How Does Stress Cause Hair Loss?
A person’s overall health and the luster of their hair are often directly related. Stress and health are also related. Since this is true, stress and hair health are actually related as well. That is the curse of our modern lifestyles. High levels of stress are common and lead to many undesirable health consequences like lack of sleep, poor digestion, depression and even unhealthy hair. Many other factors play into the condition of thinning hair, but stress hair loss is one of the more prominent yet ignored ones. The condition where intense levels of stress cause white blood cells to attack hair follicles is what leads stress to directly cause hair loss.
Fortunately, hair loss caused by stress is temporary and when the trigger is eliminated, the hair will grow back. This is only possible if stress is reduced. What you need, then, is a guide to help relieve you of your everyday stresses without quitting your job or never leaving the house again. The first tip is to develop a habit of meditation. You are busy, of course, but take literally ten minutes to shut down the computer, dim the lights and turn off the background noise. Sit or lie down and breathe. Do not think about everything you need to still accomplish as this will only get your heart rate back up and defeat the purpose of meditating.
The main reason why people have a hard time managing stress is a lack of sleep. You have undoubtedly noticed that you are more on edge and cranky or easily offended when you did not get enough sleep the previous night. Some people chronically get low amounts of sleep. While each person’s sleep needs are different, most people fair best with between seven and eight hours of sleep. If you are consistently getting less than this, make a change and see if you shed less!
Sleep and meditation are not enough to reduce stress. These are relaxing components, but exercise is an important facet of good hair health as well. Getting cardio exercise and sun exposure can bring life to all your features, including your hair. It will grow faster and longer as it gets more nutrients and as you keep yourself at a higher level of health overall.
Since people chronically lose sleep, they drink caffeine to keep themselves awake. This artificial stimulant is harmful to the body and can be found in coffee, a few sodas and even some kinds of candy. It is alarming to consider how many people are addicted to caffeine. If you at least moderate your caffeine intake, if not eliminate it altogether, it can be a beneficial aspect of tempering your heart and decreasing your levels of stress. Alcohol is another common drink to ingest in an effort to block out stress. This is the worst way you can tackle your stress, and yet so many people turn to alcohol for relief. Do not follow that crowd, but rather take the lead down a healthier, stress-reduced road.
