In today's world, especially with everything that has happened over the past few months, we don’t blame you if you find yourself feeling completely overwhelmed.
Not only does this type of stress take a real toll on your health and your happiness, but it also wreaks havoc on your skin, yes really!
In this article, I want to share just how stress affects the skin, as well as how a regular mindfulness and deep breathing ritual really can make ALL the difference!
So if it’s been a while since you put yourself first, and if your nerves are shot, then this post has come at just the right time, look at it as a sign to slow down and treat yourself right.
Stress and cortisol
Ah cortisol, our old friend. Not!
We know you all too well but have yet to become comfortable with you.
In case you are incredibly confused reading this, cortisol is your stress hormone, involved in many different bodily processes from regulating blood pressure to reducing inflammation when it is balanced and released as it should be.
However, an overload of stress can cause cortisol to run rampant through your veins, as this hormone is released in response to stressful situations.
As humans, we naturally do deal with stress every now and again and need cortisol to help our bodies know how to handle the stress. It’s when we become chronically stressed that problems start to arise.
Too much cortisol in your body can actually increase inflammation, which lowers immunity and increases your risk of disease in the long-term.
If that’s not bad enough, cortisol can actually increase sebum in your skin (hello breakouts!) as well as break down collagen, a structural protein essential for youthful, plump skin!
How can a mindfulness practice help to reduce cortisol in my body?
Taking time for yourself, doing something you love can go a long way in starting to calm your nerves, thus reducing the amount of cortisol released on a daily basis.
In fact, deep breathing every day is one of the best things you can do for your health, your mind and your skin!
Studies show that deep breathing can help to suppress the response of inflammatory genes, which in turn reduces internal inflammation.
Deep breathing also helps to stimulate lymph flow, which aids in flushing toxins from your system that may have manifested as inflammation along with pesky skin issues.
If your mind is busy all day long with chatter and thoughts that do not serve you or help you to be as productive as you’d like, then I think you may benefit from this wonderful yoga flow!
We hope this article has inspired you to take care of your mind, first and foremost.
Using healthy skincare products along with a healthy lifestyle and daily self-love ritual is your best way to have beautiful, clean, radiant skin!
All of our products are free from toxins and bursting in fatty acids to drastically reduce external inflammation in your skin.
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