Stress is a complex thing. It can often feel like it’s only happening in your mind. Like it’s just an emotion that will soon pass. But stress has a very real impact on your body. In fact, over 75% of people experience stress that affects their physical health.
Your skin is part of that equation. After all, it’s your body’s largest organ. Your overall health can often be reflected in your skin and when skin issues arise, it’s usually your body’s way of telling you something isn’t quite right on the inside. Stress is no exception.
How does stress impact your skin?
As soon as you start feeling stressed, your body springs into action. It’s an evolutionary “fight or flight” response. Your body wants to protect you from harm, so it starts overproducing a stress hormone called cortisol.
Cortisol is responsible for the inflammation in your body. Sometimes inflammation is a good thing, like when it’s protecting you against infection. But too much inflammation can cause serious health problems and skin issues.
Stress-induced symptoms manifest themselves differently in everyone. Some people might experience acne breakouts, dryness, irritation, or signs of aging. Others might get flare-ups that worsen pre-existing skin conditions, especially those of us with sensitive skin conditions like psoriasis and rosacea.
On top of all that, the spike in cortisol levels can impact your immune system and slow down your body’s healing process. This makes it harder for skin cells to turnover and symptoms to be soothed.
How can you manage stressed-out skin?
We’ll be the first to admit that managing stress isnot easy. It can come without warning and sometimes the triggers are simply out of our control.
But thereare ways to reduce the effects of stress on your skin (and your entire body). Here are our top 5 tips for minimizing stress and cultivating more calm in your life.
- Take time to relax.
This might seem like an obvious one, but it’s too important not to be number one. Sometimes, you just need a break. Make time for yourself—away from work and obligations and screen time—to do the things you love. Read. Travel. Try something new. Even if you only have 10 minutes, take them. You deserve rest and relaxation in your daily life—and your skin will thank you for it.
- Make positive lifestyle changes.
The skin is a reflection of your overall health. That’s why even the smallest changes toward a healthier lifestyle can make a lasting difference in how your skin looks and feels.
Exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet, stay hydrated, and get a good night’s sleep. Start making these things a habit and you will start seeing the positive results in your skin. Plus, you’ll feel stronger, more focused, and more energized from head to toe.
- Try the SING method.
This is a personal favourite of our founder, Elaine. Stress has always been a major trigger for her sensitive skin. But after years of practice, she’s developed some helpful strategies to manage stress and steer clear of flare-ups. She calls this one the SING method:
S—Stop what you’re doing.
I—Inhale. Take a long, deep breath.
N—Notice your feelings, thoughts, and surroundings.
G—Gently refocus your attention on something positive.
With the SING method, you can break any anxious moment down into small, manageable steps. This allows you to focus on something you can control: your breath, your body, and what you can see in front of you.
- Meditation and breathwork.
The SING method touches on this, but there’s a whole world of meditation and breathwork styles that can have a transformative effect on stress.
Meditation has been scientifically proven to improve stress levels, and completely alleviate them after just 8 weeks of regular practice. If you’re new to meditation, try starting off with just 5 or 10 minutes per day and search for guided meditations on YouTube or apps like Insight Timer.
Deep breathing and other forms of breathwork are also incredible for the body’s stress response—which means they benefit the skin too. Many people have noticed their acne clear after adding breathwork to their daily practice. Breathwork can also boost the lymphatic system, which is responsible for clearing out toxins and keeping your skin glowing. There are so many different types of breathwork, but here’s a simple favourite of ours:
Two deep inhales through the mouth. First into the stomach, then into the chest.
One long exhale through the mouth.
Repeat for 5 minutes.
- Simplify your skincare routine.
Is your skincare shelf overflowing with bottles and jars? Feel like you’ve been tryingfar too many products lately? Or maybe you’ve been experimenting with active ingredients that have only caused irritation?
This is your sign to scale back your skincare routine. Your skin needs time and space to unwind and regenerate. With simple, gentle skincare ingredients and just 3-5 steps, you can soothe skin stress without sacrificing a healthy glow.
Opt for an all-natural line (like Iremia) that’s filled with calming and hydrating ingredients so your skin can rebalance and recover. Our mindset is "less is more", so you can be sure that our Restorative Facial Oil, Soothing Lotion, and Protective Cream will soothe, re-balance and strengthen your skin, without overwhelming it.
Pro tip: incorporating a facial massage with your hands will help ease tension in your face, allowing for lymphatic drainage and detoxification.
Reminder: be kind to yourself.
Stress is something that all of us deal with. As you implement these tips for calm, glowing skin, be patient with yourself and your body. Stress management takes time and you are doing your best. If you need any moral support, we’re always here to help.
