By Mary Radford, RN
Director of Product Content
Valentine’s Day is here! This “special” day may bring up all
sorts of feelings, but usually they center around the emotion of love. And
whether that’s love between you and your partner, friends, pets or family (or
all of the above) there’s also a special relationship between you and yourself,
never forget, that is a true source of love.
What is love anyway? There’s an actual love hormone —
oxytocin — that is released in our brains at times to create bonds; it’s an aid
when a mother is delivering a baby, between partners during sex, when you fall
in love, between friends sharing a good laugh, and yes, even between you and
your adoring pet. You may have heard it called “the bonding hormone” or “the
cuddle hormone”.
When these love feelings manifest in our lives
— cuddling, bonding, laughing — they can have such positive effects on not
only our psychological health but on our skin too! Studies suggest that people
who smile or laugh exude positivity, and they can look younger. Positive
emotions create a “glow” that seems to come from within, because often it does.
On the other hand, when we are in the dumps, feeling unhappy
with our lives and ourselves, we surround ourselves with negative feelings and
tend to hibernate and isolate ourselves. When we are stressed we produce
cortisol. It’s the same hormone responsible for our belly fat, too. Cortisol
can also trigger oil production, which is part of the acne cycle. And then stress
contributes to those expression lines that reinforce our least happy
expressions! Jeepers! No wonder that when we feel down we also look worse, so
the cycle continues.
So, the idea is to increase
the love hormone and decrease the
stress hormone, which is easy to do by showing yourself some love. Oxytocin has
so many benefits, including helping our bodies heal, reducing cravings for
sweets and calming us. It also counteracts the effects of cortisol, so once you
get into the love cycle, you are heading in the right direction.
Loving yourself means healthy habits, like eating more
fruits and veggies and less sugars and processed foods. You will also sleep
better when your cortisol is at bay, which we know helps with the furrowed
brows and dark circles. Get out and exercise, and make social connections even
if you’re faking it till you make it, stimulating that oxytocin. Drink lots of water,
which help your whole body, including your skin, to be hydrated. You can also
share the love by paying it forward. Start to say “I love….” And fill in the
blank several times a day, complimenting yourself and others around you. It may
sound silly at first but try it! Everyone feels better when you comment positively
with something as simple as “I love how organized you are!” This will make
their day and yours too.
And, of course, take care of your skin! We’ve made it easy to practice self-care every day with our simple Regimens. And some of my personal faves at Rodan + Fields include ENHANCEMENTS Micro-Dermabrasion Paste that exfoliates your entire face and body, followed up by the Active Hydration family. Active Hydration Serum , Active Hydration Bright Eye Complex and Active Hydration Body Replenish intensely and immediately hydrate your skin and then keep it softer and smoother over time.
Most importantly, be grateful. Focus on what you have, not
what you don’t have. You always have yourself, and that should be enough to
make you fall in love this and every Valentine’s Day.
*Former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, Work and the
Loneliness Epidemic, The Harvard Business
Review
Full article: https://hbr.org/cover-story/2017/09/work-and-the-loneliness-epidemic
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