How lowering your stress levels helps to get rid of spots
Last week I focused on finding the right products for my skin, on my quest to get rid of spots in exchange for glowing skin.
In this week’s post I am delving deeper into the issues that your skin faces when you are stressed. It can almost be a vicious circle if you already suffer with spots, because you end up becoming stressed by them and hey presto, more spots appear.
I usually stress over my skin whether I have spots or if I don’t, so I want to see if there is a solution to solving this. I am sure a lot of people will say ‘well don’t stress and they will go away’, but how easy is that to do?
Whether you are like me and stress over your skin or you have everyday stresses. Stress affects us all in one way or another at some point but in order to be able to deal with it, I want to uncover what stress really does to your skin and how to solve it once and for all!
Spotting the problem
I have done a fair bit of research online to see if there really is a link between spot and acne outbreaks with stress (or whether it’s just me being too conscious).
But research has proven that there is in fact a link between spots and acne with stress.
Now for the scientific part, it happens because when your body is stressed, the increase in stress hormones can throw off your equilibrium and you can experience all sorts of changes such as weight gain, increased blood pressure, and there you have it… worsened acne and an uneven complexion.
However experts are divided on whether stress actually creates acne or just worsens it. Stress does increase the amount of oil your skin secretes, which can clog pores and cause breakouts.
I found this discovery really interesting as there is so much out there about how stress can affect other parts of your body, but now I had found a link between spot breakouts and stress too.
What can be done to stop my stress induced spot outbreaks?
Controlling stress can be hard and it has taken me a while to find solutions that actually work. We are all different, so what may work for me might not work for you. But it is important to try so you can see what does help reduce your stress and clear your breakouts.
I am not really the ‘sit down’ type as I am always on the move at 100 miles an hour, which I am sure doesn’t do my body or stress levels any good. I took up yoga at 15 and have been a fan ever since. It is probably the only time in the week where I do sit still for 20 minutes of meditation and yoga practice.
RECOMMENDED: Lavender Essential Oil (Maillette) from Fushi
It clears my mind and by the end of the 90-minute class I feel completely calm, not to mention the amazing sleep I have that night!
This has really helped reduce my stress levels, and I would definitely say I have seen a change in my skin since I have tried to slow down and create a bit of ‘me time’.
But the other question is how do you tell if your spots/acne is stress related?
I would advise to take note of when your breakouts tend to occur and examine your stress levels from the preceding week. If breakouts tend to match up with the times that your body is feeling stressed then there is probably a link.
The effect stress has most definitely takes a toll on my skin and I would recommend 7-8 hours sleep each night too (although this can be difficult if your mind is busy).
SEE ALSO: Eat Your Stress Away
I always keep a notebook by the side of my bed incase I cant sleep or wake up with my mind racing. I make a list and I would say 9 times out of 10 things turn out to be so much bigger in my mind than when I write them down on paper.
I am going to be one of these annoying people now that say ‘don’t stress’ but really that would be my advice to help your skin if it is suffering from spot outbreaks. Your skin will be cleared up in no time once you stop worrying!
Next week…’Urban myths for the perfect skin’
