Could Stress be Causing Your Skin to Age Faster?

How your skin looks and how healthy it is is directly connected to your stress levels. According to experts, research has proven that the stress hormone cortisol is responsible for breaking down collagen and causing inflammation when you’re stressed, meaning that you could be in lined for flare ups of adult acne, rosacea and psoriasis. And, of course, you’ll also be more at risk of premature lines and wrinkles. It isn’t just a coincidence that when you’re stressed you’re more prone to breakouts. Dermatologists regularly see patients who experience stress-related spots, wrinkles and rashes – it can even aggravate infectious diseases such as herpes and shingles. If you suffer from hives or eczema, this can also be made worse in times of extreme stress. The vicious cycle of itching and rubbing, which then makes the condition worse, can get particularly bad during this time, leading to the skin thickening which perpetuates the problem. Conditions which are made worse by stress range from acne which is picked and made worse by a nervous patients to more severe problems, such as prurigo nodularis – this is an intractable condition which involves a relentless itch and chronic picking or itching of the skin. The more stressed you are, the worse you make the problem, in turn making you more stressed – the cycle is perpetual.

 

The relationship between the feeling of itching and the reflex to scratch at it is obvious – mention lice or scabies to someone and they immediately feel the need to scratch at their skin. However, researchers are still unsure why and how stress can cause itching. There are obviously genetic factors which influence how prone we are to stress-related skin disorders, as our hormones play a big role, but the impact of stress determines far more than was once thought. Stress is more likely to increase the levels of natural chemicals in the skin and blood vessels, which could increase the redness and blood flow in that area. This leads to common problems such as rosacea. Stress has also been proven to affect the immune system, which can often make people more susceptible to infectious diseases.

Finding ways to manage your stress levels is the best way to calm your skin and reduce the levels of cortisol in the body. Stress not only takes its toll on your skin but also your mind and other areas of your body, such as your heart. Try to find the source of your stress – this will often determine how you deal with it. For example, if your stress is being caused by your job then you know that something here needs to change, be it your hours or the job itself. Talk to friends and family and seek their support – they may be able to calm you down and help you to see the bigger picture. Relaxing activities such as yoga or Pilates may help, and will also be good for your body overall. Or simply taking some time out of an evening to relax with a warm bath or reading a book may be all you need to lower your stress levels. Try to maintain healthy skin habits as well, such as an effective cleanse, tone and moisturising routine to keep your skin clear and glowing. If you’re worried about your skin, or it doesn’t seem to be improving with your lifestyle changes, try speaking to a dermatologist who may be able to help you get to the root of the problem.

Categories: ageing, infectious diseases, itching, levels, skin, skincare, Stress, Stress Levels, stress related, worse

How to Determine the Source of Your Stress

Research from the American Institute of Stress suggests that the majority of people in America, and other areas of the world as well, suffer from the same effects of stress on a regular basis. 77 percent of people regularly experience the common symptoms of stress, including an upset stomach, fatigue and headaches. Likewise, 73 percent of people experience the psychological symptoms as well as the physical, which include anger, lethargy and irritability. 48 percent of people feel that this has a negative impact on both their personal and professional lives, which could worsen over time. For nearly a third of the people questioned, stress is a common factor of everyday life which resurfaces regularly. Stress related illnesses cost employers in American over $300 billion each year, due to absences. Stress, it seems, isn’t just a problem for individuals but for the larger group as well.

There are two types of stress – good and bad. Good stress helps your body motivate itself when under threat, with your mind setting off a chemical reactions which kicks your body into gear when it’s necessary. While this would have once been a physical ‘run or fight’ situation when faced with threatening animals, times have changed and we rarely have to face something physical when this stress comes into play. The chemical reaction is still prevalent though and heightens your awareness to situations so you can act accordingly, such as hitting the brake on your car when a cut cuts you up on the motorway, for example. While it may not always feel particularly good, this type of stress is good for you and offers an immediate response to the world around you. However, bad stress is different. Work is a big cause of stress for many people, which is when stress lingers for a long period of time. This form of stress leads to headaches and illnesses, which you want to avoid.

You can avoid and limit bad stress though, which is the good news. Growth and changes in your life can be difficult to get your head around, but they’re necessary to avoid illnesses. You will need to step up to the challenge or you’ll flounder for months and become more stressed by the work commitments you face. If you’re struggling, speak to someone – there’s no shame in asking for help.

Categories: Stress, stress related, work

Stressed? Your Heart Health May Be at Risk

Not only can stress take its toll on your emotional wellness, but it can also seriously impact your heart health. This is according to three different studies which have recently found that stress can put your wellbeing at risk of heart disease and heart attacks.

Published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, the first study evaluated elderly people’s hair to identify levels of cortisol – the stress hormones. About 300 seniors took part, and the researchers at the Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, found that those with elevated cortisol levels over a period of time were more likely to be at risk for cardiovascular disease.

Study co-author Laura Manenschijn, MD, said in a press release, ‘Because scalp hair can capture information about how cortisol levels have changed over time, hair analysis gives us a better tool for evaluating that risk.’ Study coauthor Elisabeth van Rossum, MD, PhD, also noted, ‘The data showed a clear link between chronically elevated cortisol levels and cardiovascular disease.’

According to another recent study, this time published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, your risk for stress-related heart attack when you’re an unemployed middle-aged to elderly person increases further with each subsequent job loss. John Higgins, MD, a sports cardiologist at the University of Texas Health Science Centre in Houston, explained, ‘In a very stressful situation [like unemployment], you can actually get a severe release of adrenaline and sympathetic nerve discharges that cause the heart to beat irregularly.

Kavitha Chinnaiyan, MD, director of cardiac imaging at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan, added, ‘Most of us know the common risk factors for heart disease, like high cholesterol, high blood pressure and genetics, but about 25 to 35% of heart disease remains unexplained. Psychosocial factors likely play a role in these unexplained cases. More and more studies have been looking at stress, anger, sudden stress and major life changes like losing a job, and all of these can have a major effect on cardiovascular events.’

Finally, researchers from the Boston University School of Medicine, New York Medical College, and the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, published a study in Medical Hypotheses, in which it was found that stress-managing yoga helped atrial fibrillation patients maintain their health and stay on treatment. Lead study author Chris Streeter, MD, associate professor of psychiatry at BUSM and Boston Medical Centre, commented, ‘Western and Eastern medicine complement one another. Yoga is known to improve stress-related nervous system imbalances.’

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Stressed? Your Heart Health May Be at Risk

Categories: cardiovascular disease, cortisol levels, elevated cortisol, heart disease, heart health, medical centre, Research, Stress, stress related, unemployment