Better Skin in 5 Days: Day 1 De-Stress

We all know stress is not good for us.

I used to think I needed to buy every self-help book, listen to every self-help guru, and chant every day to achieve that level of stress-free BS you see certain "gurus" preaching, but the truth is you can sprinkle in a few simple hacks throughout your day.

How much better do we feel when we are on vacation, where we can decompress and chill the F out? Your mental state is on point, your body no longer feels tense, and your skin is glowing. 

Prioritizing your stress may be one of the best things you can do to keep that glowing vaca skin.

Why Your Skin Needs You to Chill

Stress causes cortisol levels to surge, which increases your appetite, which means you are probably not reaching for a carrot when you are hungry. No way, you want sugar, and you want a lot of it. The bummer is that all that sugar breaks down collagen & elastin, the proteins that give your skin firmness. Which can lead to acne, and dry & dull skin. Boo! 

Sleep? What's that? If you are stressed out, and dealing with night sweats, I bet you aren't getting the full 7-9 hours that adults 18-64 years old need. As soon as the sun sets, especially over winter, we are more susceptible to stressors like our metabolism falling. Your blood isn't circulating, waste products aren't removed so your skin is less nourished, and more vulnerable to nasty bacterial invades. Gross. 

So, what the filth do we do? 

I'm sure you've heard it a gazillion times, but meditation is one of the best tools we can use to decrease our stress levels. And, the best part is you can find FREE meditations online, at any time. My fav app is Insight Timer.

First timer? Start with 5 minutes. Don't love being guided? You can listen to binaural beats, or waves crashing. Can't sit still, and want to pull your hair out just thinking of meditating? Check out my next goto stress buster. 

A moving "meditation" is what I call getting your workout and meditation in at the same time. Put on some music you love and dance. Let your mind be free as you let your body just move. Shake it loose and focus on your breath.

Word vomiting before you sleep can be super therapeutic. Write down everything that happened that day. Get it all out. Get that sh*t onto paper and I promise it will help you sleep more soundly. 

Stress is a doozy, but there are things we can do to help. Your skin wants and needs you to address those things first, so it can breathe.