What is Stress?
Stress in everyday life is a feeling when people feel overloaded and pressurized from the day to day work. Stress is the normal reaction the body has when changes occur. Stress is the reaction of the body to any change that requires an adjustment or response. The response can be emotional, physical or mental. Stress is normal for anybody’s lifestyle. You feel stressed at many incidents. You can experience it from your environment, your body, or your thoughts. Not only negative but positive life changes such as a mortgage, the birth of a child can also produce stress.
The warning signs of stress are:-
- Dizziness
- Pain in muscles
- Headache
- Indigestion
- Racing heart and many more
Does stress affect the skin?
Stress not only affects the skin but the entire body including hair and nails. Stress can not be avoided, as it is part of your life. It depends on how you handle it. Stress causes a chemical response in your body that makes skin more reactive and sensitive. It can also make your skin harder for certain skin tissues to heal completely.
Skin problems with stress are:
Stress can sometimes make your skin worse. The hormone known as Cortisol, causes the skin to be oilier. The secretion of adrenaline, triggered by stress, activates the sweat glands which can lead to a lot of water loss from the body.
Below is the list of skin problems caused by stress:
- Acne- a skin condition that occurs when hair follicles plug with oil and dead skin cells. This imbalance in hormones irritates sebaceous glands in the skin, promoting higher than normal levels of oil, blockages in the pores and leading to the breakout of acne.
- Baggy eye- this consists of mild swelling, saggy or loose skin and dark circles around the eye.
- Dry skin- when the body is unable to get the natural oils of the skin, it dries up. This can lead to itchy skin and red patches. Dehydrated skin lacking in the water looks flaky and dead.
Effects of stress on hairs
Not only your skin but hairs too get adversely affected by stress. When you are stressed or anxious, your body produces a hormone which is known as fight or flight response. This is the process when your body is secreting the hormone to fight against the possibility of a threat. This change can affect all of your body. When these extra hormones are secreted they can affect the growth patterns of the hair follicles on your scalp.
Effects on nails
Although according to doctors, nails are not immune to showing the outward signs of stress. But some people generate the nervous habit of biting nails. Also, some people rub their fingers over their thumb continuously, which is also a sign of stress. Stress can make your nails thinner, brittle or they can start peeling by itself.
How can we battle with stress effects on Skin
- It is important to fight with stress, to avoid any ill effects on the body. Below are some suggestions for dealing with stress.
- Eat healthy, well-balanced meals on a daily basis. Always eat those fruits and vegetables which are of season. Include citric and green fruits and vegetables like spinach, lemons, oranges, apples, etc.
- It is important to eat sugary, salty and spicy products in control. Eating these items irregularly can have negative effects on your body.
- Exercise regularly, yoga or gym, accordingly.
- Drink lemon, honey, with warm water as it helps to eliminate all the toxins from the body.
Conclusion
Stress in everyday life is a feeling when people feel overloaded and pressurized in the day to day work. Stress is the normal reaction the body has when changes occur. Stress is the reaction of the body to any change that requires an adjustment or response. Stress can be reduced by having a healthy lifestyle and a balanced life.
