If you've been feeling super stressed, you are not alone.
A recent Stress and Wellbeing survey conducted by the Australian Psychological Society APS) has found that 26 per cent of Australians are experiencing moderate to extremely severe symptoms of depression, and 26 per cent of Australians are experiencing above-normal levels of anxiety. This level of 'distress' is coming at us from all angles but financial issues are rated as the top stress, and according to the study we're lying awake thinking about it...
Ongoing long term stress not only trickles from our brains to our bodies; it can show up on our skin, too, or exacerbate existing psychological conditions that can then in turn wreak havoc on our complexions.
Here's what stress can do to your skin.
Stress can cause flare-ups and worsen pre-existing conditions.
Eczema acting up? Psoriasis flaring again? You might be stressed out. A flood of the hormone cortisol can tank your immune system, a response that takes a toll on your skin.
Lack of sleep makes it worse.
Even small stressors and anxieties can add up and negatively impact the quantity and quality of your sleep. And unfortunately, skipping out on sleep doesn’t just result in you wanting to take a nap under your desk at work. It can lead to swollen eyes and dark circles.
A daily eye gel packed with antioxidants like Liposome Eye Gel can help lighten and tighten the eye area; but there’s really no solution like getting a good eight hours of quality rest — and not just on the weekends but through the week. Sleep is when our neurons recharge and our brain does its repair. Get your sleep hygiene sorted here.
Superanxious times can make your hair fall out.
Telogen effluvium is a condition in which the number of hair follicles that are growing hair drops, which results in hair loss. Normally, hair has a predictable pattern of growing and falling out and growing again. But in cases of TE, less of the hair follows this pattern and the hair on the scalp thins. The cause is not completely understood, but there appears to be a link between chronic stress and TE. Doctors speculate that if your body is perceiving anxiety as a threat, it may not view growing hair as worth the energy.
Of course, on a less extreme scale, many of us have seen clumps of hair in the drain before (then gone straight to Google and diagnosed ourselves with a myriad of conditions). But thinning and shedding hair can be normal when you're experiencing heightened anxiety or stress. Fortunately, the effect reverses itself in calmer times.
If you've got any questions; please contact me here. I'd love to chat.
PS: As a Clinical Nutritionist, I offer FREE 15 minute complimentary health checks so book in for yours here x