Emotional stress can be difficult to define. It’s an invisible, immeasurable force that can exist in nearly every facet of our day-to-day lives, even if we are not aware of it. Living in a state of stress can impact both mental and physical health – causing muscle tension, making the heart and lungs to work harder, upsetting digestion and releasing hormones that affect the brain and reproductive systems. 

The emotional impact of rosacea is often substantial regardless of subtype or severity, according to results of a new National Rosacea Society patient survey. 

Emotional stress and physical pain are among the invisible components of rosacea beyond its red-faced, conspicuous appearance, according to new patient surveys by the National Rosacea Society (NRS). The NRS has designated April as Rosacea Awareness Month to alert the public to the warning signs of this chronic and often progressive facial disorder now estimated to affect more than 16 million Americans.

Although emotional stress is reported to be one of the most common rosacea triggers, effective stress management can lead to a reduction in the number of stress-related flare-ups, according to results of a new National Rosacea Society (NRS) survey.

Patient surveys have shown that emotional stress is one of the leading triggers of rosacea's signs and symptoms. Especially as we head into the busy holiday season, here are some tips that may help you to cope.

• Learn to say no. Taking on more than you can handle is a sure-fire recipe for stress. Pare down your to-do list by dropping tasks that aren't true necessities.

While emotional stress is one of the leading causes of rosacea flare-ups, stress management can be highly effective in reducing its impact, according to a new survey conducted by the National Rosacea Society.

In a survey of more than 700 rosacea patients, 91 percent reported that emotional stress caused or sometimes caused their rosacea to flare up. Stress reportedly led to frequent flare-ups for 45 percent of the survey respondents and occasional flare-ups for 42 percent. Only 10 percent indicated that stress rarely affected their rosacea.

While emotional stress is one of the most common tripwires for rosacea flare-ups, using stress reduction techniques may help reduce flare-ups for the great majority of rosacea sufferers, according to a recent survey of Rosacea Review readers.

In a survey of 602 rosacea patients, 88 percent said that their rosacea flares up when they are under emotional stress. Only 8 percent reported that stress was not a factor.