Want to look and feel younger without spending a dime? It may come as a surprise but practicing gratitude can be a way to slow down the aging process — especially for your skin. Research has shown how gratitude is strongly associated with greater happiness, and those positive emotions can manifest themselves in ways beneficial to the health and beauty of your skin. Here are just a few:
Gratitude helps reduce stress.
How you feel mentally can have a real effect on your physical well-being. When you’re stressed, there’s an inflammatory response within your body, resulting in a release of cortisol (stress hormones). When stress is chronic, this inflammation can spread throughout the whole body, having a serious effect on your health. When we think about the aging process, we all can remember a time when stress negatively impacted our skin, whether it was an acne breakout or a loss of moisture. Practicing gratitude to manage stress can strengthen the neural pathways that release dopamine and serotonin (happy hormones), thus strengthening your skin’s barrier function.
Gratitude helps with sleep.
Cultivating gratitude throughout the day can help reduce your stress levels, and these feelings of calmness and contentment can translate to a better night’s sleep. This means falling asleep faster, staying asleep longer and waking up looking and feeling more refreshed. Who doesn’t want that? And while you’re getting your beauty sleep, your skin is busy regenerating new collagen, so you can enjoy more supple and youthful-looking skin with reduced lines and wrinkles, improved dark circles and a brighter tone. See the glowing difference for yourself by finding ways to express gratitude every day.
Gratitude helps boost your immune system.
Did you know being grateful can often result in a more optimistic outlook? When we look back on the past with a sense of gratitude, we’re more likely to look at the future with a sense of positivity. Research has shown that an optimistic attitude can actually improve your health by boosting your immune system. Having stronger immunity can do a whole lot of good for the health of your skin. When your skin is well equipped to fight off foreign substances like bacteria and environmental contaminants, it can look and feel cleaner, healthier and happier! Another way gratitude can improve your health is through a greater motivation to take care of yourself, which can lead to healthier lifestyle decisions like exercising and attending regular check-ups.
Now that you know anti-aging begins with gratitude, the question is: How can I practice it in my daily life? Here are just a few meaningful ways to be grateful:
● Keeping a gratitude journal
● Saying “thank you” or telling someone why you’re grateful for them
● Writing a note or sending a gift to express your gratitude
● Reflecting on the positive things in your life through meditation or prayer
We hope you will find your own fun and unique way to show gratitude! To boost your anti-aging routine even further, reach out to the Still Well by Dr. Stilwell team. You can learn about our menu of age-defying aesthetic solutions by calling 718-448-6373 or requesting a consultation online today. See you soon!
