Tips for Coping with Stress and Eczema

Each and every one of us experiences stress over the course of our lives. It’s inevitable — like death and taxes. Living with eczema often complicates this issue further. Stress can summon a flare out of thin air and has the ability to wreak havoc on our mental wellbeing. Despite this, we don’t have to succumb to the toxic grasp it often holds over our lives. Don’t let stress knock you down. Get back up and follow these tips for coping with stress and eczema.

Relax

“Woosah…woosah…woosah.”

Joe Pantoliano and Martin Lawrence were right on the mark with this tip in Bad Boys II. Our skin, and all the eczema complications that come with it make life rather hectic. Sometimes just taking a minute to relax is the best way to relieve all the stress that has been accumulating over the course of the day. Budgeting out some time to unwind —whether it’s 10 minutes or an hour — will help put your mind in the right place. The eczema flare that you’re experiencing is only temporary. Take a deep breath and push the negative energy out of your mind.

Exercise

It might seem counterintuitive, especially for an eczema patient, but exercising is a wonderful way to promote stress relief. Physical activity has been proven to produce endorphins within your brain. These endorphins help you feel happier and sleep better. One of the perks of exercising for stress relief is that you have the ability to switch things up. Personally, I enjoy playing soccer, racquetball, and cycling. If I ever get tired of one, I can move on to the others! Remember, once your done exercising it is very important to bathe. Otherwise, you might unintentionally set your skin back.

Sleep

When you get a good night’s sleep, your body is more prepared to handle the challenges of the day ahead. Instead of being cranky and irritable (which makes things more difficult in their own right), you’ll be able to handle a stressful situation — such as a difficult coworker or a strenuous workload — in a more productive fashion. Put down the phone and turn off the television and get the restful sleep that your body deserves.

Support groups

Attention, shameless plug ahead! Support groups, like AtopicDermatitis.net, provide eczema patients, of all walks of life, a forum to come together and discuss the day-to-day struggles that we all experience with our skin. These types of communities offer an abundance of skincare advice for their members and often offer up valuable resources to educate parents and caregivers.

Talk it out

Sometimes it helps to sit down and discuss your problems with family or friends. If you feel more comfortable talking with someone more removed from your life, a trained health care professional is a great option. I’ve found that even though discussing my eczema can be tough, I often leave these types of conversations with a boost of self-esteem.

These suggestions just scratch the surface of the vast amount of stress-relieving activities our there. I recommend conducting a personal inventory and figuring out what will work best for you.