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Unfortunately,stressis a normalized experience in our culture.

Unfortunately, stress doesnt only impact ones mental healthit can affect your physical health too.

The results can be overwhelming, fromspiked cholesteroland blood pressure to lackluster sleep.

Mid adult man watching a soccer game at bar

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However, other physical indicators youre experiencing may leave you wondering if stress is the culprit.

Face twitching may be one of those things.

Is Face Twitching a Symptom of Stress?

First, let’s explore face twitching as a sign of stress.

Stress, fatigue, anxiety, and depression can all be factors causing these twitches.

Consider this scenario: Youre extremelyoverwhelmeddue to intense work deadlines and discord in your family system around the holidays.

Youre drinking more caffeine than usual and may skip meals or overeat.

You find that yoursleepis less restful, and youre generally more agitated than normal.

You also notice that youre experiencing facial twitches occasionally, sometimes in your eye.

When Is Face Twitching More Than Stress?

Sometimes face twitching is a sign of a neuromuscular disorder rather than a sign of feelinganxious.

It is commonly seen in middle-aged to older women and typically begins with an occasional eyelid twitching.

The twitching is powerful enough to make the eyelid close completely.

This twitching will progress until all muscles on one side of the face are involuntarily spasming.

Hemifacial spasm isnt necessarily caused bystress, but a doctor would be the one to determine the exact cause.

Unlike psychogenic facial spasms, the recommended treatment for hemifacial spasms is botox injections into the impacted areas.

Botox will relax the muscle, thus eradicating the spasms.

How Does Stress Impact Our Bodies?

Theres no other way to put it: Stress is toxic.

Chronic stressis prolonged and can cause many health ailments, including facial twitching.

It may feel overwhelming to hear how stress can begin to attack your physical health.

But dont lose hopethere are ways to decrease stress levels.

However, there are still ways to avoid the physical effects of stress that arent expensive or time-consuming.

So next time you feel overwhelmed, take a moment to breathe.

Doing so can help lower your cortisol levels and keep your blood pressure under control.

Meditation

Meditationis another form of relaxation that is free and relatively quick.

Similar to deep breathing, it can also lower cortisol and blood pressure.

Plus, it can be practiced with the whole family.

If youre unsure where to start, check out thisloving-kindness meditation.

Yoga

Finally, consider starting ayogapractice.

You are trying your best every day, which shouldnt be overlooked.

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Doi: 10.17179/excli2017-480

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Stress.