September Starts Stress Season: Tips to Ease Up and Relax This Fall

September. For many people, it marks the start of the most stressful time of the year. The school year has begun, which for many means hectic schedules and added responsibilities. Within a few weeks, the triple holiday threat of Halloween, Thanksgiving and winter holidays will begin. Add to that a change in weather in many parts of the country and the natural inclination as fall begins to start to think about all of the things that you wanted to accomplish in a year but didn't, September can be the beginning of a downward spiral of stress.

Stress has a visible impact on your skin. That's why Emotional Self Care™ is one of the three pillars of Dr. Murad's Inclusive Health™ approach to a healthy you with healthy skin. Here are five tips on how you can control and minimize stress for the next four months (and beyond!).

Don't Overcommit!
With everything that starts to happen in the latter months of the year, it's easy to find yourself suddenly overcommitted. When there's too much on your plate, your brain is always in overdrive, you're constantly thinking of responsibilities and you may not be getting enough sleep. Sometimes in life, less is more. Think about everything that you commit to doing before you do it and decide if there's truly time in your life for it. There's nothing wrong with saying "No" to something that will add more stress to your life rather than more fulfillment.

Take a Weekend Staycation
In the summer, many of us have the benefit of a full vacation to recharge our batteries and get some relaxation. However, very few people vacation in the fall. Chances are that's because you don't have the time or resources for yet another vacation. But that doesn't' mean that your need for time to recharge is any less. Identify a weekend and enjoy a staycation. Treat it like a real vacation – no work, no commitments. You can spend some money and spend the weekend at a local hotel or resort or just turn your home into a "home vacation zone."

Create a Home Spa Day
Nothing relaxes quite like a spa! If visiting the spa isn't in your immediate future, you can create a spa day at home. Lock down your bathroom and bedroom, stock up on green tea, soothing music and your favorite home facial products. Add some soothing music and some dim, relaxing lighting and you can simulate the same relaxation that you feel in a real spa at home. Maybe you can even bargain for a massage from somebody! Spas are all about relaxation, and you can accomplish that at home as well. Make sure that you allocate time to recharge in your own peaceful spot.

Recommended Product: Murad Intensive-C Radiance Peel
Based on Vitamin-C facials given at the Murad Inclusive Health Spa, not only does this creamy home facial leave you feeling refreshed and energized, it also improves skin's appearance by undoing environmental damage from UV exposure and pollutants that you encounter every day.

Customer Review
"I love masks and have used all different types, but this one is one of the best I’ve ever used. It has a refreshing scent, tingles when on and comes off so simply with no mess. I always like recreating the spa experience at home to help me unwind and this just makes it easier to do." CAarte, California

Reduce Noise Clutter in Your Life
You may not realize it, but every day your stress level is increased by the noise clutter in our daily lives as your brain reacts to all of the surrounding stimulus. Try reducing noise clutter in your life by making small changes like turning off the radio in the car, turning off background TV noise and falling asleep in silence instead of to the sound of a TV or music channel. You'll find that your mind is sharper and you feel more rested. Trust us, it's true!

Reduce Social Media Time!
You're probably cringing at the idea of less Facebook or Twitter time, but study after study has revealed that social media adds stress to our lives. There's certainly a role for social media in your life (for example to get great tips and advice from Murad!). However, for many people, social media adds more stress than it adds fulfillment. Take stock of the role that social media plays in your life this fall. Then actively choose to limit the time you spend on social media.

Of course, there are dozens of other ways that you could find to reduce stress this fall. We'd love to hear them! Share them on our Facebook page or tweet us at @muradcares. Let's all work together to be better every day at reducing stress in our lives.