Everyone knows that stress feels bad, but it can actually also have physical effects. Add a poor night's sleep on top of stress and you're asking for havoc to be wreaked on your skin. By promoting better sleep habits and decreasing your stress levels, your skin will be one step closer to perfection.

Let's see what Dr. Geyer has to say about stress: “Poor sleep and excessive stress promote the release of cortisol from our adrenal glands, which can wreak havoc on our skin. When you get more sleep, your face looks less puffy, excessive sebum production is reduced, inflammation is down."

WHAT TO DO TODAY

Stop drinking caffeine by 4 p.m. and eat your last meal no later than 7 p.m.
Before you go to bed, put your phone on the opposite side of your bedroom.
If you’re feeling particularly stressed, give yourself 10 minutes of “stress time” to freak out as much as you want, followed by 10 minutes of “solution time” to think about real ways to solve the issues you’re stressed about.

WHAT TO DO FROM NOW ON

To Deal With Stress: Try giving yourself 30 minutes of “stress time” throughout the week when you can freak out as much as you want, then stop. Throughout the rest of the week, focus on constructive ways to solve your problems.
To Get Better Sleep: Put your cell phone as far away as possible before you get into bed to sleep. Darken your room as much as you can and consider ear plugs if noise has been keeping you up at night. Try eating earlier in the evening to stop your food and drinking habits from interrupting your sleep patterns.

AND A BONUS SKIN CARE TIP

Don't get overwhelmed by choices

The sheer number of choices available in the skin care aisle seems so daunting that people just feel defeated. The truth is, there are no "correct" regimens in skin care. Half the battle is just focusing on quality basics: appropriate cleansing, consistent sun protection, and choosing products to both renew and hydrate the skin. Don't feel like you're missing out if you're not purchasing every new product that you see advertised. As today's lesson proves, stressing out about this kind of stuff won't do you any good.