Taking Care of Business Self

The research is clear: stress does ugly things to us.

In a study by the Department of Dermatology at Stanford University School of Medicine, 74 per cent of acne patients reported that stress was exacerbating their condition. In another study by Western Kentucky University, it was found that women who experience high stress levels are 11 times more likely to experience hair loss than women with moderate or low stress levels. The study also cited that work stress can lead to weight gain over five years.

The same results have even been found in animals: anxious dogs go grey earlier, and stressed mice age faster.

So what’s going on under the surface?

“Stressful events cause hormonal changes in the body and the adrenal glands release adrenaline and cortisol,” explains Wellbeing Expert and Meditation Teacher, Samantha Taylor (thenurtureproject.com).