Can stress make you look haggard?

Author: Prof. Linda Schroeder Jr.  |  Last update: Wednesday, September 3, 2025

In the meantime, the study might suggest that the haggard look and feel we get after a particularly stressful period in life might not be forever. We just need to make sure we actually take the time to recover from it.

Can anxiety make you look haggard?

Chronic stress can lead to DNA damage that causes us to age faster, developing a haggard appearance. Fortunately, there are some healthy habits that can counteract stress and powerful non-surgical treatments that can support youth, beauty, and overall mental wellness.

Why do I suddenly look haggard?

Lack of exercise. Not maintaining a healthy muscle tone makes you look older. Exercise can help keep your muscles toned and can increase tone. Fix: Start some kind of exercise program that includes weight training. Lack of proper sleep/rest. The less rest you have, the more haggard you look.

Does stress make me look older?

Simply put, biological age reflects the current condition of the body. Chronic stress can make you age faster by increasing your biological age, which can lead to health problems on top of cosmetic skin concerns. However, some researchers suggest that biological age can fall once again after a stressor subsides.

What are the physical symptoms of stress?

Physical signs of stress
  • Difficulty breathing.
  • Panic attacks.
  • Blurred eyesight or sore eyes.
  • Sleep problems.
  • Fatigue.
  • Muscle aches and headaches.
  • Chest pains and high blood pressure.
  • Indigestion or heartburn.

5 Reasons Stress Can Make You Look Old!

What are three alarming signs of stress?

Signals of Stress
  • Tension, or migraine headaches.
  • Upset stomach, problems retaining food.
  • Change in appetite.
  • Tightness in chest, back, shoulders.
  • Aching jaw, tight forehead.
  • Shortness of breath, dizziness.
  • Excessive sweating.
  • Sweaty palms.

Can anxiety cause weird physical symptoms?

When you are under stress or anxious, this system kicks into action, and physical symptoms can appear — headaches, nausea, shortness of breath, shakiness, or stomach pain. Doctors see it all the time — patients with real pain or other symptoms, but nothing is physically wrong with them.

Can stress make you look gaunt?

Poor sleep: Studies show that low quality (or not enough) sleep makes your cells age faster. Stress: When you're stressed, your brain pumps out cortisol, a stress hormone. Cortisol blocks two substances that keep your skin looking plump and vibrant: hyaluronan synthase and collagen.

What does stressed skin look like?

Stressed skin occurs when your skin struggles to perform its natural functions due to internal or external pressures – leading to symptoms like dryness, dullness, fine lines, and sagging.

Does stress make you wrinkly?

Psychological stress can affect the skin. High amounts of cortisol — the stress hormone — can break down the skin's collagen and elastin, and form wrinkles.

Why does my face look so old all of a sudden?

Wrinkles are a natural part of aging. These lines and creases in the skin are most likely to form on skin that's often exposed to the sun, such as the face, neck, hands and forearms. Pollutants and smoking also speed the aging process. Using sunscreen every day and quitting smoking help prevent some wrinkling.

How to fix a haggard face?

5 Easy Remedies for When Your Face Is Looking Tired
  1. Exfoliate the Tiredness Away. Taking one look in the mirror as soon as you wake up can be a shock if you haven't had a restful night. ...
  2. Goodbye, Puffiness. Nothing gives away how tired you are more than dark, puffy eyes. ...
  3. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate. ...
  4. Brighten Up. ...
  5. Get Some Rest.

Can you reverse stress aging?

Stress-induced increases in biological age are reversible. Exposure to stress increased biological age in humans and mice, but it decreased after the stress resolved, according to NIA-funded research. Findings from the study were published in Cell Metabolism.

Why do I look so tired and haggard?

A lack of sleep, dehydration, and environmental stressors can all contribute to tired-looking skin.

Can emotional stress affect your skin?

This means that when we experience chronic stress from work, relationships or current events, the skin is both a target and a source of stress hormones, which can make the skin more vulnerable to itch, inflammation, irritation, and infection,” said board-certified dermatologist Keira Barr MD, FAAD.

What does unhealthy stress look like?

Bad stress, however, is the kind that wears you out, leaves you jittery and is harmful to your health. Bad stress, or distress, can lead to anxiety, confusion, poor concentration and decreased performance. Bad stress can be short-term (acute) or long-term (chronic).

Does depression show on your face?

In women, depression often appears in the form of sadness, for example, exhibiting a depressed face that doesn't align with their typical appearance, or feelings of worthlessness and guilt. But in men, it may manifest as irritability and anger.

What does a cortisol face look like?

The swelling can make your face look round and puffy. Moon face is a common side effect of corticosteroid use and a symptom of certain health conditions. Although harmless, the condition can affect your self-esteem. The medical term for this is moon facies, but other people call it cortisol face.

Why does my face look so haggard?

Drinking too much caffeine or consuming too much salt can lead to water retention in the area. Meanwhile, dehydration, an unhealthy lifestyle, and an inconsistent skincare regimen are some of the primary causes of dull, dry skin. Luckily, all these haggard face traits are reversible.

Why do I look older than I am?

Skin: Things like excessive sun damage, liver spots, and enlarged pores are common foes that age our skin quicker than we'd like. Another thing that may affect your skin and make it look older is an uneven complexion caused by loss of collagen and elastin.

What are the physical appearance symptoms of anxiety?

Effects of anxiety on your body
  • a churning feeling in your stomach.
  • feeling light-headed or dizzy.
  • pins and needles.
  • feeling restless or unable to sit still.
  • headaches, backache or other aches and pains.
  • faster breathing.
  • a fast, thumping or irregular heartbeat.
  • sweating or hot flushes.

How to know if a person is stressed?

Mental symptoms of emotional stress include: Feeling more emotional than usual, especially feeling grumpy, teary, or angry. Feeling anxious, overwhelmed, nervous, or on edge. Feeling sad or depressed.

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