Gorgeous For Life - Manage Your Stress

Ever notice how your complexion looks ashen and feels slack after you’ve had a demanding week? “The skin has its own endocrine system and produces both the stress hormone cortisol and endorphins,” says Amy Wechsler, M.D., an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at theState University of New York Downstate Medical Center. “When cortisol is high, wound healing slows, collagen breaks down faster, and inflammation increases,” she says. On the flip side, sleep and exercise have been shown to decrease cortisol levels and increase the amount of endorphins in the skin, which act as anti-inflammatories. Wechsler’s healthy-skin prescription: Strive for eight hours of sleep whenever possible and make time for moderate exercise at least three days a week. And when things in your life become intense, boost your defenses against stress-induced damage by upping your intake of antioxidant-rich foods like green tea, leafy vegetables, and berries