Stress management

By: Robert Kokoska
You might not have known it, but stress of any kind can actually aggravate or even cause your acne. A university study in Germany has actually proven this theory to be correct. There was another study performed that concluded that acne became much worse in patients who were studying doing their exams. When you are under any type of stress, they found that your body released a chemical known as CRH or (corticotropin-releasing hormone).

When your body is experiencing stress, CRH gets released from the hypothalamus gland that creates a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol is directly responsible for energy creation for the brain and other important functions. CRH also causes the oil glands to secrete more oil. When there is an excess of this oil on the skin, your pores are more likely to get blocked. This oil, when it combines with bacteria, bits of dirt or dead skin cells, they all contribute to the condition of acne.

A German dermatologist by the name of Dr Jerome Litt, believes that stress increases production of hormones called androgen's. These androgen hormones are the male growth hormone and they regulate the oil production in the skin and get produced in larger amounts during the time of puberty, which is why most people with acne are teens.

All types of stress can cause the problems above. Stress can be defined as either physical or mental tension that can result from chemical, emotional or physical causes. Those things such as anxiety, fear, anger and worry are all the different types of stresses and they should be avoided if possible or reduced.

There are lots of excellent ways to reduce your levels of stress. By far the most effective and easiest way is to simply do some exercise. When exercising, your body will release chemicals known as endorphins. These chemicals are a natural pain-killer and make you feel really good and so are wonderful to combat stress levels.

Laughter has also been shown to release these endorphin chemicals into the body. Some studies showed that the body actually released 4 hormones that were all related to stress relief.

Your diet is probably the most important aspect of psychological and emotional well-being which is critical for stress reduction. When you are depressed or just out-of-sorts, your stress levels will rise. On the other hand, when you're happy, you are much less likely to get bothered by small things or get "stressed out".

Vitamins are handy when you are stressed. Vitamin B especially, is essential for your mental health and if you become deficient in B-group vitamins you may suffer from depression, constant tiredness and have a lack of concentration which are all perfect conditions for elevating stress levels.

Other great stress relievers are yoga, incense and aromatherapy, massage, meditation, and mineral salt baths. You should try to find an activity that helps you to feel relaxed each day to remove the stress that you have accumulated for that particular day.