Mood makeovers: change your state mind with these at-home tension-relieving tips, tailored to keep you feeling and looking your best

Natural Health, Oct, 2004 by Megan O'Connell

YOUR BIG PRESENTATION is due first thing in the morning; you'll have to work late. You desperately need to squeeze in a workout, but there are a million things to take care of at home: a stack of past-due bills, kids clamoring for dinner, a dog that needs walking. By the end of the day you might find yourself begging Calgon (or Air Tahiti) to take you away!

A little stress in our lives is unavoidable; in fact, it gives us energy and pushes us to succeed. But too much stress is, well, just too much. It takes a toll not only on our minds and health, but on our looks as well. "When our bodies perceive a stressful situation, they respond by releasing adrenaline and other hormones," explains Richard G. Fried, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist and clinical psychologist in Yardley, Pa.

These changes, says Fried, are especially hard on the skin, which may end up looking either very sallow or very flushed, depending on whether your blood vessels tend to dilate or constrict as a stress response. Stress can also exacerbate skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis, rosacea and eczema, and even lead to hair loss; over time, it can cause skin to appear aged beyond its years.

To look your best, find your own way to keep stress under control. "The way each person experiences stress is as unique as a fingerprint," says aromatherapist Noella Gabriel, director of product and treatment development for the spa line Elemis. You might become unfocused and agitated, while your mate or colleague feels drained and worn out. No matter what your stress response is, the right beauty boosters can help. Here's our roundup of the best suggestions for when the pressures of life are making you anxious, frazzled or sluggish.

your stress response

you worry too much

Milestone birthdays, career changes, a big event like a wedding, illness (your own, or that of someone close to you)--all of these can leave you feeling apprehensive and nervous. Putting the importance of each situation into perspective can help ease anxiety. So can setting aside a few minutes each day to care for yourself using one (or both) of these methods:

SOLUTIONS

* Relax the muscles in your face. A furrowed brow and a tight mouth are sure signs of tension and worry. "If you have a habit of tensing the muscles in your face, dynamic wrinkles or 'expression lines' can form," says Sumayah Jamal, M.D., assistant professor of dermatology and microbiology at New York University School of Medicine. "Over time, these lines can progress to permanent wrinkles." This simple facial-relaxation exercise can de-stress your body and give your face a more youthful look, long-term: Sit with your eyes closed and focus on your facial muscles. If they're tense, consciously relax them one at a time, moving from your forehead down to your mouth. Also, just as a body massage can relieve muscle tension, adding a massage during your skin-care routine can help, too.

TO TRY: Chanel Ultra Correction Nuit ($75; gloss.com) comes with cotton massage gloves and a guide that explains how to eliminate muscular tensions by pinching specific areas of the face between the thumb and index finger. The deeply hydrating cream contains natural softening humectants like canola oil and shea butter extract. Tony & Tina Herbal Face Cream with Borage ($34; tonytina.com) contains apricot-kernel oil and mango-seed and shea butters to soften and moisturize skin--just right for facial massage.

* Use aromatherapy oils to ease your breathing. "Part of the stress response is that you adopt a different pattern of breathing than when you're relaxed," says Jamal. Anxiety causes the chest to tighten, which makes breathing shallow. To help loosen the chest, Gabriel recommends taking deep breaths, imagining that you're drawing them in from the belly, while inhaling essential oils that relax the respiratory muscles, such as eucalyptus and tea tree. Peppermint also can help, as it is thought to calm the digestive system--another area of the body that is often affected by stress.

TO TRY: Origins Sensory Therapy Peace of Mind Stress-Relief Diffusing Oil ($15) and Diffuser ($10; both at origins.com) come with a candle that warms an essential-oil blend to infuse the air with the calming aroma of basil, peppermint and eucalyptus. Elemis Tea Tree-Melaleuca Alternifolia ($30; elemis.com) is 100 percent tea-tree essential oil, which can be mixed with a tablespoonful of milk (a natural hydrator and skin smoother) and then added to bath water. Kneipp Spruce Sparkling Herbal Bath ($3 per tablet; 800-937-4372), a no-mess tablet infused with essential oils, fizzes when added to water.

your stress response

you feel tired all the time

The culprit is probably lack of sleep--often the first thing to go when tension levels rise. "Sleep requires a passive disengagement from a bustling environment," says Colleen Carney, Ph.D., a fellow in the department of psychiatry at Duke University Medical Center. "The level of activity and tension that a stressful lifestyle creates sends emergency-like signals through the body. We can't sleep when our bodies think there's an emergency." Make your bedroom a sanctuary to promote sound shut-eye. If it still eludes you, follow this advice for looking and feeling more energized: