Stress, unfortunately, is a part of life. How do you manage your stress?
Stress and our hair and body
I distinctly remember in my 30s waking up and looking in the mirror to find my first grey hair. It should not have shocked me as I was in the process of a divorce and moving countries. But it seems to have just appeared overnight. Stress can thin our hair as well as turn it grey. I swear by hair masks with my hair & body silk. And of course, stress affects our body can be reflected in diseases of all sorts.
Stress and our skin
As skin is our largest organ, it seems to be a tell all of what is going on inside us, both physically and mentally. According to Harvard Medical School stress disrupts our epidermal barrier, the top layer of our skin that protects from bacteria and locks in moisture. Stress makes skin more vulnerable to wrinkles, inflammation, irritation, and infection. Any existing challenges like eczema or rosacea are exacerbated.
Olfactory System and stress
Our olfactory system can affect our stress level, certain smells can induce emotions and memories such as roses reminding us of our grandmother. While researching stress and aroma, interestingly the one phrase that keep coming up in various but this is from the National Library of Medicine “It has been empirically known from ancient times that the aroma and fragrance have the effect of suppressing stress.” And amazingly, I could not find as much scientific studies on the olfactory and stress as I did on the affects of stress.
We all know what to do but sometimes it is easier said than done. Exercise, get plenty of rest, eat well, basically taking care of ourselves. Running and getting outside have always been my stress reducer. Burning my favorite candles is quite relaxing for me. My mood is very olfactory driven, i.e. warm fragrances make me happy. Smell is a huge part of my mental health. That is why I created my signature perfume flourish. It makes me happy.