Can stress cause hair loss? Let’s first define stress. Merriam Webster’s dictionary defines stress as “a physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation.”
In other words, stress can cause headaches, eye twitching, depression, insomnia and yes, hair loss. It can also affect several other areas of our bodies, whether physical or mental.
One of the most common types of hair loss caused from stress is Telogen Effluvium. Telogen Effluvium appears as diffused hair loss that isn’t concentrated in one area of the head. This form of hair loss occurs when the anagen cycle is cut short due to an internal interruption in the body that sends the hair cycle into a shedding cycle.
Because hair is a non-essential tissue, it’s often the first thing to suffer if your body is lacking in nutrients. Vitamin imbalances, iron deficiency, inadequate protein intake, and meals that contain too few calories can all contribute to hair shedding.
Additionally, stress affects our immune system, making us more susceptible to illness. Illnesses like the flu, high fevers and systemic upsets often trigger hair loss.
How to Fuel the Body
The body needs nutrients such as proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and water. In order to be properly fueled, we must eat a balanced diet to reach a homeostasis state. The foods we eat provide the energy and the nutrients our bodies need. Eating healthy foods in the right amounts provides the body the energy to perform daily activities. This helps to maintain a healthy body mass index, as well as curtail the risk of diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease.
We all need to keep our bodies hydrated. How much depends on our individual weight, activity level and the weather where we live. Keeping track of our fluid intake helps to make sure that we get enough. Our intake includes the fluids that we drink and the fluids we get from food.
Finally, learning to properly fuel the body as well as hydrate can be confusing, based on all the information out there. Here are a few options we recommend:
Journal: Keep a journal in order to track your personal journey, This will allow you to reflect on your wins. It will also allow you to see when you have made a detour and redirect to reset and get back on track.
In the journal, write about your day, how you feel when you woke up, things that went well at work, or didn’t go so well at work etc.
Affirmations: Create a list of affirmations and read them daily.
Exercise: Start out slow if you haven’t worked out ever or in a long time. One of the best exercises is walking.
Meal Planning: Meal planning will help to keep you on track and know what’s in the food that you eat.
Self Care: Take care of you, before you take care of others!
Ways to Practice Self Care
Meditate
Have a spa day
Enjoy a bubble bath with lit candles and your favorite beverage.
Do you need help to restore hair loss, or create a healthy eating plan to balance the body? We can help.
Reach out to us at
www.Tlhairrestoration.com
469-297-4256