Overview
Mindfulness is considered a form of meditation which refers to the practice of being fully present in the moment without judging or analyzing. There’s significant evidence that this technique is effective in minimizing the symptoms of several medical conditions including anxiety, depression, pain, insomnia, high blood pressure, asthma, and fibromyalgia (1).
There’s a lot of research indicating that mindfulness can lessen the effects of stress. The American Psychological Association cites several studies showing the benefits of this method in lowering stress and anxiety levels.
Stress can have a devastating impact on the skin, speeding up the aging process, creating fine lines and wrinkles. Techniques like mindfulness can significantly improve the condition of the skin and keep it looking as young as possible.
A study in the British Journal of Dermatology found that mindfulness lowered psychological distress in dermatology patients. Lowering distress leads to better skin. It indicates that this approach could be worth taking in terms of dermatological care.
You may be able to use mindfulness to get rid of oily skin and other skin issues, and you don’t have to go to a gym or pay any money to do it. The habits are simple to learn and quite effective. Make these 5 techniques part of your day to day life.
1. Breathing
Sometimes you have to take a minute and just breathe. It can have huge benefits when it comes to helping you relax and gather your thoughts.
Stop what you’re doing and take a deep breath inward. Hold it for a few seconds, then slowly let it out. Repeat this at least 10 times, or as needed. This is something you can do anywhere – at home, in the car, in a store, etc.
A study in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience looked at how breath control can change your life. They found that slow breathing techniques raised comfort, relaxation, and alertness, and decreased symptoms like arousal, depression, anxiety, confusion, and anger.
2. Body Scan
Unlike with the breathing, a body scan requires that you take some time out in a private place where you won’t be disturbed. Find somewhere quiet where you can sit or lie down in a comfortable position.
Begin by being in your body – experience the feeling of being inside yourself. What are you feeling, thinking, and smelling? Feel the different physical sensations both in and around you. Is your arm resting against an armrest? Is the mattress soft against your back? Are you sore anywhere?
Begin to do a slow scan of all of the parts of your body, one by one. Begin with your toes and go upward until you get to your head. Notice how each part feels, whether it’s comfortable, itchy, or whether there are any unusual sensations. This technique can enhance your awareness of both physical sensations and feelings.
3. In the Clouds
You can do this exercise lying outside on the grass looking at the clouds, or anywhere you feel comfortable, using your imagination. Let’s assume that you’re at home on your couch.
Lie back and think of the sky above you full of billowy clouds drifting by. Each cloud represents one of your thoughts. You label it with a thought and then let it go by, not judging it or analyzing it in any way.
Your task is just to observe the thoughts drifting above. If you catch yourself hanging onto a thought, prompt yourself to let it drift. This activity gives you more awareness of what thoughts and ideas are going through your mind, enabling you to slow down and consider them.
~ Jon Kabat-Zinn
4. Progressive Relaxation
This exercise also requires some time and space to yourself. You need somewhere comfortable to lie down where you can be alone. It can help you relax your physical body as well as your mind.
Beginning with your toes, tense and relax the muscle several times…tense and relax. Go up your body muscle by muscles…feet, calves, legs, knees, hips, stomach, chest, arms, fingers, shoulders, neck, and head. Take your time doing this, spending enough time on each part.
The act of tensing and relaxing the muscles leaves the muscles more relaxed. Following this activity, your entire body should feel very rested and comfortable.
5. Walking Meditation
Find a place where you have some space to walk in. You can either walk continuously on some route of your choice or pick a place where you can walk back and forth along an area. Focus on your walking, on each step you take, and whether any thoughts accompany the step.
Pay attention to the physical sensations in your body as you’re walking along, like the ground beneath your feet, and how your legs and other parts of your body feel. This activity combines mindfulness with the benefits of exercise.
People Also Ask
A: According to the Mayo Clinic, mindfulness is “a type of meditation in which you focus on being intensely aware of what you're sensing and feeling in the moment without interpretation or judgment.” It’s considered a form of meditation. The technique is helpful because it’s been linked in research for its medical and psychological benefits. It can treat depression and anxiety, lessen job burnout, improve sleep, and increase attention span. It can also improve the condition of medical illnesses like diabetes, asthma, and high blood pressure (2). Because mindfulness can significantly decrease stress, it tells us that it is an excellent technique for keeping the skin in good condition. Research suggests that lowering stress makes skin healthier (3).
A: Common mindfulness exercises include being in the present moment and noticing everything around you, taking 10 minutes to yourself to gather your thoughts, observing an object closely, accepting yourself, and being aware of all 5 of your senses. These are just some of the mindfulness habits that you can learn.
A: You can do some physical exercises, and it’s very important to do so. It seems difficult when you’re stuck inside the house, but you are allowed to go for walks, and walking is great for keeping the body in good physical shape. You can also find exercise videos online, following along in your living room! The benefits of exercise on stress and mental health have been well-documented. Research shows that it can lower depression, stress, and anxiety. Exercise stimulates the production of stress hormones like cortisol, and it also initiates the release of endorphins. These can lead to feelings of happiness and relaxation (4).
A: Meditation may give you a feeling of inner calm and relaxation if you practice it regularly, it would certainly show through in a glow to your face. However, there’s also evidence to indicate that lowering stress has a very beneficial effect on the skin. It can get help with different conditions and may even get rid of oily skin (3). Therefore, there’s a chance that it could actually make your skin glow.
A: There’s solid research indicating that mindfulness can clear up skin conditions. A 1998 study carried out by Jon Kabat Zinn found that mindfulness training cleared up lesions associated with psoriasis (5). A 2014 study in European Psychiatry found that people with psoriasis tend to be very unmindful, and also very judgmental and critical of themselves and their actions compared to people without this condition. It suggests they may benefit strongly from mindfulness training, both mentally and physically (6).
A: If you practice meditation enough and make it part of your lifestyle, it can change your face. This is because stress ages your face and can lead to signs of the passage of time like fine lines and wrinkles before they otherwise would have appeared. A review in Dermatology Online Journal looked at the link between psychological stress and skin aging. They explained that the negative impact of stress on the immune system strongly influences the condition of the skin, especially in terms of aging. It can lead to premature lines, wrinkles, and other features like crow’s feet.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for an easy way to keep your skin clear and glowing, try incorporating some mindfulness habits into your daily routine. The techniques we shared are a great place to start, but everybody is different so experiment until you find what works best for you. And if you have any questions or want more advice, don’t hesitate to reach out. We love helping people look and feel their best! Have you tried any of these mindfulness habits for better skin? What worked (or didn’t work) for you?
