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Understanding the Stress – Skin Connection: Managing Stress for Healthier Skin

Our body and mind are intricately connected, and even a slight imbalance in one can significantly affect the other. A common example of this is stress. Psychological stress can be challenging not only for the mind but also for the body, particularly the skin, which is one of the largest organs. The connection between stress and chronic skin diseases like Atopic Dermatitis (AD) is profound.

Stress impacts many neurological, metabolic, and immune pathways linked to the progression of chronic skin diseases like AD. It can impair skin barrier function, trigger pro-inflammatory factors causing redness and inflammation, and alter the immune response, compromising disease resistance. Consequently, stress worsens AD, and the deteriorated state of the skin further exacerbates stress. This reciprocal relationship underscores the importance of managing stress as a vital part of AD management.

It is crucial to seek professional help for stress management and skin care. Consulting a dermatologist and, if necessary, a psychiatrist can ensure both stress and skin health are properly addressed. Meanwhile, indulging in hobbies, taking prescribed medications regularly, exercising, practicing yoga, and establishing a bedtime ritual can all contribute to better skin health.

A happier mind leads to happier, healthier skin.

We hope this article helps you. For further information or guidance, reach out to your GOQii Skin Coach.

#BeTheForce

Reference –

Evers AWM, van Beugen S. How stress affects the skin: from designs to mechanisms. Br J Dermatol. 2021 Jul;185(1):12-13. doi: 10.1111/bjd.20397. Epub 2021 Jun 11. PMID: 34114221; PMCID: PMC8361690.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for general awareness and educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalised medical guidance or concerns related to your health.

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Hobbies: Your Stress-Relief Allies

Why are we stressed?

In this competitive world, there is lots of work and also lots of pressure of all sorts and from all sides. Given this backdrop, one is stressed not only physically, but also mentally.

We are constantly in the race to compete with one another and working hard to get the best in any given situation for ourselves and our families. These days there’s a huge percentage of youth suffering from depression, hypertension, diabetes or even hormonal disorders.

Research has proved how spending just a few minutes with ourselves during the day or over the weekend can help us de-stress ourselves. That’s not all, involving ourselves in a hobby can enhance our efficiency as hobbies give us relief from our monotonous routine. These help in reducing stress hormone Cortisol, which also plays a role ranging from fat accumulation to hormonal imbalance.

What about reviving an old childhood hobby or getting to learn something new? Remember, age is no consideration to make a new beginning. Here are a few hobbies which one may like to take up to relieve stress.

Art/Craft: This makes you get creative and learn different forms from Pottery to Quilling/Painting and Sketching. Spend some time with your sketch book at the end of the day. Join a class over the weekend and get creative skills to relieve your stress.

Music/Playing an instrument: These can really help us improve Neuroplasticity, that is brain can process new information in a better way. A weekend or evening class can boost these skills. Form a group of friends who can join together and remain motivated to learn something new.

Sports/Dance: Whatever you choose, will always make you feel motivated and bring some activity into your life. Dance can boost happy hormones and help in forgetting the day/week long pressures at work.

Gardening/Bird watching/Connecting with Nature: Nature in itself is so healing for the mind, body and soul. Birds, flowers and plants help us feel that we are blessed by Mother Nature. Feeling gratitude and relaxed in watching some birds fly can make the stress fly away. Spending some time over the weekend potting some plants can be really rejuvenating. Can plant some micro greens for daily salads too.

Photography: Digital technology has made cameras within everybody’s reach. Even with mobile phones, we can take pictures anywhere at any time. This will not only relieve our stress but would also make ourselves more sensitive to our surroundings.

Mind/Board Games: Chess, Sudoku, Scrabble can help us improve mental faculties and can make a positive impact on the process of ageing. It will not only prevent Alzheimer’s disease but also anxiety and help improve fine motor skills.

Therefore, doing something creative, which we really enjoy, to break the monotonous routine will make us have a healthy mind in a healthy body.

Let’s spend some time early morning in the kitchen garden or balcony to take care of the plants. Take out the camera for an evening outing with friends or family. Or play some music or at least an indoor game on a weekend or after office hours and be happy.

While you conclude reading this blog, make up your mind to make a new beginning with some hobby to relieve yourself from stress and add some joy to your life.

#BeTheForce 

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Avoid Stress: Lead a healthy and happy life!

Stress

Do you forever feel your shoulders are burdened with too many responsibilities? Do you feel endless demands towing at you from all directions? Do you feel your life is spinning out of control? It’s easy to feel stressed. But, regardless of your circumstances, only you can bring about a balance from within you and not form your surroundings?     

Given the fast-paced lifestyle that all of us lead, we get hassled and irritated by the most inconsequential incidents that automatically lead the stress levels to go up. Come to think of it, there is no dearth for reasons for our stress levels to go up. But, does anyone really know how harmful stress is to our health?

Before understanding how harmful it is let’s first understand what is stress?

Stress is a normal part of life. It’s related to many events that happen to you and around you — and many things that you do yourself — put stress on your body. You can experience stress from your environment, your body, and your thoughts. It is the body’s reaction to any change that requires an adjustment or response. The body reacts to these changes with physical, mental, and emotional responses.

The human body is designed to experience stress and react to it. Stress can be positive, keeping us alert and overwhelmed. And, stress becomes negative when a person faces continuous challenges without relief or relaxation between challenges. As a result, the person becomes overworked and stress-related tension builds.

High levels of stress can cause biological imbalances in our body. Cortisol Hormone is the hormone that puts the body under stress. Cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands when an individual is under stress and affects one’s health in a negative manner. The most crucial effect is of one’s immune system and weight.

Stress also leads to excessive mood swings which can be categorized as Worry, Tension, Tiredness, Fright, Happiness, Depression, Anxiety and Anger all of which takes a toll on one’s health.

When stress overpowers, the body is flooded with chemicals that prepare to “fight or flight.” The Stress responses could be lifesaving at the time of emergency situation where our body needs to act quickly; it wears your body down when constantly activated by the stress of everyday life. Relaxation or meditation puts a break on this heightened state of readiness and brings your body and mind back into a calmer state.

Stress management can be a powerful tool for wellness and healthy living. Here are a few tips to de-stress yourself

1. Meditation

2. Deep Breathing

3. Be Alert

4. Relaxation

5. Laugh Out Loud

6. Listening to soft music

7. Strolling in the park

8. Chasing your hobbies

Apart from above options, try keeping a diary over a few weeks and list the time, places, and people that aggravate your stress levels. Once you are aware of your typical or regular stressors, you can always work on avoiding those.

Follow these options and life will automatically turn beautiful!

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5 SIMPLE WAYS TO OVERCOME STRESS

5 SIMPLE WAYS TO OVERCOME STRESS
There is no escape from stress. Stress has become an inseparable part of urban lifestyle. Research studies across the world continually uncover new ways in which stress can negatively impact both the physical health and emotional health of a person. With so much at stake, shouldn’t we learn how to battle and overcome stress?

Not only depression and anxiety are associated with Stress, people with excessive stress seldom respond to treatments. This increases their vulnerability to common ailments like the flu, common cold and even heart diseases.

Now that you know how bad stressing over that deadline can be for you, here are 5 simple and easy ways that will empower you to beat stress:

Spend time with yourself – Stay away from your smartphone/computer/tablet and spend some time with yourself. The reason behind your stress can be an overload of information that happens as a result of being constantly connected with the world through your devices. Ensure you make time for yourself; even a 10 minute break where you switch off all devices and spend some quality time enjoying nothing but the silence will help you feel more stress-free at the end of the day.

Stop stressing over stress – A little bit of stress can actually do you some good. A small amount of stress can be the trigger that pushes you to the optimum level of productivity. It’s just stressing to the point that you’re always stressed out which does you harm.

Take relaxing baths – Most of us feel better after a hot bath. It relaxes sore and tired muscles and takes away the stress. It’s been discovered that a bath washes away negative thoughts and feelings like remorse, post-decision doubt, and guilt. So go ahead and spend some extra time soaking in hot bath/shower and you will feel more relaxed.

Follow your passions – It just cannot be that you do not have any passion or hobby. In the busy schedules that we have one often forgets that they have a hobby that they can pursue.  Pursuing your hobbies can do more than just build your skill set. It also helps you beat stress. Pursue activities those are enjoyable and stimulating to the brain. This will only uplift your mood and even lowers blood pressure levels.

It could be cooking, playing, painting or listening to music doing something you are passionate about.

Make time to exercise – Believe it or not, more often than not your stress is a result of frustration. And exercising is the best way to channel all anger and frustration in to doing something constructive. It also releases serotonin in the body that uplifts your mood, makes you feel energized and keeps the harmful impacts of stress at bay.

Believe me, it’s not that hard to beat stress. As long as you keep in mind that the goal is to still all inner ‘chatter’ and focus on unwinding and relaxing. It doesn’t always have to be yoga and meditation; simple fun activities that you enjoy doing are just as effective in battling stress. The key to stay stress-free is to experiment, explore and be open to new ideas that could quiet your mind and make you deal with your problems more effectively.

If this article helped you, let us know your thoughts in the comments below. You can find more articles and techniques to beat stress here. You can also reach out to a GOQii Coach for expert guidance by subscribing to Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce  

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