When we speak of stress, we immediately think of anger, tiredness, headaches, etc. We hear it all the time, stress is the leading factor of disease within the body.
Most times, we don’t really think of looking at the skin on our face, but it’s where you’ll see the most prominent signs of stress!
Wrinkles: Not Just A By-Product Of Aging Skin
As age catches up with us, we’re bound to notice lots of changes happening to our skin. Our skin, especially on our face, will tend to develop fine lines, while losing its firmness at the same time. These are quite simply, the results of stress, which show up on our skin, as well as the reaction of out hormones.
Our bodies release the hormone cortisol whenever we’re feeling stressed, and this hormone happens to be a natural enemy of collagen, the connective tissue that keeps your complexion taut and firm.
On a sub-conscience level, we’re unwittingly helping out too, via the many facial expressions we make throughout the day, such as frowning, pouting, etc, which can eventually cause permanent wrinkling on the forehead and around the eyes, mouth, etc.
The Solution?
We can’t be expected to control our every expression all the times. Istead, we can be mindful of what’s happening to our face when we’re thinking, talking, etc. In times of stress, breathe in deeply, and as you exhale, visualize your face being relaxed and smooth.
If you meditate, do know that other than all the benefits that come with the practice, you’ll also be doing your face a favour! If you have not tried meditating, there’s never a wrong time to begin, really. Try downloading a meditation app onto your mobile device so you have no excuse to take a quick, blissful moment to relax and breathe your stress away.
Lastly, lack of hydration is also responsible for your lines and wrinkles, so make sure you consume at least eight glasses of water each day to prevent dry skin and to eliminate toxins and work on hydrating your skin from the inside. To deal with dehydration from the outside, turn to hydrating serums – you’ll not find a shortage of good, effective ones in the market today.
Choose a serum with Hyaluronic Acid
Use a serum which contains Hyaluronic Acid, an ingredient that naturally occurs in your body and holds 1,000 times its weight in water. It even pulls moisture from the air into the skin, providing it with much needed hydration.
What Those Under-Eye Bags Are Saying
We’re constantly thinking – in fact, our thoughts are the major cause of our daily stress – we just can’t stop thinking! Having a lot on our mind can keep us from getting enough beauty sleep. In turn, it is known to result in accumulation of fluids below your lower eyelid resulting in a puffy mess in the morning. Note: This condition worsens if we sleep on our stomach, for then we have gravity working against us too.
What Can You Do?
Get some good rest – at least eight hours of good quality sleep. Night sleeping should ideally be in the dark, hence it would be a good idea to shut off your electronic devices before going to bed. If you have trouble falling asleep without spending time on your phone first (it’s a habit many of us have), try downing a cup of caffeine-free chamomile tea to help you feel calm and relaxed before bed.
In the beginning, you may still wake up with puffy eyes in the morning. Try this: Pop a spoon into the fridge, and hold the back of the spoon up to your under-eye area and massage it from the inner to the outer corner of your eye to jumpstart the fluid’s drainage. Then, apply concealer in an inverted triangle under your eye. The effect will be slow, but it will be noticable.
In today’s world, stress seems inevitable, yet, there are simple solutions that can make all the difference in showing a face that appears to be a totally relaxed and stress free.
