Stress is an indispensable part of our life that causes skin problem and affects body. Without understanding how it affects our mind and body we either try to live with it or fight against it. To cope with stress we need to understand why or how it occurs and then try to minimize it, as eliminating it fully is out of our hands.

Stress can make your body suffer from the deficiency essential vitamins as well as minerals. Especially vitamin C, E and B. This causes lethargy, less focused mental activities, drying out as well as aging of the skin and in many others an increase in sebaceous gland activity- which normally brings about postules, rosacea and acne- which brings more stress as we then turned out to be more entangled in how the others see our physical appearance.

stress affects body

What is stress?

Stress is natural. It is the external forces affecting individuals. The way the individual responds to the stressors will determine whether the individual is stressed or not. You can define it as anything that causes emotional, psychological or physical strain.

Types of stress

Stress can be subdivided into eustress, acute stress, episodic acute stress and chronic stress.

• Eustress is actually the excitement and fun that we enjoy, like watching a movie or a game or chasing a target. It actually keeps us alive.
• Acute stress is a short term stress that can have positive or negative effects. Watching a horror movie or a road rage is an example of acute stress.
  Episodic acute stress is where stress forms part of life and life becomes chaotic.
• Chronic stress is the stress that is infinite and we cannot escape it like a hectic job or a disturbed relationship. This type of stress causes burnout and calls for immediate attention.

How stress cause skin problems and affects our body health

A stressful situation triggers certain reactions in our body. This response to threat is known as fight-or-flight response. Hormones like adrenalin and cortisol are released in large quantities which speed our heart rate, increase blood flow to major muscle groups, slow digestion, affect nervous systems and give us a burst of energy. Originally our body was tuned to fight physically against danger. But now this mechanism is stimulated in situations like in office or in a verbal fight where this energy is unnecessary. When the threat subsides our body comes back to normal function. But under chronic stress this may not happen and our body gets damaged.
Let us now see how stress affects our body.

• Heart

When we frequently go through fight-or-flight and relaxation response, the heart behaves erratically causing damage to it. We may develop high blood pressure and eventually other heart diseases will follow.

• Digestion

Our digestive system slows down and this leads to a whole lot of digestive problems. Our body does not get the nutrients it requires. This affects the immunity system of the body.

• Other stress related diseases

Due to improper digestion and change in blood flow problems like diabetes, sexual dysfunction, hyperthyroidism, ulcers and hair loss also shoots up. Eating disorders often leads to obesity.

• Stress causes skin problem

When blood flows to vital organs of the body, the skin gets less nourishment. It gets starved of nutrients and oxygen. It becomes dull, dry, pores clog up and it loses its shine. Free radicals increase in the body leading to premature aging of the skin. In fact stress triggers skin conditions like acne, eczema and warts to name a few. We tend to eat junk food when we are stressed and this aggravates the skin problems. Stress affects our lifestyle adversely which shows on our skin.

• Manifestations of stress

Stress manifests itself in a variety of emotional, behavioral and physical forms. The manifestations will differ for each individual depending on their ability to cope with it. The most common symptoms are headache, sleep disorders, fatigue, muscle tension, gastrointestinal disorders, anxiety, nervousness, mood changes and eating disorders.
People who are stressed develop inclinations towards some unhealthy practices like indulging in drugs, alcohols, smoking and overeating. All these unhealthy behaviors lead to poor management of stress and further aggravate the situation by fueling the symptoms of stress.
What is stressful for one person may not be so for another one. Our capacity to withstand it depends on our physical health, our responsibilities, quality of our interpersonal relationships and our expectations from ourselves and others.

Stress management

Having discussed all the relevant facts about stress let us see how we can effectively cope with it.

• Exercise

Physical exercises release hormones like endorphins that help us to relax. Exercising in any form or involving in sports is a great stress buster.

• Sleep

Try to get adequate sleep as it is the best de-stressor. It helps our body to rejuvenate. Sleep deficiency often causes dull and dry skin. Take a bath or an oil massage before hitting the bed. This will help in releasing accumulated stress.

• De-stress

Find ways that may help you to de-stress. A hot oil massage, a stroll in the park or a chat with a friend can be great for you. Reading books, listening to music or engaging in some hobby will definitely help you. Develop you social network and keep in touch with friends. Take short vacations to unwind.
Meditation has great healing power and gives us strength to fight stress.
Lastly, make realistic goals and do not expect much. Enjoy healthy competition but do not over do it.

Remember that life is a happy journey with its twists and turns which should be enjoyed and not fretted over.

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