM and aiming for at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night.
- Moving your body and finding the kind of exercise that you actually enjoy will help keep you consistent so why not give weight training, yoga, running, hiking or pilates a try?
- Slow down and try to carve out some ‘me time’ throughout the week to decompress. Whether that's sitting down with a cup of Moodi Skin Glow Tea, practicing a mindful meditation or engaging in a calming hobby such as paint by numbers from Self Studio. Maddi said this is something she's been doing as it's a calming practice and really lets your inner artist shine.
Learning to manage stress and prioritise your downtime is never easy and can take some time to develop good habits but remember to be patient with yourself and find the things you really love!