Did you know stress can make you sick?

Quick Ways to Help you Reduce stress RIGHT NOW!

Stress in our lives in our lives is sometimes unavoidable, but its how we deal with that stress that effects us. When you allow stress to get the best of you, there can be damaging effects to your health. Stress can cause headaches, backaches, high blood pressure skin rashes, indigestion, chronic fatigue and even the common cold. When you are stressed your immune system is compromised and is not able to fight off harmful invaders. Stress also overstimulates the immune system. What does this mean? When your immune system is over working its may actually begin to attack itself and start attacking health tissue rather than fighting off bacteria and viruses. Yikes! 

Here are some tips to help you de-stress and in turn, stay healthy! 

Reasons to Get More (Beauty) Sleep

Don't Forget "Beauty Sleep" in your Beauty Regimen!

• Beauty Sleep is not a myth: 

• The Huffington Post reported that researchers  found evidence that  sleep deprivation does in fact change your facial appearance. “Sleep-deprived people appear less healthy, less attractive and more tired compared with when they are well rested” (Read the full story here)

• The effects of chronic sleep deprivation has shown to mimic the ageing process.
• Studies have shown that with sleep deprivation there are alterations in metabolic and endocrine function including elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol, impaired immune and thyroid function, and early signs of diabetes- aka all of the things that happen when you get old, start to happen when you are chronically sleep deprived. (Read more about this at WebMd) 

• Dull Skin- 
•  If you don't get enough sleep your skin will look dull because it has not had the time to heal from all of daily stresses: harmful sun rays, pollution, bacteria, and chemicals. While you sleep, your body rejuvenates and heals itself. Beauty sleep will restore and rejuvenate your skin because sleep aids with cell regeneration. 

• Weight Gain- 
• People who get at least seven hours of sleep per night tend to have less body fat than people who don't. (1)
• When you don't get enough sleep, you body releases more of the hormone cortisol into your blood stream. These elevated levels impairs digestion and metabolism and can cause weight gain.  On the other hand, if you don't get enough sleep your body will not release enough Leptin- the hormone that tells your brain when you are full. Due to these lower levels of leptin, you will have food cravings, eat more, and gain weight. 

Theses are just a few of the negative effects of sleep deprivation- If you want feel better & LOOK better start at the basics and get a full eight hours of sleep consistently. 

 Links:

• Can't sleep? Check out sheknows.com's Top 10 Seasonal sleep tips
• Insufficient Sleep is a Public Epidemic-  CDC's data and statistics on sleep deprivation

1- http://health.howstuffworks.com/mental-health/sleep/basics/sleep-obesity.htm