Stress of any kind—but particularly related to travel—has a direct correlation not only with how you feel but how you look as well. In fact, the American Psychological Association says that 43 percent of women and 33 percent of men say their stress levels have risen over the past five years. According to Del Mar Escapes, your premiere booking agent, that stress, whether due to work or personal reasons, can manifest itself in health problems like abnormal heart rhythms and high blood pressure. It can also show up in your physical appearance as well. Here we’ll explore how stress can affect your physical appearance and how traveling can actually help you feel and look better.
Skin
When your level of stress is elevated, the stress hormone cortisol can dry out your skin and increase the appearance of worry lines, according to Prevention. Because there is less moisture present in the skin, there is less luminosity, which dulls your appearance. The solution for that is to pick up some hypoallergenic, fragrance-free products and use them often to rehydrate. When it comes to firmer skin, try creams and lotions with retinol and antioxidants, which boost collagen production.
According to Del Mar Escapes, if you experience redness in the skin, usually caused by expanding capillaries brought on by stress, this could lead to rosacea—a rash-like flushing of the skin. For this, you want to look for an anti-inflammatory to lessen this look, or even research laser therapy to get rid of those broken blood vessels. When you’re traveling here and there for work, or up all night studying for exams, you don’t get the restorative sleep you need. This usually results in puffy eyes. Treat yourself to cool cucumber slices to reduce swelling, which will lessen the fluid that rushes to the area when you’re stressed. Prop yourself up at night with pillows to keep your head elevated and fluid from congregating under the eyes.
Reduce Stress with Travel
The Inquisitr says planning even a short vacation with family and friends can help you unplug from the everyday stresses you’re exposed to at work and at home. When we feel as though we always have to be connected, always “on.” We fall victim to the top five stressors as ranked by the APA: money, work, the economy, family responsibilities, and relationships. By removing yourself from the situations that cause stress, such as the work environment, even for a long weekend, you can relieve stress and feel better about yourself. You’ll even look better too. We all know stress speeds up aging, so it stands to reason that taking more vacations will help you relax, which in turn boosts your confidence, makes you feel more radiant and slows down aging, says the Huffington Post.
Time Off of Work
If you believe that travel equals happiness and less stress, then why aren’t more Americans taking time off? Harvard Business Review says there were about a half a billion vacation days that went unused last year alone. Many find it more stressful than not when facing a complicated family vacation with a lot of planning and running around. However, the HBR further points out that studies have shown taking time off work can make people happier, healthier and more productive upon return when the trip was a relaxing one rather than a poorly planned one.
Overall, taking a vacation can alleviate stress and improve your appearance because you have a chance to step back and look at what’s important in life. You feel better and thus you take better care of yourself. Put your best face forward and take a trip to manage your stress!