Learn more about the relationship between stress and eczema and see why stress causes eczema to get worse.
Stress is a part of life that is unavoidable, no matter what age you are. There is good stress, which motivates you while there is also bad stress that, well, stresses you out and can give rise to a host of health problems. For those suffering with eczema, too much stress can signal a flare-up or even many flare-ups in a row if the stress is long term. Stress is defined as, "A mentally or emotionally disruptive or upsetting condition occurring in response to adverse external influences and capable of affecting physical health, usually characterized by increased heart rate, a rise in blood pressure, muscular tension, irritability, and depression.”
The good news in all of this is that there are ways to "de-stress” your life and by so doing, see fewer eczema outbreaks. First of, consider your day-to-day life. Are there stressors in your life that don’t need to be there? Are there ways that you can remove clutter from your life that won’t affect the whole of it? Think of what is most important and do away with the small, petty things that cause you stress and headaches.
Next, have a good laugh. Yes, laugh out loud. Watch a comedy, read a funny book, listen or tell a joke or describe a hilarious moment to a family member or friend. Laughter is not only a good outlet for stress but it also has a number of health benefits. Laughter activates the immune system, it lower blood pressure, and it triggers the release of the body’s natural painkillers, endorphins. Laughter also, as previously mentioned, reduces stress hormones, helps reduce pain, allows muscles to relax and is very helpful for the breathing process as frequent bouts of laughter empties air from the lungs.
Find activities to do in your free time that allow you to set aside all of your worries and concerns and cut loose and enjoy yourself! For some people it may be getting together with friends and going to shopping, going to see a movie or browsing at a flea market; for others it might be a game of tennis, squash or an aerobics or yoga class; while still for others it might be an artistic pursuit such as painting, pottery or writing poetry. Even if you just want to relax in an easy chair with a cup of tea and a good book, do it! Finding ways to de-stress your life can help decrease your flare-ups tremendously, not to mention also improving your quality of life.
Keep in mind however that soaking for a long time in the bathtub will only bring more stress to the life of an eczema sufferer. If you find physical activities relaxing make sure to use your common sense. Take breaks, drink water frequently and don’t allow yourself to get too sweaty or overheated. By so doing you defeat your purpose and can trigger an eczema attack.
Finally, keep in mind that no matter what you do you cannot completely escape stress so make peace with the stress you have in your life and always keep it in perspective. Someone once said, "Don’t sweat the small stuff. It’s all small stuff.” If you can adopt way of thinking then your stress load should be reduced significantly.
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