Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Stress does turn hair gray, and it’s reversible

cuimc.columbia.edu

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

51–60 of 137 posts

Re: Stress does turn hair gray, and it’s reversible

#51

Post by mk89 »

monk_e_boy wrote: post #45
pasxizeis wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Almost a year and a half later, after leaving that job, I took the pandemic to really focus on my stress levels and be happier (I am). Do you mind sharing any particular advice on how to do this?

Naps! Seriously, listen to your mind and your body. If it needs sleep, give it some. It it requires painting or dancing, do it!

I agree with this comment. Sleep is ridiculously underestimated in our society due to the fact that it's perceived as a waste of time, while you could do something else more "productive" or "fun" - binge watching, learning, studying, working on that thing that you really wanted to finish, etc. etc. It's absolutely not the case. The first thing to go is the memory. Then step by step things add up. It's not fun.

Re: Stress does turn hair gray, and it’s reversible

#52

Post by belzebalex »

hermannj314 wrote: post #16

Has anyone found good, long-term methods for stress management? I know I am stressed and I see the evidence - restless sleep, elevated WBC, worsening anxiety. I, unfortunately, haven't found a good routine way to manage stress.

Was badly stressed preparing for the entrance exam for engineering schools. It was to the point I had heart palpitations for hours.

Two things made it disappear: - Sport, even just running an hour a week stopped the palpitations - Magnesium supplements

It's bearable for me because it won't last more than two years. Over the long-term, I would suggest trying to fix the problem from the inside (therapy? meditation? switching jobs?).

Re: Stress does turn hair gray, and it’s reversible

#53

Post by extrememacaroni »

pasxizeis wrote: post #41
junon wrote: post #4

Maybe it was a coincidence but at my last job I was so insanely stressed and burnt out. My manager was terrible, treated me like an idiot, and my ideas were stifled day in and day out. I woke up one day and seemingly overnight my beard had a grey patch - almost white, in fact. It fell out in the week after. Almost a year and a half later, after leaving that job, I took the pandemic to really focus on my stress levels…

> Almost a year and a half later, after leaving that job, I took the pandemic to really focus on my stress levels and be happier (I am). Do you mind sharing any particular advice on how to do this?

You can try doing things, but in the end your stressor will still be there and until you reduce your dependency and the importance of your stressor, you won't solve anything.

Re: Stress does turn hair gray, and it’s reversible

#54

Post by twodave »

My hair started graying pretty much as soon as I graduated from college. It makes a lot of sense now. Around the same time, I:

- bought a house (in 2007, yeesh)

- got married

- started my first job (which at the time felt like drinking out of a fire hose)

Shortly after, my wife and I went through the stress of trying and failing to get pregnant. Then infertility treatments for several months. Then my wife had surgery. Infertility treatments no longer an option, we turned to adoption. 6 weeks later (seriously), we brought home our first child.

After that, it was like kids fell into our laps every couple of years. After the second child, I struggled with a pretty severe addiction that nearly claimed my marriage. Since then we've adopted two more. We now have kids aged 12, 9, 6 and 4.

Has it been all stress all the time? Not at all. I feel incredibly blessed to be living this life. But the hair (mostly on the sides) hasn't gone back to its normal color either, so I guess either it's genetic or there's an undercurrent of stress I've just become accustomed to.

Edit: formatting

Re: Stress does turn hair gray, and it’s reversible

#56

Post by bserge »

hermannj314 wrote: post #16

Has anyone found good, long-term methods for stress management? I know I am stressed and I see the evidence - restless sleep, elevated WBC, worsening anxiety. I, unfortunately, haven't found a good routine way to manage stress.

Long term without medication? Only adopting a chill life philosophy would work. And it does work for eliminating long term stress, but not short term (a few days) in my experience.

And maybe exercise, as others said.

Re: Stress does turn hair gray, and it’s reversible

#57

Post by gverrilla »

hermannj314 wrote: post #16

Has anyone found good, long-term methods for stress management? I know I am stressed and I see the evidence - restless sleep, elevated WBC, worsening anxiety. I, unfortunately, haven't found a good routine way to manage stress.

you can't 'manage' stress, you have to overcome it. initially, you have to factor it in as a price for your current lifestyles and choices. good luck

Re: Stress does turn hair gray, and it’s reversible

#58

Post by chaosbutters314 »

twodave wrote: post #54

My hair started graying pretty much as soon as I graduated from college. It makes a lot of sense now. Around the same time, I: - bought a house (in 2007, yeesh) - got married - started my first job (which at the time felt like drinking out of a fire hose) Shortly after, my wife and I went through the stress of trying and failing to get pregnant. Then infertility treatments for several months. Then my wife had surgery…

how is adoption? Did you do domestically or international? Any sage advice?

I personally rather adopt than have my own kids so I'm just curious.

Re: Stress does turn hair gray, and it’s reversible

#59

Post by nus07 »

twodave wrote: post #54

My hair started graying pretty much as soon as I graduated from college. It makes a lot of sense now. Around the same time, I: - bought a house (in 2007, yeesh) - got married - started my first job (which at the time felt like drinking out of a fire hose) Shortly after, my wife and I went through the stress of trying and failing to get pregnant. Then infertility treatments for several months. Then my wife had surgery…

That is incredibly brave of you to share that and overcome all that. I had a similar time of buying our first house, starting a new job, having a baby and then losing a parent all within a space of 3-4 months just before the pandemic lockdown started. I lost a lot of my hair instead and now have a bald spot. Also lot of junk food and alcohol. Somehow I would have liked to keep my hair even if it turned gray :)

Re: Stress does turn hair gray, and it’s reversible

#60

Post by BatteryMountain »

My beard got a nice gray patch during 2018.. near the end of that year I ate 5g psilocybin and over the next 3 months all my gray bread hairs disappeared, and still until today I haven't had a single gray hair in my beard again. Can anyone explain that? Early thirties, no health issues, overall normal body.
Post reply on HN