Have you ever noticed how a spark of joy seems to light up your face?
It’s not just in your imagination. There is scientific research behind how happiness can improve your skin tone.
In this post, we explore how pursuing a spark of joy throughout the day can make you look and feel better.
What are Glimmers?
According to the Nieuwpoort Institutehis sparkles are “little moments of joy or peace that come from appreciating simple things like the colors of a rainbow, the smell of a flower, or the sound of rain.”
“USA todaydescribes sparkles as “the opposite of triggers,” stating that they are small moments that spark joy or peace, “which can help our nervous systems feel safe or calm.”
The term was first coined by Deb Dana, a licensed clinical social worker, in her 2018 book: The polyvagal theory in therapy. She described glimpses as “micro-moments that begin to shape our system in very gentle ways.”
The idea has become more popular lately, especially after a… TikTok video about glimmers received more than 78,000 likes and hundreds of comments. Many mental health organizations have also been touting them lately, as they are seen as the opposite of triggers.
While a trigger negatively impacts your emotional state – often resulting in extreme overwhelm or stress – a glimpse helps calm your system.
Think about the little things you notice throughout the day that improve your mood. Maybe you spot a beautiful butterfly on the way to the office or hear a snippet of a song you love while having lunch.
You will know it’s a spark when it generates energy or happiness in your mind, body and spirit.
Photo of Surface via Unsplash.
Pursuing Glimmers: How Positive Feelings Affect Your Appearance
We can easily understand how glimpses can affect us emotionally and mentally. But the effects don’t stop there; they also have an effect on our skin.
That’s because how you feel affects the condition of your skin. Scientists have discovered a clear connection between, for example, psychological stress and skin reactions. They call it the “brain-skin connection” and note that the skin is both a direct observer of stress and a target of stress responses.
You know how it goes. You experience stress and your skin cracks, turns red, or becomes inflamed and swollen. During chronic periods of stress (when you are under stress for several weeks or months), stress hormones can break down collagen and elastin in the skin, causing signs of premature aging.
Joy and happiness, on the other hand, have a positive influence on the skin. They help calm your nervous system so it doesn’t have to release stress hormones. Inflammations decrease, blood circulation improves and the skin can repair itself better.
The Joy-Skin Connection: The Science of Glimmers and Skin Health
Decrease in stress hormones
As mentioned above, your body produces more stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline when you are stressed. These naturally break down collagen and elastin over time, accelerating aging.
Stress hormones also cause the skin to produce more oil (sebum), increasing the risk of acne. Inflammation increases, contributing to eczema and psoriasis flare-ups.
Joy is an excellent antidote to stress. When you are happy, your body maintains a more normal physiological system that does not overload your skin.
Reduction of inflammatory markers
Research shows that positive emotions are linked to lower levels of inflammation in the body. In one Study from 2015researchers recognized that negative emotions are “reliably associated with poorer health,” while positive emotions help reduce levels of inflammatory markers in the bloodstream. They found that awe in particular was a strong predictor of lower levels of pro-inflammatory cells.
In a 2017 studyResearchers had participants report on their positive and negative emotions at the end of the day for 30 days. They found that “greater diversity in daily positive emotions was associated with lower circulating levels of inflammation,” regardless of body mass index, medical conditions or personality.
Because inflammation plays a major role in many skin problems, including acne and rosacea, reducing inflammation through happiness can immediately improve the appearance of your skin.
Improved sleep quality
In a previous post we detailed how just one night of poor sleep can make you look older. Inadequate sleep is linked to decreased skin health and faster skin aging.
To experience your best skin, you should regularly get 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Experiencing more glimpses can help you with this, because positive emotions are associated with better sleep, while negative emotions are more likely to disrupt sleep.
The two indeed feed off each other. In one Study from 2018researchers noted: “Emotion not only affects sleep, but there is also evidence that sleep plays a key role in regulating emotions.”
Immune system boost
A strong immune system is crucial for skin health as it wards off infections and skin conditions.
We noted in a previous post that when the immune system is working properly, the skin is strong and protective. If not, common problems include psoriasis and eczema flare-ups, acne, infections, allergic reactions and itching.
Pursuing more positive emotions can help the skin maintain a supportive immune system. In one studyFor example, scientists found that positive human emotions increased immune response and reduced stress hormones. The link was so strong that the scientists suggested that those who regularly experience more negative emotions “are at greater risk of disease than those with a positive affective style.”
Photo by Mi Pham via Unsplash.
How to add more sparkle to your life
If you want to experience more sparkles in your life and give your skin a natural beauty boost, instead of focusing on bad moments, practice looking for sparkles that will help you feel and look better.
You can look for sparkles while you walk, drive in the car, sit at your desk, or just go about your day.
Look for those micro moments of joy. Try to notice when you experience some of these feelings in your body. These include happiness, hope, joy, cheerfulness, peace, or the feeling of being cared for. If you write them down as they happen, you train yourself to experience even more.
Notice when something makes you laugh, such as petting a dog or cat, eating a treat, hearing a song, stepping out in the sun, or seeing a photo of a loved one. Just experiencing a wonderful scent is a spark!
That first sip of coffee in the morning makes me feel happy. It gives me a mini moment of peace. When I look at a cat doing something cute or purring, my heart fills with immense joy. When I see a new bloom on my orchids, I feel happy.
Sharing your sparkles can help you increase that feeling of joy. I joined a text group, where we share our glimpses with each other. It’s a reminder to keep looking for those sparkles all day long.
When applying your skin care products, like CV Skinlabs, take a moment to enjoy how they make your skin feel. We created them to help reduce inflammation and improve the condition and appearance of the skin.
Go ahead and tune in to all the wonderful things around you. To your glittering day!
How do you provide more glimpses into your life?
Featured image by Robert Araújo via Pexels.
