10 Tips For Dealing With Stress to Avoid an Eczema Flare

People with eczema may find that their flare-ups start or intensify with an increase in stress levels. Your skin may feel more itchy and you are more likely to scratch when you feel pressured.

We asked our community what they do during times of stress:

1. Yoga. Will try more Eastern arts, like Qigong and simple meditation as my daughter gets older.
2. Guided imagery and meditation.
3. Anything and everything. Sometimes hanging out with friends is the best thing because it makes you focus on something else. At home: video games, music, dancing, reading, whatever happens to be available. And if I get worried about my skin, I just remind myself that it takes time for things to get better, and to keep working on not scratching.
4. Try to free your mind of any thought that could cause stress.
5. I try to get extra sleep and moisturize.
6. I use an unscented Aveeno product and I use apple cider vinegar to kill off some surface bacteria. Moisturizing is a constant since I have full body eczema. Sometimes nothing helps, and I just try to be quiet about it and sit up all night.
7. I keep a close eye on my children during times of high stress. I have found that my stress levels rub off on them. When they flare, I try to limit new experiences and change. One son digs his skin in new situations that are uncomfortable. I spend more time cuddling and reading books, and generally try to stay more available to them.
8. Pray
9. I ask my three-year-old daughter to talk about her favorite things — like a recent trip to the zoo or aquarium or her visits to her friends and cousins — even when she is awake at night. She actually stops scratching and engages herself in a conversation, which helps.
10. I do crossword puzzles and knit.