SKINCARE ROUTINE AND YOUR MENTAL HEALTH
If you’ve ever blushed, you know your skin can reflect your feelings. It makes sense, then, that emotional trouble might show up as skin trouble. Although cause and effect can be difficult to pin down, considerable data suggest that in some people, psychological factors can activate or worsen certain skin conditions. Recognizing and treating these psychological issues might help the skin, too, reports the November 2006 issue of Harvard Women’s Health Watch.
Interest in the mind-skin connection has led to a field called psychodermatology. Its aim is not to substitute psychotherapy for medicine, but to recognize emotional issues that may affect the way skin problems respond to medical treatment.
“The skin and the central nervous system are intertwined, both being derived from the same embryological source,” says Adam Friedman, MD, FAAD, an Associate Professor of Dermatology in the Department of Dermatology at George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, DC.
3 Ways a Skincare Routine Could Boost Your Mental Health
With everything else that you’ve got going on in your life, ensuring that you’re following a skincare routine each day is probably pretty low on your priority list. However, if your mental health has been feeling a little shaky lately, then it may surprise you to know that a skincare routine could be exactly what you need.
Skincare routine may reduce stress
A small amount of stress is normal, but chronic stress can have a severe impact on your mental health. Long-term stress has been shown to increase the risk of anxiety, depression, sleep issues, and substance abuse problems, making it well worth trying to keep your stress levels as low as possible.
This is something that a skincare routine can help with. Experts have found that following a simple three-step routine can lower the amount of cortisol, also known as the stress hormone, in your body by up to 83%.
There could be several reasons for this. In addition to a skincare routine being calming and encouraging mindfulness, the way in which you massage your face when applying a product lowers your heart rate and reduces feelings of anxiety.
Skincare routine may provide structure and stability
With the pandemic still rife in many parts of the world, life is generally quite unpredictable right now. All of this uncertainty can really cause havoc in your brain, which quickly leads to mental health issues.
Now more than ever, your brain needs structure and stability to allow it to relax. Habits and routines help to occupy yet calm the mind, giving you the feeling of being in control. You can apply this to all aspects of your life – forming any positive habit or routine would really benefit your mental health, and a simple skincare routine is a great place to start.
Skincare routine may increase your confidence
Confidence gives you a more positive outlook on life, and all of that positivity is a huge mental health booster. There are several ways in which yu can improve your confidence, and one of them is with a skincare routine.
The simple act of taking some precious time out of your day to nurture your skin will increase feelings of self-worth. Even better, all of that attention that you lavish onto your skin will do wonders for your complexion. There’s nothing quite as confidence-building as knowing that your skin looks absolutely amazing!
Source:
https://www.psychreg.org/skincare-mental-health/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/mind-body-connection