Five Ways Stress Makes You Age Faster
Stress and collagen: Five ways stress makes you age faster
We’re a society with a beauty industry that seems heavily geared towards slowing down the ageing process. Everywhere we look there are products that promise to make us look younger, that take away the tell-tale signs of the passing years. But while we’re probably all aware that the sun ages our skin, there’s one aspect of modern life that all too easily slips under the radar when it comes to the conversation around ageing, and that’s stress.
Stress is something we all experience, and it’s a normal part of day-to-day life. It’s when high levels of stress become chronic that it turns into a problem, and it’s then that the cortisol it releases can start to have a detrimental effect on your physical and mental wellbeing.
Fine lines and wrinkles
Fine lines and wrinkles are an inevitable part of the ageing process, as your skin loses collagen and elastin naturally as you get older. But stress can speed this up - there’s a reason we’ve all heard of ‘worry lines’ and ‘frown lines’.
Dull and dry skin
As we’ve seen, our skin naturally loses collagen and elastin as we get older, which can lead to dull skin that lacks radiance.
- Acne and skin healing
Wondering why you keep getting awful breakouts? It could be due to stress. To be more accurate, stress can’t actually cause acne, but studies have shown that if you’re already prone to it, it can make it worse.
- Grey hair
Research shows that “Stress can cause hair to grey prematurely by affecting the stem cells that are responsible for regenerating hair pigment.
- Muscle and joint pain
Aches and pains seem to be part and parcel of getting older, but again, stress can cause us to start feeling these pains sooner than we would otherwise. That’s because when we’re stressed, we tend to tense our muscles (often subconsciously). This tension not only causes muscle pain, but it can also lead to headaches.
Top tips for de-stressing
We all have different ways of coping with stress, so finding relief is a question of experimenting and seeing what works for you. Here are a few ideas for starters:
Breathe - simple breathing exercises can be surprisingly effective.
Exercise - the feel-good benefits of exercise are well-documented, whether it’s a restorative yoga session or a 5km run.
Less caffeine, more herbal tea - too much caffeine can add to the cortisol levels you experience when stressed, so swap that coffee for a soothing pot of chamomile tea to help calm your nerves.
Go screen-free - take some time away from the over-stimulation of your devices by switching them off and putting them in a drawer for a few hours. Why not read a book, cuddle the dog or cook a healthy dinner instead?
Watch a funny film - it’s said that ‘laughter is the best medicine’, so a funny film, television programme or podcast (if you’re going screen-free!) can work wonders for lifting you out of a stressed-out mood.
If you’re stressed out and your skin and hair are suffering, discover our collagen supplements for skin and see for yourself the way collagen can elevate your beauty routine from the inside out.
Written by guest blogger Rachel Ramsay.
