Stress Less: How finding ways to manage stress can help your skin

It’s no secret that unmanaged stress affects the skin negatively, whether directly or indirectly, and we’re here to talk about some ways you can reduce the inflammation that can lead to skin trouble. 

According to this article, high-stress levels can increase oil production in the skin’s sebaceous glands, which can clog your pores, contributing to acne breakouts. Stress has also been shown to aggravate different skin conditions, such as eczema and psoriasis. Although you may need to treat skin problems caused by stress in multiple ways, there are certain things you can do at home that can positively affect your skin and stress levels. Stress relief looks a little different for everyone, and there are often underlying lifestyle factors that you may need to become aware of, but let’s start with some simple ways you can try to allow your skin and zen to come back into balance. 

The first thing to prioritize is getting enough sleep! Sometimes, it is more easily said than done, but getting enough sleep is crucial for skin repair and regeneration and should be the first thing to look at if you’re looking to relieve stressed skin. While there may be deep underlying causes to not getting enough sleep that you’ll need to look into, if you’re lucky, it may be as simple as deciding to wind down a little earlier, eliminate screens at an earlier time, or take a bath and an herbal tea before bedtime. 

The next category to look into is adequate exercise! Regular physical activity can help reduce stress and improve circulation, delivering more oxygen and nutrients to your skin. Exercise can also help you sleep – all of these things work together in many ways that you may not even realize. Just be sure to rinse the sweat off after you get your body moving, as leaving sweat on the skin for more extended periods can cause issues like body acne. 

While stress-relieving activities can undoubtedly be meditation or mindfulness, and we recommend incorporating these into your daily activities, it may be just as helpful to make sure you’re incorporating activities that you genuinely enjoy and do just for the sake of doing them. The simple joy of reading a book for fun or going for a walk may do more to reduce stress than you realize. Over time, the benefits will add up. 

If you suspect that your skin problems are due to stress, at least in part, consider treating them with some of these strategies.