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CAN YOU LOSE HAIR FROM STRESS?

 

A head of hair has around 130,000-160,000 strands of hair. The majority of these hairs are typically going through a growth cycle while other hairs are resting and will soon fall off. Most people lose about 100 hairs per day, and it’s usually not even noticeable. However, changes in the body’s physiological state can change this cycle. This begs an important question: Can you lose hair from stress?

How Stress Affects Your Hair

Stress can cause hair loss. Any number of different types of stress can result in hair being shed before it usually would fall out. This is because stress causes hair to prematurely enter a resting phase, which will cause it to shed earlier than usual.

Any type of physiological change can result in hair loss. Below are some of the known stressors that can create this type of change:

  • Major surgery

  • High fever

  • Social stress

  • Strict low-calorie diet

  • Severe illness

  • Lack of sleep

Typically, there’s a three- to five-month delay between hair loss and the event that caused the stress. This makes it difficult to determine the exact cause of the stress. If you ever experience a noticeable increase in hair loss, visit your doctor. Your first question should be: Can you lose hair from stress? Sudden loss of hair might be due to stress, but it can also be an early symptom of a number of diseases.

Relieving Stress to Avoid Hair Loss

Avoiding stress is key to retaining all of your hair. While many people think of stress as frustration caused by a hectic life, the type of stress that causes hair loss is anything that significantly changes your physiology. Below are some tips to avoid and relieve stress.

  • Maintain a regular healthy diet. In this instance, diet is referring to the food you eat. Avoid engaging in any “fad” diets that may not actually be ideal for your overall health. Instead, eat a healthy mix of fruits, vegetables, lean meats and whole wheat. Simply abiding by that will go far in avoiding physiological stress.

  • Prioritize a good night’s sleep. It’s entirely too common for people to put off going to sleep in order to get more done in a given day. However, this practice can be counterproductive, as it produces mental and physical stress. Instead, aim for eight hours of sleep per night and make it a priority. You’ll end up being more productive during your day because you’ll be able to address tasks with a calm focus.

Simply by combining these two stress-avoidance techniques, you’ll eliminate a number of causes of stress that can cause hair loss.

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