Stress, Skin Health and the Miracle of Meditation

Stress. We all feel it, right?

But chronic stress - the kind that never really goes away, can affect your health in a variety of ways, including your skin health, sleep disturbances, systemic inflammation and impaired immunity functions.

It can be at a low level. Perhaps the stresses we all experience from having a job, raising kids, and having to make ends meet. It can be moderate, maybe from an impending deadline or exam, your kids getting into trouble at school, or losing something valuable. It can also be high, such as in illness, divorce, or a death in the family.

What’s different about chronic stress is that it’s never over. There’s no big relief at the end before you go on your merry way. It’s always there, leaving its insidious effects that build up over time. How quickly and severely the effects of chronic stress are felt depends on the severity of the stress and your resilience (more on this below).

Cortisol, mediation and skin health

Studies have shown that stress (and excess cortisol production) has an impact on the integrity and protective function of the epidermal barrier, our skin.

As the chemical precursor to wrinkles and sagging skin, too much cortisol can make our skin look dull, more wrinkled and lack-lustre. This is where meditation can come in and really help.

In a wide range of studies, meditation has been shown to drop cortisol levels by a whopping 50%.

Having less cortisol in our system reverses the 24 hour stress chemical cycle (glycation) which, if left unchecked, would eventually make us look decade(s) older.

That’s exactly what meditation helps to reverse.

In 2011, Harvard University studied the brains of mindful meditation practitioners as they practiced for 27 minutes per day.

What did they uncover? Among their list of amazing findings, the meditating brain’s fear centre (amygdala) had somehow managed to shrink, while its electrical activity quieted down dramatically.

For those of us who want to age more gracefully, this finding means that meditation effectively re-moulds and reshapes our brain (through neuroplasticity) to sidestep the age accelerating biochemical cycle that so many stressed out people get locked into.

In 2013, researchers from UCLA had 45 family dementia caregivers practice meditation for 8 weeks, with unexpected yet amazing skin rejuvenating results. What did they uncover? Among the 68 genes impacted by meditation was the very same super protein that Dr. Chang found to reverse the ageing of mice skin, NF-κB.

But this time, it worked in humans.

Backed by 117,000 peer reviewed scientific studies, meditation has been shown to boost GSH, the mother of all antioxidants.

The brain and nervous system influence the skin’s immune cells through various receptors and chemical messengers — neuropeptides, for example. Scientists are investigating these and other substances in the skin that may respond to psychological stress. They’ve already found that certain types of stress can interfere with the immune system, affecting the skin’s capacity to heal.

One study found that surgical patients who felt less stress in the month before surgery had higher levels of IL-1 (an immune system chemical that promotes healing), less postoperative pain, and a shorter recovery.

Research also suggests that chronic negative stress can disrupt the function of the skin’s permeability barrier, which normally keeps out harmful substances and prevents the loss of fluid from skin cell layers.

So, where do you start if you’re new to meditation?

If you have a smartphone, there are a wealth of free apps you can download now.

Or, if you prefer, simply sitting quietly and taking 20-30 slow, deep breaths (in through your nose, out through your mouth) can make a big difference.

Alternatively, walking in nature has its own unique meditative effects. In fact, studies have shown than a 20-25 minute walk outside in green space boosts your mind’s creative capacity by up to 30% and reduces feelings of stress.

And right now? Cast your eye over these positive affirmations, compiled by our Skin Therapist and wellbeing expert Samantha.

Nothing communicates to every cell of your body that you are safe than your breath.

You are enough

You are not your thoughts

Less doing and more being = a happier nervous system

Self-love isn’t a dirty word

You matter because you exist

Time to yourself gives you time to listen to what your heart desires

You are never alone on your journey.

Your body is wise…she will lead you back home every time.

If you need a little help with stress reduction along the way, do get in touch with us - we’d love to help.