We all know that stress can affect our health, but it affects more than that

We’ve all experienced stress at some point in our lives. Sometimes stress can cause headaches, or mess with our sleep schedules. But did you know stress can also affect our skin? From acne, to itchiness, to dryness… stress is no joke.

Luckily, there are plenty of ways to rejuvenate our skin, as well as address our stress. We want to get back to our day-to-day lives without the added misery that stressed-out skin can bring. To keep both bodies and minds thriving, it’s important that we understand the effects of stress on skin, how it happens, and how best to manage this.

So stress affects our skin… how?

When your body feels stressed, it releases hormones such as adrenaline to fight back and keep you safe. Which, unless you need to fight something, or actually run away from whatever the stress is, is not always very helpful.

This heightened adrenaline can increase the production of pro-inflammatory cells, resulting in that horrid itchiness we all know and hate.

Increased production of stress hormones in turn lessens the production of epidermal lipids and structural proteins

It’s not just adrenaline – your body also releases cortisol to give you a boost in energy and regulate your blood pressure in times of stress. But this has a few unwanted side effects, like rapid weight gain and increased chance of bruising. While weight gain isn’t a bad thing, such a sudden change in body weight can add an extra layer of stress.

Psychological stress can also cause harm to your skin through its impact on hormone production. Increased production of stress hormones in turn lessens the production of epidermal lipids and structural proteins. This disrupts the epidermal barrier – a layer of moisture on top that protects it from harmful microbes. Without it, your skin is left exposed to potential damage, which can cause even more itchiness, acne, dryness and rough patches… And that’s the last thing you need when you’re already stressed.

The bad habits…

We all fall into bad habits sometimes, especially when we’re stressed. And depending on your chosen vice, this could be anything from picking at our skin or biting our nails, to eating junk food and drinking more alcohol.

Like anything, it’s about moderation…

These habits aren’t always bad per se. Eating a trashy meal occasionally can definitely improve mental health, for example, and lessen stress. Like anything, it’s about moderation, and making sure these habits don’t overtake us and cause more harm than good.

Too many fatty foods, too much alcohol, and too much smoking can speed up the production of free radicals in your body. These are oxidants that break down cells, accelerating things like tighter skin, hair loss, greying and wrinkles.

How to help your skin thrive

Dietary changes can be great for lessening the effects of stress on skin. Cutting down on fatty junk food and consuming more antioxidants like berries, dark chocolate and coffee can help slow down the production of free radicals. This will help to minimise any sudden changes to your skin, keeping your mind free to focus on destressing.

Relieving stress through meditation, yoga, or mindfulness can be greatly beneficial to both mental health and our bodies too. By learning calming techniques and better ways of managing stress, your skin will radiate with both health and inner peace.

And by learning mindfulness, you focus more on your own body, which makes it easier to catch yourself before you start biting your nails or reaching for a Marlboro!

Keep your skin glowing

And, of course, proper skincare is important to not only repair your skin after the effects of stress, but to keep up a healthy glow. For that, Silver has you covered.

If stress has damaged your skin, you want to be regenerating stem cells. Regenerating serums are great for helping you along the healing process. Allow yourself to focus on destressing your mind without worrying about itchy skin and acne.

If you’re looking to keep your skin refreshed after a long day, consider some collagen face cream or eye gel. Not only are they wonderfully relaxing, but they help keep eyebags away so you can both look and feel rejuvenated.

Whichever you choose, stick to products that care for your skin, not ones that hide your wrinkles. Proper skincare is about nourishing your skin and allowing yourself to flourish. So instead of buying into anti-ageing nonsense, focus on what really matters: you! Embrace your most authentic self – wrinkles and all – and let your stresses wash away, not your age.