Let’s be honest – we all struggle with our skin sometimes. Whether you are fighting acne or struggling with irritated skin or wrinkles, the pressure to have perfect skin can feel overwhelming at times. But whether you want to fight blemishes, protect your skin from ageing, or find dry skin remedies for a smooth and soft complexion, there are a few simple lifestyle changes that every skin type can benefit from.
Of course, this won’t solve every issue you might have. If you are facing dehydrated, flaky and irritated skin, you might want to look for more intensive dry skin remedies. Likewise, sometimes it takes more than a simple lifestyle change to fight serious acne; your dermatologist is better suited to help in that case. But that doesn’t mean that problem skin won’t benefit from a lifestyle change on top of more thorough treatments. You might even be surprised by the result – if you’ve been trying to get your skin back on track for a while now, maybe a lifestyle change is just what your skin needs.
1. Don’t Stress
This one is clearly easier said than done. Letting go of stress and feeling relaxed isn’t easy, and nor is it a quick fix – we’d all have perfect skin otherwise. But there are certain things you can do to feel more balanced and less stressed. After all, both acute and chronic stress can have a profound impact on your skin, with acne breakouts often being a gentle reminder that you really need to take some time for yourself. Bikram Yoga is a workout that’s great for stress relief and getting rid of toxins, but all kinds of exercise tends to be good for your body and mind alike. Your diet might be influencing your mood as well. Incorporating more vegetables, good carbs, healthy fats, and protein into your diet is important and not as difficult as it sounds. Often, it’s about the little changes – getting rid of refined grains and eating wholemeal pasta and bread instead. Or, swapping your fries for baked sweet potatoes, and stocking up on healthy snacks, nuts, and dried fruit. You can’t always control what’s happening in your life, but you can create a healthy environment and find an outlet for your stress.
2. Avoid alcohol, Cigarettes, and Lack of Sleep
Of course, it’s tricky to stop drinking altogether, but alcohol is known to severely dehydrate your body and take its toll on your skin, so try to limit your weekly alcohol intake to a healthy amount. Stay away from sugary drinks, and make sure you always drink enough water during a night out, as well as before bed to keep your body hydrated. With cigarettes, however, there’s really no excuse – on top of other health dangers, they are also known to prematurely age the skin. And while we’re at it, make sure you get enough sleep after a night out; 7 to 8 hours is what our body usually needs to recover from the day to function properly, and this includes our skin!
3. Use Sunscreen
This one is a simple but essential lifestyle change. Your skin is not only exposed to the sun when you’re tanning on the beach, so make sun protection a part of your daily routine to avoid the skin damage caused by ultraviolet rays. If you don’t have time for an additional step in the morning, find either a moisturizer or a foundation that has an SPF of 20 or higher. This is not just about avoiding skin cancer; it’s also important to protect your skin from sunspots, dry patches, and premature ageing. There are many light sunscreens out there, so even if you have combination skin, there’s no excuse for skipping this step.
So there you have it – just a few simple lifestyle changes that also work as dry skin remedies, acne solutions, and all round health boosters! Give one a try and see what it does to your skin.
