Did you know that the stress you feel on a daily basis could be contributing to your hair loss? Stress is something many people face on a daily basis, whether it is at home, within relationships, at work, or at school. That’s not a good thing because it can impact health in many ways. Yet, one thing to keep in mind is that stress and anxiety can cause an unhealthy level of stress hormone in the body that leads to hair loss. And, until you deal with that stress, you may find it hard to get your hair to grow back.
How Does Stress Impact Hair?
Hair grows through a three stage hair growth process. The first stage occurs when the hair is growing through the hair follicle. In the second stage, the hair stops growing, and the follicle starts to shrink at the base. In the final stage, called telogen, the hair falls out, and the process begins again. In other words, hair is supposed to fall out over time. However, stress may speed up that process and cause hair to fall out before it should.
Stress hormones, like cortisol, are produced by the adrenal glands. In the ideal situation, these glands only produce this hormone when there is some real risk to you, creating the ability for you to stay and fight what’s occurring or to run away. Yet, today, people face stress that’s not an immediate danger to them but one that’s an ongoing concern. Those with anxiety, for example, may not even have a true real danger to them but are worried about what could occur. This causes cortisol to remain in your bloodstream constantly, and as that happens, the stress hormone is causing havoc on your system and overall health.
In a study done by Harvard University, researchers worked to try to find the link between the two factors – stress and hair loss. What they found was that when they removed the adrenal glands in mice, the amount of stress hormone in their body decreased. That led to the rapid cycling of hair regrowth. In short, these mice, who were highly stressed prior to the hair loss, were no longer losing hair.
How to Reverse Hair Loss from Stress
The good news is that when your hair loss is the direct result of stress or anxiety, it may be possible to get it to grow back normally again over time. For example, a person who is able to reduce the amount of stress in their lives may then be able to see their hair growth cycle become normal again.
The question is, how can you reduce stress? That is far from easy to do for many people. A good starting point is to determine what is causing your high stress levels and, as a result of that information, work to change it.There are other ways to get rid of the cortisol hormone in the bloodstream, which is the reason hair loss occurs. To do this, consider ways to effectively reduce stress. Exercise is the best option. Any type of exercise, such as running, swimming, or even walking outdoors, can help to burn the stress hormone out of the bloodstream. That’s why you feel good after a workout. Find activities that can help you.
You may also combat the stress hormone by engaging in more activities that cause you to feel happy. That may mean spending time with friends, playing a game, or watching a good moving. Other people need to open up and talk about what they are facing to get the real benefits of stress relief.
Keep in mind it takes time for hair to regrow. Yet, if stress and anxiety are behind your hair loss, it is certainly worth working to resolve those problems as that may create a much better quality of life for you.
To learn more about hair loss prevention treatments, contact the team at Unique Hair Concepts to schedule a consulation.
