A Wren Says

Okay, so we know that stress can impact your skin. From wrinkles, to acne, to psoriasis, all of those conditions get worse when you get overwhelmed by the stress in your life. So of course, one of the ways to improve is to reduce your stress. Here are few ways you can reduce your stress, and in turn, lessen its impact on your skin.

I won’t belabor this point. You have likely already heard about the importance of mindfulness and meditation from so many sources. Maybe you already have a meditation and mindfulness practice. But maybe you have told yourself you can’t meditate. You might need to expand your definition of the practice. Instead, think about taking up hobby you can focus on intently, like floral design, painting. Find something you enjoy and let yourself be in the moment.

Massage can be a helpful tool to help clear your mind and reduce anxiety. The practice helps stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system. The pressure improves your physiological signs of stress, like heartbeat and breath rate.

Engaging in exercise helps to improve the beneficial neurotransmitters in your brain, called endorphins.  Beyond affecting your mood, serotonin and dopamine have anti-inflammatory effects that benefit your skin.

Just being with people may make it easier to deal with stressors. You can talk to them about your problems and receive support, but just being around others can alter your perception of stress. Being around friends make problems seem not so big.

But even if you think you don’t have friends, being around people is better than being alone. Just talking to the barista briefly before sitting in a coffee shop, silently reading a book by yourself can help. Having more interactions with more people is better for your mental health.

Of course, there are many more practices you could use to handle your stress. Feel free to leave your favorites in the comments. In the meantime, here are 7 additional activities you could try as well.