Let’s face it – stress is unavoidable. Whether you’re struggling to keep your grades up in college or spending your days in an office setting, stress is a continuous part of the process. While avoiding stress may be impossible, managing your stress levels isn’t, and neither is preventing the effects of stress from interfering with your aesthetics. Discover how stress can take its toll on your beauty and what you can do to prevent it.
Overall Effects of Stress On Your Body and Health
One way to think of excessive stress is that it’s like an engine struggling to keep running long after it’s worn out and out of fuel. As you might imagine, this takes a serious toll on the body and it can manifest in major ways that cause smaller problems along the way. Here are some of the most significant ways that stress can wreak havoc on your body.
Insufficient Sleep
The lack of sleep caused by a high stress lifestyle is one of the most devastating effects for your looks as well as your health. Insufficient sleep can cause everything from wrinkles under the eyes to saggy cheeks. Ideally, it’s best to manage your stress so you can get a full eight hours per night to maximize your aesthetics.
Not Enough Water
When you’re stressed out, you’re very likely to not drink enough water. This can dry your skin out and cause it to peel and look flaky. By simply remembering to consume enough water each day, you’re doing a lot for the health and appearance of your skin.
Changes in Body Function
Your body responds heavily to stress and can be completely altered by it. One example of how stress can cause changes in your body is with premature hair loss. Excessive stress can reprogram your hair follicles to remain in a state of rest rather than growth. This is but one way excess stress can affect your health and beauty.
Specific Ways that Stress Affects Your Appearance
The ways stress can alter your appearance are many, and most of them stem from one of the three above categories. Also relevant is that most of these symptoms have their own cures as well. But to reduce all of them boils down to one factor – managing the stress in your life. Discover some of the most common issues that arise from a stressful lifestyle.
Dehydration and Stress Can Lead to Dry, Flaky Skin
Our skin is the body’s largest organ, and it can single-handedly make or break your look. The fact is, everything else can be on point, but if skin is dry, covered with blemishes, and cracking into flakes, it can ruin your entire look.
The cause of dry skin is obvious – dehydration. Maybe you’ve been partying a lot and consuming far more alcohol than water or your morning coffees have left you drier than usual. If you’re currently under a lot of stress, this can compound the problem, causing you to rely on caffeine and other drinks rather than water.
While lotions and facial cleansers may help your skin appear more vibrant, the healthiest way to protect your skin is to ensure you’re drinking enough water in your day-to-day life. Remember that this also means to factor in the beverages that dehydrate you, such as coffee and alcohol.
Stress and Sleep Affect the Health of Your Smile
While your teeth may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of beauty, there’s no doubt that a white, healthy smile is a crucial part of your overall look.
Dr. Christine Ally of Little Silver, New Jersey explains that “There is no doubt that excessive stress can have a negative impact on oral health and the ability to sleep properly.”
Specifically, stress can affect your smile and mouth in the following ways:
- Causes embarrassing canker sores
- Can lead to a damaging teeth-grinding habit (bruxism)
- Lapse in oral care habits
To keep your smile working towards your beauty, rather than against it, ensure that you get enough rest and keep your stress to a moderate level.
Bags Under Your Eyes Can Be Caused By Stress
One of the quintessential signs of too much stress and a lack of sleep are puffy bags that form under the eyes. These bags under the eyes contribute to aging and play a major role in making you appear older. You’ll see that they’re most prevalent in times of intense stress and may subside when your stress levels are well-managed.
Fortunately, people with bags under their eyes can find many solutions to their problem. Popular remedies range from placing slices of raw potato or cucumber over the eyes to applying a chilled spoon and ice water to the area.
Addressing the Problem – Managing the Stress in Your Life
The best way to prevent many of the cosmetic problems caused by stress is to effectively manage the stress in your own life. For most of us, stress is inescapable, but it doesn’t have to rule your life. Try these tips to ensure that you’re processing your stress in a healthy way:
- Minimize Sugar – When insulin levels are fluctuating, it can affect your mood.
- Find an exercise routine that you enjoy doing.
- Make a conscious effort to stay hydrated.
- Avoid chronically negative people when possible.
- Don’t put too much pressure on yourself in stressful situations.
Keeping Your Stress in Check Will Help You Retain Your Beauty
Stress has many effects on our bodies, and many of them manifest to affect our looks as well. From less than healthy looking skin to a variety of problems with your smile, the problems caused by stress can truly take their toll on your appearance if you let them. By staying hydrated and finding healthy ways to manage your stress levels, you can make great strides in avoiding these common beauty problems before they happen to you.
Nicholas Napier is a Navy Vet and MBA living in San Diego. He works as an SEO specialist and writer while hosting the Rogue Writers Podcast. His interests include philosophy, fitness, nutrition, and martial arts. For inquiries, email Nicholas.
