Do you get stressed out at work and wake up with a big red pimple the next day? This may come as a shock to most, but did you know that your mood could actually mess with your skin and aesthetic appearance?
In fact, just like how it’s depicted in Pixar film Inside Out, your feelings and thoughts affect you more ways than you think. You’d be surprised, but there are specific emotions that can mess up your skin!
You might have heard of this saying: beauty is only skin deep. This is true as far as the relationship between your physical appearance and moods are concerned. Whilst you harbour negative emotions in your heart, you could also be deteriorating your skin condition. Mind you, there are plenty of other factors that play a role in improve or worsening one’s skin condition. However, it is noteworthy for us to highlight the relevance and impact of emotions and mood swings on one’s skin condition.
Feeling curious yet? Read on to find out how your mood can affect your skin.
Stress and Acne
This mood is no stranger to anyone and can sometimes be helpful and motivating. However, being overwhelmed with stress could have an adverse effect on your aesthetic health. You might have already guessed this: stress causes breakouts and pimples and this probably explain why you see more zits on your face when you’re rushing towards a tight and important deadline.
More specifically, stress causes excess production of sebum which leads to clogged pores and breakouts. Furthermore, stress can also cause rashes.
Anger and Wrinkles
When you are angry (especially when you are arguing with someone), you tend to frown. Frequent frowning can cause wrinkles to form between your brows. Being angry too often will also affect your sleep, and we know that can cause signs of ageing to appear too (because our skin and body repair themselves best when we sleep).
Sadness and Dull Skin
Everyone gets sad sometimes. But being sad for too long affects your skin too. If you have had a long night of crying over a breakup or failure, you’d normally wake up to crusty eyes and a puffy face. This could make your skin look unhealthy and tired even after one sad night!
Extreme sadness could also affect how you take care of your skin in the long term when your emotions consume you so badly that you start neglecting personal grooming.
Astonishment and more Wrinkles
Normally, when people are extremely surprised, they’d tend to raise their eyebrows. However, this facial expression is known for causing the lines that appear on your forehead.It is not just an old wives’ tale because it has been actually studied and proven! A study by Celso M. de Melo and Jonathan Gratch outlines how shock and surprise lead one to make facial expressions that cause wrinkles at the forehead. If one continuously raises his/her eyebrows at a fast pace, skin could age at a faster rate.
Anxiety and Clogged Pores
The effects of anxiety can range from being mild to completely and utterly brutal to your physical and mental health, as well as aesthetic appearance.
First, anxiety affects your digestive system. This has an indirect impact on your skin as your body is not digesting and absorb nutrients properly – leading to pimples or dullness.
Second, anxiety causes excess sweating which could clog up your pores and lead to breakouts or formation of blackheads.
If the flight-or-fight hormone is constantly being triggered, the effects on your skin could be more severe.
Happiness and Clear Skin
Is happiness really one of the secrets to clear skin? There are several studies that point towards it.
Endorphins, also known as the “happy hormones”, are produced when you’re experiencing joy. This hormone is known to help with healing, which also mean that it can help your skin repair itself faster. Generally, a happy person is also more able to sustain a healthy lifestyle if she wants to, and focus more on personal grooming if it’s a priority to her.
I want Clear Skin, how do I manage my Negative Emotions?
1. Yoga breathing exercise
For anxiety, stress and anger, yoga breathing does play a huge role in regulating the heart rate and calming you down. Follow Adriene Mishler’s yoga breathing sequence below to manage your negative emotions.
2. Exercise
Exercise, especially when you are sad, stressed and just tired, is a great way to trigger the production of endorphins. In contrast to the flight-or-fight hormone, endorphins make you feel happy and satisfied. Be sure to find a workout that you actually enjoy, though. That way, you can easily relieve yourself of negative energy.
3. Pamper-me evenings
This is great for days when you are just worn out and done with life. Plan a couple of days in advance for some me-time and enjoy a glass of wine, bubble bath and face mask. This way, you have something to look forward to.
4. Vent it out in a Journal
Sometimes when you are embarrassed, you have no one to turn to. So pen your feelings down in a journal to just get the feels off your chest. Not only is it mentally therapeutic, journalling also helps you keep track of your day and is a harmless way to vent your frustrations without implicating anyone.
