How Stress Hurts Your Hair And What You Can Do About It
Okay…it’s time to get serious.
Since I first launched HAIR TALK, I’ve done my best to make it a fun, fresh online oasis…
…a place where you can relax, connect with your fellow L’ange ladies, and indulge your shared passion for hair care.
Hopefully, you’ve found HAIR TALK to be just this kind of engaging “virtual salon.”
But the truth is…
YOUR HAIR IS SERIOUS BUSINESS
Make no mistake. I’m sure you love hair care tips, styling shortcuts, and fascinating around-the-world beauty facts as much as I do.
But you also know, behind the fun and creativity of hairstyling…
…there’s a lot of important issues…
…scientific, health-related, and real-world concerns that can have significant impact on the well-being and condition of your hair.
“You’d be surprised to find out just how much of what’s around you every day affects your hair”
For this reason…
…I’m starting a recurring series here at HAIR TALK called:
THE ROOT OF THE MATTER
In these articles, I’ll be giving you genuine straight talk…
…informing you about science, wellness, and lifestyle matters you may not have known can have a major impact on your hair.
And since I’ve always tried to make HAIR TALK an escape from the stresses of life…
…I think it only makes sense that our first “Root of the Matter” installment is about just that:
STRESS
To be perfectly honest…
…the last thing you need me to tell you is that life can be stressful.
In fact, between maintaining a career…building a home…caring for your partner, your kids, everyone you love…
…not to mention taking care of yourself…including your hair…
…and all with only 24 hours in a day (not counting sleep)?
Sometimes it’s hard to remind yourself life is anything but stress.
“Stress buildup can literally cause you to tear your hair out...and not even realize you’re doing it!”
Over the last few decades, doctors and scientists have proven in numerous studies that too much stress can have profoundly bad effects on your health:
And that’s just part of the list! (1)
Not as well-known, but just as severe, are the effects an overload of stress can have on your hair.
HOW STRESS HARMS YOUR HAIR
Here’s why:
When you suffer from too much stress or anxiety in your life, one result is that your blood vessels start to tighten.
When this happens, your body can’t get your hair follicles the nutrients and oxygen they need.
The result?
Malnourished follicles…and restricted hair growth.
“When your follicles can’t get the nutrients your hair needs, hair growth can seriously slow down”
Also, it’s a proven fact that your body burns more energy when you’re tense or stressed out.
And when you’re using more energy, your body needs fuel…in the form of minerals and vitamins…to keep you as healthy as possible.
Naturally, your body will channel that energy towards your heart, brain, and other integral organs.
That’s good news for your overall health…but very bad for your hair, which loses essential nutrients to your body’s other systems. (2)
A SIMPLE STEP YOU CAN TAKE TODAY
Unfortunately, it can be difficult to completely remove sources of stress from your life.
And in some cases, you wouldn’t want to get rid of them.
For example, work can be a huge hassle…but it also offers powerful benefits, professionally and personally.
And even if your kids are a real handful sometimes…can you imagine your life without them?
Of course, there are also plenty of ever-present stress boosters you have no control over at all…things like traffic and bad weather.
So just what can you do about stress?
JUST BREATHE
If you ask me, one of the top ways to regulate your stress and produce a calm, positive feeling is through the simple practice of daily meditation.
A number of the world’s religions, like Buddhism and Hinduism, use meditation as a form of spiritual seeking and prayer.
But really, meditation is just about taking some time to focus on your breathing, quiet your thoughts, and slow yourself down.
Psychologists have found evidence that regular meditation can even change your brainwaves, making stress less likely to affect you. (3)
“A few minutes a day of calm, clear, even breathing can give you and your hair a potent boost of stress relief”
Now, some of you may be concerned about having enough time in your already jam-packed day for meditation.
And believe me, the last thing I want to do is give you something else you “have” to do every day!
So, to get you started, I’m sharing a link to one of my favorite five-minute meditations.
This gentle sound-and-image program has a soft, delicate voice to guide you to effective and positive thoughts.
And best of all, it literally takes only five minutes to do!
Click here to try this simple meditation for yourself.
HOW CAN I HELP YOU?
I hope you’ve found this information about stress and its effects on your hair enlightening.
I also sincerely encourage you to try the five-minute meditation video I’ve shared…and please let me know about its impact on your stress levels.
This installment of “The Root of the Matter” is just the first of what I hope will be an online library of useful and informative articles.
Of course, the way I look at it…
…this series, indeed this entire blog, is all about YOU:
What you’re interested in, what you’re concerned about, what you want and need to know.
So…I’d like to hear from you!
Is there anything in your life…dietary, environmental, you name it…you think might be affecting your hair in a bad or problematic way?
Write me here and let me know all about it.
I’ll do my best to address your concerns in a future edition of “The Root of the Matter.”
Styling and caring for your hair can be one of the most joyous, pleasurable parts of life.
But sometimes, your hair needs truly serious attention.
And when it does, I’ll be here with you…getting right to “The Root of the Matter.”
CITATIONS
- “How Stress Affects Your Body and Behavior.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 28 Apr. 2016, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-symptoms/art-20050987.
- Carter, Louise. “50 Surprising Things That Are Seriously Damaging Your Hair And Scalp.” Dry Scalp Gone, Louise Carter, 15 Mar. 2018, www.dryscalpgone.com/things-seriously-damaging-hair-scalp/.
- “5 Quick Fixes for Hair Loss Due to Stress.” Viviscal Healthy Hair Tips, www.blog.viviscal.com/5-quick-fixes-stress-hair-loss/.